Windows Seven is great, but just couldn't cut it for me.

[gymophett]

Who else agrees? I thought Windows 7 was pretty darn good, but Ubuntu is just the OS for me. Windows 7 still didn't win me over, even though it's eye-candy is great.

[meeples]

the thing i was really impressed with on 7 was the aero shakey thing, thats pretty cool :O

[Greg]

Personally, I thought 7 was nothing special. It's just a slightly trimmed down Vista with the ability to pin to taskbar. (I got bored of the eye candy quickly and changed the theme to Windows Classic :P)

[hessiess]

Its basically the same as its bean since win 95, nothing spatial.

[Bachstelze]

Windows 7 totally cuts it for me, it is my main desktop OS, replacing Vista. When AviSynth 3 will be finished (if it ever is), maybe I will switch back to Linux on the desktop.

Moved to Recurring Discussions.

[Tristam Green]

+1, and it runs better on my netbook than anything else I've seen thus far.

[C!oud]

It was alright, just didn't offer me any advantages over linux/*BSD so I didn't see the point in using it.

[LowSky]

+1, and it runs better on my netbook than anything else I've seen thus far.

Really? better than XP? I've tried Ubuntu and the UNR version but it just doesn't run as well as XP.

Time to DL the 32bit version, all I have is the 64 bit version for my media center and I think I rocks. Very stable and runs very smooth. Start up time sucks but that is my only complaint. Its going to stink to have to buy OEM copies in a few months.

[Tristam Green]

Really? better than XP? I've tried Ubuntu and the UNR version but it just doesn't run as well as XP.

Time to DL the 32bit version, all I have is the 64 bit version for my media center and I think I rocks. Very stable and runs very smooth. Start up time sucks but that is my only complaint. Its going to stink to have to buy OEM copies in a few months.

XP ran extremely smoothly on the netbook, to be sure. However, the start-bar was tiny :| Windows 7 has rectified that. Also, the power options are myriad.

[Cenotaph]

Win7 is satisfying my needs all the way for both my notebook and desktop computer. Think i'll go windows only for a while, unfortunately, although i still keep an eye close to what happens with karmic.

[Sergeant Streetwise]

I had a fair and enjoyable experence with MS Win 7.

The thing is I don't buy new computers only upgrade parts for the one I already have and I'm

just not the sort to fork out for a copy when it goes on sale so dont see myself in the future

as an MS windows bobber. :)

[Giant Speck]

Well, it's cool you give it a shot, at least. :)

[munky99999]

Ya I just got win 7 goin. It's great.

I've used xp for years andyears. Started MCITP course for Vista. I had never even touched vista. The course only proved over and over how bad vista is.

Win 7 has now replaced xp for me.

I need windows for gaming.

When the opensource drivers will only support 2d mode setting and the ati binary drivers wont support the card at all.

Add in the layer of incompatibility of Wine.

Once I get gaming on pretty much the latest games that have been released... my machine will start crying.

All my backbone systems still run ubuntu 24/7 :)

[munky99999]

the thing i was really impressed with on 7 was the aero shakey thing, thats pretty cool :O
Aero and the WDDM driver architecture was available in vista. The Compiz features really are far better in my opinion. The aero effects like how windows come into focus were designed not for effect... but to allow the machine to take a second to load things. So it appears to the end user that it's going VERY FAST.

+1, and it runs better on my netbook than anything else I've seen thus far.
All the benchmarks and friends who did put it on netbook/laptop have told me or reported that win 7 absolutely destroys their battery performance. I think might need a patch or something.

The one really big thing I absolutely hate about windows 7 over vista.

They renamed Workgroups to HOMEGROUPS. Domains still retaining their names. That's the biggest problem microsoft has been doing. They rename things for no reason.

On the plus side. Which is the big winning factor for me. Advanced Environment Variables for the OS work soooo much better in win 7 then in vista or xp.

[Bachstelze]

It's funny how many people are saying that Vista sucks and 7 is great when 7 is really just Vista with a few additional features.

[Copernicus1234]

Windows 7 is the best Windows version, but Im sick of Windows.

Ubuntu on the desktop since January and its not going anywhere.

[munky99999]

It's funny how many people are saying that Vista sucks and 7 is great when 7 is really just Vista with a few additional features.

explain the benchmarks. Explain just about everything lol.

Everything that was new in vista certainly didnt warrant the huge hit in performance. 7 brings the performance back to xp levels. That's with there being no real release yet.

vista sp1 is being beat hands down by 7 BETA.

[Bachstelze]

explain the benchmarks.

What benchmarks? Give an example...

[munky99999]

What benchmarks? Give an example...

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/reviews/windows_7_review?page=0%2C0

That is the one that got digged.
There's about eleventy billion others.

[Bachstelze]

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/reviews/windows_7_review?page=0%2C3

For most benchmarks, the difference between Vista and 7 is less than 5%. I guess that proves my point really well, thanks. :)

[Giant Speck]

It's funny how many people are saying that Vista sucks and 7 is great when 7 is really just Vista with a few additional features.

I don't think Vista sucks, but I still think 7 is better than Vista.

[jrusso2]

It's funny how many people are saying that Vista sucks and 7 is great when 7 is really just Vista with a few additional features.

To me this just shows how Microsoft learned how to make an OS that's a dog appear to be faster and the gullibility of the public did the rest. A quite amazing feat.

[sydbat]

To me this just shows how Microsoft learned how to make an OS that's a dog appear to be faster and the gullibility of the public did the rest. A quite amazing feat.No...public gullibility is the easy part...

[fela]

I agree - I can't believe Windows 7 is STILL a single user operating system! I mean come on MS you can do better than that, it's almost 2010 for crying out loud!

And the security problems make windows 7 a complete joke if the single-user-ness of it doesn't.

[xArv3nx]

And the security problems
security problems?

[Bachstelze]

I don't think Vista sucks, but I still think 7 is better than Vista.

Then I wasn't talking about you... 7 is better than Vista, but it's not night and day.

[KiwiNZ]

Windows 7 is the same as Vista in the same way as XP is the same as Win ME

It is wrong to say they are the same

[fela]

security problems?

As in, the user (and its programs/viruses) has complete and utter control over the computer. They still haven't fixed this, and don't tell me that UAC is a fix. The fix has to be built right in and UAC is pretty much an addon as things go.

[Bachstelze]

Windows 7 is the same as Vista in the same way as XP is the same as Win ME

It is wrong to say they are the same

No one said they were the same. But the differences between 7 and Vista are much less important than those between XP and Me.

By the way, The version number for Vista is 6.0, and it is 6.1 for 7. On the other hand, Me was 4.90 and XP was 5.1. That should tell you something.

[fela]

Also, can you even chroot a user into a certain directory on Windows? If you can't then that alone proves it's not worthy of going on a server due to incredible lack of decent security.

[Shpongle]

i havnt used 7 and frankly i dont plan to, iv no need, and besides i dont like to use an os where im not completely in control, windos just annoys the hell out of me with that, il leave it at that before i rant on

[Bachstelze]

Also, can you even chroot a user into a certain directory on Windows? If you can't then that alone proves it's not worthy of going on a server due to incredible lack of decent security.

Are you a security expert? Probably not, so stop assuming that because Windows does not do things the same way as UNIX, it is insecure.

[fela]

Are you a security expert? Probably not, so stop assuming that because Windows does not do things the same way as UNIX, it is insecure.

I'm not a security expert, but I am a computer expert. But anyway, can you chroot (or equivalent) in Windows? Because if you can't, then it is a complete deal breaker for me.

And I'm not saying windows is unsecure because it doesn't work in the same way as UNIX/Linux, I'm saying it's unsecure because it's unsecure, compared with UNIX/Linux.

And what are you getting so het up about anyway? Are you some windows fanboy or do you just strongly disagree with what I'm saying?

[KiwiNZ]

No one said they were the same. But the differences between 7 and Vista are much less important than those between XP and Me.

By the way, The version number for Vista is 6.0, and it is 6.1 for 7. On the other hand, Me was 4.90 and XP was 5.1. That should tell you something.

Bah to version numbers , its all about user experience :)

[ChrT]

I don't need windows, therefore I don't use it.

[murderslastcrow]

Although my parents want to use Linux very badly, Flash and iTunes are making them stay, and they have been using Windows 7, currently the RTM version.

I used Vista, and I've seen how Windows 7 works, and it's UAC does do a LITTLE BIT, but it doesn't make up for how obnoxious it is. And the ironic part is that it blocks network access and setup programs primarily. This is funny because I was under the impression that most viruses and malware were in smaller executables that don't have an obvious "thisisavirus.exe" installer.

That being said, Windows 7 is optimized Vista. They took out a lot of the space-grubbing UI, tried to simplify things a bit... I think they're basically just trying to distract people from the fact that they're using Windows, now. Just letting them use their programs and getting out of the way as much as they can. Which is probably the strategy Microsoft needs to take, since they don't have the best reputation.

I still think suDown is more effective than UAC any day.

[misfitpierce]

Actually Windows 7 is a huge improvment for windows performance wise... Most of it is built off Vista but performance was greatly improved for low end hardware. That said though, I have not tried it because it just does not interest me. I like the idea of free software and an open community with everyone helping one another for free. I can do everything I need on Ubuntu/Linux (CD burning, image editing, making music, listening to music, browsing the web and getting email, etc etc.) so I don't plan on checking out Windows 7. It's a nice improvment from what I have seen specs wise on performance charts, and the lowering of the crazy UAC I heard about on Vista should be good for windows users. Not for me though, Ubuntu for 4+ years and I am sticking with it heh.

[Tristam Green]

Also, can you even chroot a user into a certain directory on Windows? If you can't then that alone proves it's not worthy of going on a server due to incredible lack of decent security.

You wouldn't put Windows 7 on a server, and I would laugh at anyone who did.

That's why there's Windows Server 2008.

[samjh]

You can chroot (more like schroot, with additional features) in Windows using WinJail, which is a third-party application. Similar deal in Linux, since schroot is a third-party feature for Linux anyway.

Personally, I think Windows 7 is excellent for those who depend on Windows. I need to be able to run my printer and scanner with full features support, and complete MS Office compatibility, which I cannot get with using only Linux (I've tried for three years on a purely Linux system). Vista sucked, so I didn't buy it. Windows 7 seems worthy of purchase now.

Is it BETTER than Linux? Technologically, not really. I think Linux is still vastly superior in many aspects, including system security, cost, user configurability, and versatility. But Windows is better at a lot of other things, mostly by virtue of its commercial status and dominance: fully LEGAL multimedia codec support, superior hardware driver support, not to mention seamless eye-candy.

I'll be happily using both Win 7 and Linux, side-by-side, in complete harmony. :)

[fela]

I don't understand why windows should have a separate version for servers. Well I do, but I don't understand why it has a version so separate that you can't install the server features in the desktop version (or can you...?).

With Linux you get what you get, the desktop version is the same as all other versions (at least you can easily install all the server stuff on a desktop version).

[Giant Speck]

By the way, The version number for Vista is 6.0, and it is 6.1 for 7. On the other hand, Me was 4.90 and XP was 5.1. That should tell you something.

The fact that Microsoft released XP thirteen months after releasing ME should tell you something, as well. ;)

[murderslastcrow]

I wouldn't say Windows SEVEN has superior hardware support. Maybe Windows XP, just maybe. 7 actually had a few outstanding issues that required my family to install drivers in XP compatibility mode just to get basic functionality (1024x768 resolution, for example).

I hope that this is the Windows that gets new features and the updates actually patch the system and improve it, instead of continually selling new versions of the software for outrageous prices. That would be a decent benefit to give Windows users.

[Bachstelze]

7 actually had a few outstanding issues that required my family to install drivers in XP compatibility mode just to get basic functionality (1024x768 resolution, for example).

No, you got it all wrong. It's your driver that has issues (namely, that it is poorly written), not 7.

[sydbat]

But Windows is better at a lot of other things, mostly by virtue of its commercial status and dominance: fully LEGAL multimedia codec support, superior hardware driver support, not to mention seamless eye-candy.Not sure what you mean by this. Multimedia codecs are legal everywhere, just install them at your leisure to run on any and all OS's...unless you are in the US, then you likely have to purchase the codecs...but remember, US law regarding this only applies to the US, not to the rest of the world...

[Bachstelze]

codecs are legal everywhere [...] unless you are in the US

... but really, who cares about the US, right? :-k

[samjh]

Not sure what you mean by this. Multimedia codecs are legal everywhere, just install them at your leisure to run on any and all OS's...unless you are in the US, then you likely have to purchase the codecs...but remember, US law regarding this only applies to the US, not to the rest of the world...

Taking the example of libdvdcss, it is illegal in the US and most EU nations. Basically, in any country which has ratified the WIPO Copyright Treaty and implemented legislation in compliance with the treaty, the legality of libdvdcss is suspect.

I probably should have said multimedia decoders, rather than just codecs, since I'm talking about software which actually reads and plays back multimedia content. Even the beloved FFMPEG is illegal in many countries (including the US and some European ones).

[Compintuit]

Taking the example of libdvdcss, it is illegal in the US and most EU nations. Basically, in any country which has ratified the WIPO Copyright Treaty and implemented legislation in compliance with the treaty, the legality of libdvdcss is suspect.

I probably should have said multimedia decoders, rather than just codecs, since I'm talking about software which actually reads and plays back multimedia content. Even the beloved FFMPEG is illegal in many countries (including the US and some European ones).

Not in canada :) That make me want to role my own ubuntu flavor, with codecs. But I'm no dev.

[tsali]

No, you got it all wrong. It's your driver that has issues (namely, that it is poorly written), not 7.

I love this...we gotta remember that hardware compatibility is the hardware manufacturers responsibility, right?

Did you complain to your manufacturer for not supporting your chosen OS?

I tend to agree with you that while Win 7 may be better than Vista (as one would expect), I don't see that it offers that much more value for someone who had a good experience with Vista. I loaded the RC and just was not impressed.

I do find it entertaining that so many who have never used Vista find that its bad or it sucks. I used to think that about all Windows systems...until I actually tried it...

[Giant Speck]

I do find it entertaining that so many who have never used Vista find that its bad or it sucks. I used to think that about all Windows systems...until I actually tried it...

And here lies the entire point of the Mojave Experiment.

[Thisislaw]

It was alright, just didn't offer me any advantages over linux/*BSD so I didn't see the point in using it.

Really? better than XP? I've tried Ubuntu and the UNR version but it just doesn't run as well as XP.

Time to DL the 32bit version, all I have is the 64 bit version for my media center and I think I rocks. Very stable and runs very smooth. Start up time sucks but that is my only complaint. Its going to stink to have to buy OEM copies in a few months.

You should try out Jolicloud, still in Alpha but I have not had any issues. Works great. Interface is similar/almost identical to UNR but runs quite quickly.
Also, I love Windows 7, I was using XP x64 as my Windows OS. But I have been using this since build 7077. Very impressed.

[Bachstelze]

I love this...we gotta remember that hardware compatibility is the hardware manufacturers responsibility, right?


Of course. Who do you think regularly gets the blame for the absence of Linux drivers? The manufacturers who either don't make drivers or don't release the hardware specifications so the community can make them. I see no reason why it would be any different for Windows drivers.

[fela]

Of course. Who do you think regularly gets the blame for the absence of Linux drivers? The manufacturers who either don't make drivers or don't release the hardware specifications so the community can make them. I see no reason why it would be any different for Windows drivers.

+1. Both Linux and Windows (mostly Linux though) get too many complaints about not having enough drivers and software, but it's not Linux they should be complaining to. It's the hardware manufacturers and the software developers.