My Windows 7 challenge

[MadmanRB]

Okay I have not booted into windows 7 in MONTHS now thanks to the netflix workaround on linux, but today I decided why not give Win7 a few days to shine, I have neglected it for a while and feel kind of sorry for it as I will honestly say I like windows 7 (the best one I have used since win2k)
So my goal?
Go a full week under windows 7 without booting over to the other side.
Yeah simple I know but hey as i said I feel bad for my win7 install that I barely use.
But I got to get this thing tweaked a little, so first step:
Install ambiance theme for windows 7 to make it feel like Ubuntu so I can feel more at home

[sammiev]

Win7 was the best OS I have used in all my life and have never had a BOD error or virus/malware. I prefer Linux but can not say anything to bad about MS.

[MadmanRB]

The thing about win7 is that its about the bling, performance wise its a slug compared to linux even with my more then adequate hardware.

[matt_symes]

Windows 7 is a great OS.

The best Microsoft have ever produced by a very large margin.

Win8 may be technically superior but for an all round OS Win7 rocks.

[MadmanRB]

Win8 superior?
Only on touchscreens, I have a desktop

[craig10x]

I'll be interested to see your updates on how windows 7 seems to you now that you were totally off it for a while...when i got my new computer about 7 months ago, i ran windows 7 for about 1 1/2 months before wiping it out and replacing with ubuntu...but while i was using it, i found it to be quite nice...much nicer then previous versions of windows i had used...i was actually pretty impressed with it...

So, your impressions of it upon returning i think will be most interesting... ;)

As far as windows 8, i hate metro (have worked with it) but i've read that if you have windows 8, but use a 3rd party program like "start 8" to return the desktop to the windows 7 interface, that it is very nice to work with (without using metro at all)...and does have certain performance, security and speed improvements over windows 7....Though again, i found windows 7 to be quite nice indeed...

[bcschmerker]

I currently use two computers with separate OS's. My current Windows box is an Asus® CM1630-06 (Advance Micro Devices® Athlon II® X2 220 MPU and 760G chipset, 4 GB DDR3-1066 SDRAM main memory, a planar ATi® Radeon® HD 3000™ in reserve) packing an EAH6850 DirectCU® video card (Advance Micro Devices® Radeon® HD™ 6850 GPU, 1 GB GDDR5-1800 video memory) and a XONAR® Essence™ STX audio card (Asus® AV-100, mfd. for ASUSTeK Computer by C-Media International), plus an Antec® TruePower® New™ 750 Blue to supply the system power; its primary advantages over my Ubuntu® rig are near-zero-latency audio streaming and full support for applications unavailable in LinUX. I've a preliminary plan to rebuild it for Ubuntu® 14.04-LTS, AMD64 Edition, as its BIOS is end-of-the-lined for Microsoft® Windows® Se7en™ Service Pack n 7.0.800n (MultiProcessor Kernel 6.1.760n), upon purchase of a system to run under Windows® 8ight™ Service Pack 1 64-bit 8.0.10001 (MultiProcessor Kernel 6.2.9201).

My current LinUX box, a hot rod in an Everex® TC2502 case, of course runs Ubuntu® 12.04.2-LTS, AMD64 Edition (Kernel 3.2.0-41-generic), and is loaded with diagnostic and repair tools for addressing a snafu involving all released generations of the Microsoft® NT™ File System in an eSATA external drive, in addition to a slew of partitions in ext4 on its own hard drive for regular service.

[CharlesA]

Win8 may be technically superior but for an all round OS Win7 rocks.

Agreed. I'm not quite a fan of Win 8, even though I've used it a little bit at work.


Win8 superior?
Only on touchscreens, I have a desktop

It works "OK" with keyboard and mouse, but they moved everything around and changed the way the interface is setup, so there is a learning curve.

Good luck with your challenge. :)

[matt_symes]

Hi


Win8 superior?
Only on touchscreens, I have a desktop

You missed the point of what i said. You thought i was viewing it through the prism of it's user interface.

This should make it clearer; what i was trying to say.

/technically/technologically

Kind regards

[midnightramen]

Win7 was the best OS I have used in all my life and have never had a BOD error or virus/malware. I prefer Linux but can not say anything to bad about MS.

I agree.

That is really all I have to say. Some folks are stuck on the ideology (ie - the Linux / open-source ideology), but I have found Windows 7 to be a fairly decent OS.

[pbpersson]

I like Windows 7 but I have had several BSODs on three computers using that OS. On the other hand, I have been using Linux since 2007 and have never had a kernel panic. My wife and I have been using Windows 8 for several months and it seems more stable than WIndows 7.

[QIII]

To be brutally honest, I like Win 7 a lot and have found it to be more stable than Ubuntu. Just sayin'...

[forrestcupp]

Win8 superior?
Only on touchscreens, I have a desktop

You're one of those people who don't understand Win8. It works just fine on a desktop. It has a "desktop mode". Like someone else mentioned, I installed a 3rd party Start menu that bypasses Metro, and now Windows 8 is a lot like Windows 7, only faster, more stable, and more features. Windows 8 is better than Windows 7, even on a desktop. It's not better enough to justify spending the money on an upgrade. But if you have a choice, Windows 8 is the clear winner, even if you hate Metro.

[craig10x]

Exactly, i think MadmanRB missed the point, windows 8 is faster, more stable and has more features then Windows 7 and works great on the desktop ONCE you bypass the metro interface completely by installing a 3rd party "start menu" such as start8 (which is only $5 to buy and i hear is excellent) or one of the free alternatives...

I also agree that as nice as the improvements are, wouldn't be worth the super expensive upgrade price...but if you are getting a new computer that already has it on there, then no problem, you can "fix" it easily (for desktop use)...

[iamkuriouspurpleoranj]

It's not that we're stuck on the ideology, it's that we constantly have to listen to combined hardcore-gamerz_artistz-wiv-skillz_wizkid-programmaz who tell us that Windows is better than Linux because they like to buy software they don't really need or use to any meaningful degree.

Windows 7 is ok. It even does some things better than Linux (VirtualBox performs better, for example).

However, we don't need it and the lack of respect that Microsoft has for the people who pay its way (i.e. us) or for the OEMs makes me not want to encourage them by giving them money. They're like cats: If you encourage them, they'll only come back.

That's not ideology. That's reciprocity.

[SifGrey]

Hi



You missed the point of what i said. You thought i was viewing it through the prism of it's user interface.

This should make it clearer; what i was trying to say.

/technically/technologically

Kind regards

What are your opinions regarding the functionality/practicality of windows 7 then?
I always thought windows XP was the best (more modern windows OS) in that aspect.

[anakai]

I agree aswell i think windows 7 i great. I never use it myself anymore, only linux here. I'm probabaly the only one that like windows 8 metro...

[forrestcupp]

What are your opinions regarding the functionality/practicality of windows 7 then?
I always thought windows XP was the best (more modern windows OS) in that aspect.

There's no way XP is technologically better than 7. XP takes a lot of work to set up from scratch. 7 is so far advanced from XP, it's crazy. Plus there's the whole fact that XP didn't even use a hardware accelerated compositing window manager. DWM didn't come around until Vista. XP was great in its time because it was the first OS to merge the NT line with the home user line, and start to do away with DOS. But today, it's a corroded piece of dung that needs to die. :)

We can compare the individual aspects if there are some things better about XP that you want to point out. Functionally, Win7 adds and tweaks a lot that XP didn't have.

[SifGrey]

I thought twice about the way I'd write my reply and I was afraid it was still ambiguous but when I said "I always thought windows XP was the best (more modern windows OS) in that aspect." I was speaking of practicality and functionality, not the technical side of it.

[montag dp]

I thought twice about the way I'd write my reply and I was afraid it was still ambiguous but when I said "I always thought windows XP was the best (more modern windows OS) in that aspect." I was speaking of practicality and functionality, not the technical side of it.I thought your post was quite clear.

To add my 2 cents: Windows 7 is a good OS, but it is a resource hog. Also, since coming to Linux I've found having a decent command line isn't something I like to be without.

[nonamedotc]

I agree!

Although, I use linux completely now, I never had any problems with Windows 7 when I was using it. It was pretty smooth. I had fairly good hardware always though.

[CharlesA]

I've been running the 64-bit version of Win7 Pro on my ancient work laptop (2Ghz single core, 1GB RAM) and it runs "OK" but there is definitely times when I get the old "Not responding" message when programs are fighting for CPU or memory.

Why the IT guy decided to install the 64-bit version of Windows on a laptop (http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2218214,00.asp) that is probably 5 or 6 years old, I don't know. I think the max amount of RAM it can handle is 4GB too and it's running 2 x 512MB sticks now.

EDIT: The link above is different from the one I have cuz mine is running an AMD CPU, not Intel and there is only 1GB of RAM not 2. Heh.

[llanitedave]

I've found that the quality of Windows 7 depends on your machine. On my Toshiba laptop, it's rock solid -- never an issue. On a "ruggedized" tablet I use for field work, it's very quirky. It often has trouble starting up, giving me "BAD-POOL-HEADER" errors, then going through several shutdown/restart processes. It also doesn't like to shut down, often hanging on the process. I also have a docked Samsung laptop at work that's dual-monitored to a large screen. It's usually ok, but it has its own ideas of what its power settings should be, and sometimes goes to hibernate without warning.

Overprinting all those, of course, is the intrusive non-choice nagging and annoyance of its timing of system updates, which is less a technical deficiency than Microsoft's arrogance of deciding for themselves when you should allow updates.

My Kubuntu 12.10 still has it beat overall.

[forrestcupp]

I thought twice about the way I'd write my reply and I was afraid it was still ambiguous but when I said "I always thought windows XP was the best (more modern windows OS) in that aspect." I was speaking of practicality and functionality, not the technical side of it.

That's cool. Since practicality and functionality is a subjective thing, I'll just agree to disagree. For me, Win7 is more functional than XP, and Win8 is even more functional that that. It's no big deal to me if XP is more functional for you. People have different needs.

[pfeiffep]

I've found that the quality of Windows 7 depends on your machine. On my Toshiba laptop, it's rock solid -- never an issue. On a "ruggedized" tablet I use for field work, it's very quirky. It often has trouble starting up, giving me "BAD-POOL-HEADER" errors, then going through several shutdown/restart processes. It also doesn't like to shut down, often hanging on the process. I also have a docked Samsung laptop at work that's dual-monitored to a large screen. It's usually ok, but it has its own ideas of what its power settings should be, and sometimes goes to hibernate without warning.

Overprinting all those, of course, is the intrusive non-choice nagging and annoyance of its timing of system updates, which is less a technical deficiency than Microsoft's arrogance of deciding for themselves when you should allow updates.

My Kubuntu 12.10 still has it beat overall.

Win 7 is the best MS has produced by a long shot (I haven't touched 8 yet) My installation occasionally chokes when running Photoshop - I just wait and it frees up.

I'm really happy with Linux - Ubuntu especially. Over the next year I'm looking forward migrating more functionality from Win to Ubuntu.

[neu5eeCh]

I also really liked Windows 7. Some critics called it garish, but I've always liked the glassy look of Aero and wish it were available (as a default) on XFCE or Unity (windows borders). Aesthetically, I really don't like the look of the Windows 8 Metro Interface.

I had to spend the first two weeks of April on Windows 7 (after having been off Windows for a year). TurboTax. The first thing I did was to run all kinds of updates. There's a nifty piece of software (whose name I'm blanking out on) that, in essence, recreates the Software Center. It checks all your Windows Software (including 3rd party) to see if it's up to date and provides links to update sources. After a couple of days I had most everything up to date, but definitely easier and far more elegant in Linux. I was able to use my old buddy WordPerfect. Just reminded me how much I love the Reveal Codes feature; and reminded what a drag it is to use Libre Wrtier and MS Word. They're both 4th rate word processors compared to WordPerfect.

Would be nice if Linux had its own Tax software (on par with TurboTax).

[craig10x]

In the case of Turbo Tax (which i use to use) and Tax Act (which is what i currently use) their online versions work great...no need to use a windows program for that...
Give it a try next year when you do your taxes...

[pfeiffep]

In the case of Turbo Tax (which i use to use) and Tax Act (which is what i currently use) their online versions work great...no need to use a windows program for that...
Give it a try next year when you do your taxes...

+1 for on line TaxAct

I'm still searching for an alternative to iCLoud & Photoshop. I think that I've found an adequate replacement for Roxio Creator for my music conversion.

[neu5eeCh]

In the case of Turbo Tax (which i use to use) and Tax Act (which is what i currently use) their online versions work great...no need to use a windows program for that...
Give it a try next year when you do your taxes...

Cool! I was just checking out their web site. How does Tax Act handle Business and Rental Income? I assume it can't import information, but I can live with that.

[craig10x]

I love Tax Act....Turbo Tax was very good...but i seem to like Tax Act even better...maybe it's the way it is laid out and the way it asks the "interview questions"...Not sure about Business and Rental income aspect though...but they seem to have everything accounted for in their program...It CAN import your prior year's tax information but only if you used them the prior year...and then it does it very smoothly....sometimes you can import info some certain outside sources, but i never played around with that...If you log out, it saves what you worked on so far and then the next time you log into it, continues from where you had left off...

[lulled]

To be brutally honest, I like Win 7 a lot and have found it to be more stable than Ubuntu. Just sayin'...
Someone had the guts to say it :lolflag:
I like Windows 7 very much, just like I used to like Windows XP. As for Windows 8, I tried it very little and didn't like it much on desktop.

[mikodo]

Hmm ... you guys are tweaking my interest. I had Windows 7 ultimate edition I believe, running in a vm a couple of years ago, and it was ok. Maybe I'll stick it on my new drive for a another test spin natively on the bare metal. For me though, I have no need for it. It won't remain.

Enjoy!

;p

[gnugen]

I like the way you want to install the ambience theme.

[MadmanRB]

I like the way you want to install the ambience theme.

To be honest I find the glossy/glassy look of 7 to be kind of garish
I like rhe ambiance theme

[forrestcupp]

Hmm ... you guys are tweaking my interest. I had Windows 7 ultimate edition I believe, running in a vm a couple of years ago, and it was ok. Maybe I'll stick it on my new drive for a another test spin natively on the bare metal. For me though, I have no need for it. It won't remain.

Enjoy!

;p

Windows 7 in a VM sucks compared to on bare metal. It was pretty buggy to me.

[lykwydchykyn]

Windows 7 in a VM sucks compared to on bare metal. It was pretty buggy to me.

I've run it in a VM at work for some time now for those things that I need Windows for. I haven't had much problem with it, but I run the "classic" theme. Seems like it was sluggish when I enabled Aero themes.

[CharlesA]

I've run it in a VM at work for some time now for those things that I need Windows for. I haven't had much problem with it, but I run the "classic" theme. Seems like it was sluggish when I enabled Aero themes.

I've been using it with the classic theme as well, but that might be cuz I've been running it as a headless VM and the server doesn't have a GUI, so no graphics drivers will fancy stuff are installed.

I think Classic looks way better than that 'Windows Basic' or whatever it's called.

[lykwydchykyn]

I think Classic looks way better than that 'Windows Basic' or whatever it's called.

Yeah, when it comes to windows, I'm oldschool. I put my exploration energies into FLOSS.

[BrokenKingpin]

Win7 is okay... but still has a lot of the same flaws it has had forever.

[flashmanblack]

:popcorn:,windows 7 is nice,but i like windows xp better for its cheap price and good hardware compatibility。

[CharlesA]

:popcorn:,windows 7 is nice,but i like windows xp better for its cheap price and good hardware compatibility。

Depends on the hardware you are installing it on. I've always had hell trying to actually get XP installed on anything that is running the SATA ports as ACHI instead of IDE. Who actually has a floppy drive to install the ACHI driver (if you can find one?).

WinXP is also going End of Life in less then a year.

[matt_symes]

Raid was always a pain under XP as well.

[codingman]

I have never had a malware/virus/spyware issue in my life. If you are careful not to download junk or go to bad websites or quickly go through installation processes in Windows, it's fine! 95 was amazing. 98 was amazing. 2000 was amazing. ME was junk. XP was okay. Vista was junk. 7 was sluggish but usable. 8 is junk unless you have a tablet. After ME, MS is keeping a fail-good pattern. Let's hope Windows Blue is good and the comedy will continue!