Windows 7

Everybody who upgrades to Windows 7, be it from XP or Vista, will have a good reason for doing so.  I thought I’d look at a few of these, examine whether Windows 7 is likely to meet expectations, and ask you why you’re going to get it.

Buying a new PC

If you’re buying a new PC then you’re going to get Windows 7.  This is where you’re probably going to the least satisfaction from the new OS if you’ve been using XP.  No matter how friendly and usable Windows 7 is, the learning curve from XP is still very steep.  Computer books like Windows 7 for Dummies, Windows® 7 Step by Step
and my own Windows 7 Power Users Guide exist to help people through this transition, but it’s still a game-changer for many, putting them off and some will even reinstall XP on their new machine.

Speed

If you’re buying Windows 7 to get a speed increase and you’re currently using Vista then you’re in for a treat, it’s very fast but as fast at XP on the same hardware?  Frankly there’s too little in it to be able to tell.

Software Compatibility

Again, upgrading from Vista will give you a machine that’s far more compatible with software than Vista could ever have been.  It still won’t be as compatible as XP, that’s why we have XP Mode, and if you’re running older software that you have grown to love on XP the argument to change can prove difficult.

Hardware Compatibility

This one is much simpler and, surprisingly, where Vista comes out rather well.  Hardware manufacturers will soon drop support for many of their products in Windows XP.  The operating system is, let’s face it, eight years old now and well past retirement.  Vista is in better shape, sharing a driver-model with Windows 7 so that any driver that works on one should happily work on the other.

Security

From whichever angle you view it, the security in Windows 7 is streets ahead of any version of Windows that’s come before.  If you’re upgrading to get better security, then you’re a savvy individual and can’t possibly be disappointed.

To be less annoying

Both XP and Vista were, frankly, annoying.  Both had pop-up balloons at regular intervals including a notorious one from Norton 360 informing you that it was “performing tasks in the background”.  UAC in Vista was also hugely annoying for most people, some of who felt the only option was to forego the extra security it offered and turn it off.  XP’s constant insecurity, requiring regular patches and updates was also annoying.  If you want an operating system that’s going to to bug you less, Windows 7 is the one to get.

To have the latest / best

If this is your goal then you’ll be hard pressed to be anything but happy with Windows 7.  It’s a great leap forward, though still not a leap far enough for some.  Hardware is not at the point where all motherboards support hardware virtualisation, and until that happens we’re stuck with legacy code, slowing down the OS and resulting in a multitude of unnecessary patches and updates.

Gaming

Many hard-core PC gamers skipped Vista completely, and I believe they were right to do so.  The OS was a dog and killing Germermans or aliens on a dog is always going to be more painful for you then it will be for their sorry pixellated arses.  Windows 7 is great, I’ve seen it with my own eyes and the gaming experience is as good as it is in XP, if not more so because of much better driver support.  Upgrading from either XP or Vista for gaming can only mean you’re a winner!

You’re being forced to

No, I’m not kidding, your partner or parents might be buying it which will give you no choice.  Well don’t get too grumpy about it ‘cos it’s not all bad news.  If it means you’re also getting Internet Explorer 8 for the first time at least the inPrivate browsing mode means you can look at what you like online without them knowing.  In fact a friend of mine likes this feature so much that he’s so far neglected to tell his wife it exists 

So what’s your reason?

There’s no doubt in my mind that the upgrade to Windows 7, if you can get it for a reasonable price, is a worthwhile one that won’t disappoint.  There will be a multitude of reasons to upgrade though, what’s yours?