How good is Windows 7

Originally Posted by john3347

A factor contributing to the fact that the masses update their OS by buying a new computer is the fact that buying a new computer only costs a small bit more than buying a new (Microsoft) OS for their existing computer. (just wanted to make that point) Yes, new computer sales will account for the vast majority of Windows 7 sales, while the percentage of enthuiasts who build their systems or upgrade their "old" systems is very small.

As to MY opinion of "How good is Windows 7?", Windows 7 has a long way to go. I have Windows 7 RTM installed and activated and I am seeing ENTIRELY too much Vista characteristics. Iam experiencing approximately daily screen freezes requiring a reboot and loss of whatever website or document I was working on. On two occasions, I had to turn power off to the power supply to get the computer to reset and reboot. Libraries has helped very little in the train wreck that Vista Windows Explorer was/is. Generally too much Vista "look and feel" which is a subjective characteristic which some like and some do not like. (I totally do not like it) Many of the old familiar capabilities that we used and liked are now gone. Classic Start Menu and the ability to arrange icons in Windows Explorer folders are two that come to mind immediately.

While I do have Windows 7 RTM installed and activated (legally) I am not one of Windows 7's enthuiastic boosters. There has been far too much taken away from what XP has become and far too little improvement in "user experience" and in reliablity and function. Windows 7 has a LOOOONG way to go before becoming a fabulous OS.

I just can't bring myself to agree with you on this one John.. I find it odd that your having that many issues.. I'm curious, did you have this many problems with any of the ALPHA/BETA or RC builds?

Originally Posted by Radenight

I just can't bring myself to agree with you on this one John.. I find it odd that your having that many issues.. I'm curious, did you have this many problems with any of the ALPHA/BETA or RC builds?

I too feel the need to try to deduce why John has had such an unpleasant experience with 7 and wish it were otherwise..

It's funny how when you enjoy something you simply expect everyone to have the same or similar opinion.

I am violently curious by nature and would give my eyeteeth to know what is causing these random hangs that are being described. I wish John were more interested in sticking with Seven if for no other reason than to find out what is causing such an unusual issue.

i have been holding off for months about buying a new machine but cant wait any longer, i have ordered a new laptop which comes this friday (i hope) with vista home premium and have made sure i have a free upgrade option for windows 7.
I will wait for a while before upgrading it to 7 until i am happy that 7 has been out for a while and is proving to be stable.

I need this machine as a work machine so have to be very careful about upgrading, and to me vista was fine on good hardware, especially after the service packs.

I am running 7 on my ageing laptop which is about 3 years old now and was never the fastest thing, even when new.

For me Windows 7 RTM (courtesy of Microsoft and the technical beta program) has breathed new life into my ageing computer. It's playing games better than it ever did on Windows XP, drivers that worked with XP but not vista work fine on 7. My faith in Microsoft has been restored, best thing since 95 imho.

First off; I tend to be conservative in my preferences and anything new and significantly different has to show considerable improvement over what I am accustomed to before it meets my approval. This is a negative to me for many of the new features of Windows 7 and especially for most of the familiar features that have been abandoned.

The instability that I am experiencing began showing itself somewhere in the RC stage. I installed two or three RC versions, performing a clean install in all but one upgrade before downloading and clean installing the RTM (TechNet Plus membership). The problem appears to be related more to the number of applications and the total size of all saved files rather than to version in use. (I have 11,000 photos and over 3000 songs, and a few online books, for instance. ) I plan to "stick with Seven" and hope that by SP2 it will show some significant improvement. I have the OS "paid for" and have a legitimate installation key. I have a "test" Vista computer and will retain a "test" Seven computer but, at the present "state of development", XP, in combination with a Windows 2000 computer for some legacy hardware and software, will remain my primary OS for the foreseeable future. (Backward compatibility, not planned obsolence endears an OS to me.)

I might add that XP is not exempt from occasional screen freezes either, just much less frequently than those I experience with Vista and also with 7. Windows 2000 is the only OS I have ever used that simply NEVER froze or crashed to the extent that I lost, or lost parts of, whatever I might be working on. 2000 was, and still is, FAR AND AWAY the most stable of any Microsoft OS EVER

I'm a die-hard Mac kinda guy who bought a new killer Vista laptop a couple months ago and installed Win 7 on a separate partition. I used to HATE Windows... Vista was kinda cool but Win 7 RULZ! I'm in Love with Win 7 - haven't even used my Macs for weeks now - actually set up my laptop for recording (my hobby is recording - guitar, keyboards, bass, etc) in Windows 7 - my interface and hardware all work flawlessly with it and Sonar Producer 8 (my new Windows DAW) does too. I've used Mac G5's and Logic Studio for years but this Windows 7 has won me back!! Am fixin' to build a new desktop system just for Windows 7. 7 IMO is 1 beautiful, fast, sleek OS.

A die hard Mac fan converted by Windows 7? Surely this speaks volumes on Windows 7's quality. I've never heard of somebody going from being a full time MAC user to a Windows user before. Bravo Microsoft, bravo.

Originally Posted by Cerberus1991

For me Windows 7 RTM (courtesy of Microsoft and the technical beta program) has breathed new life into my ageing computer. It's playing games better than it ever did on Windows XP, drivers that worked with XP but not vista work fine on 7. My faith in Microsoft has been restored, best thing since 95 imho.

This statement regarding Windows 95 points out that usage patterns, equipment, and software involved all affect the overall user experience of an OS. Windows 95 was absolutely the most un-stable OS I have ever used - - including Vista by a small margin. If I had broken a law every time I performed an "illegal operation" in Windows 95, I would be in jail for 13 lifetimes. Curiously, I had no significant difficulties with Windows Millennium. I even used it on my home computer, and a laptop, until XP was well into SP2.

Originally Posted by john3347

This statement regarding Windows 95 points out that usage patterns, equipment, and software involved all affect the overall user experience of an OS. Windows 95 was absolutely the most un-stable OS I have ever used - - including Vista by a small margin. If I had broken a law every time I performed an "illegal operation" in Windows 95, I would be in jail for 13 lifetimes. Curiously, I had no significant difficulties with Windows Millennium. I even used it on my home computer, and a laptop, until XP was well into SP2.

Just goes to show that experiences differ between users. For me Windows ME was THE worst version of windows. Can I just ask what exactly makes vista unstable? It's a resource hog, yes, it's slow, yes, it's got far too much bloat, yes, but imho it's not unstable, well for the month of my life I wasted using it it never crashed or froze, only got a bluescreen once when I overclocked my video memory too much.

I was quite young when I used 95, so my memory is a bit fuzzy, but I have nothing but fond memories of it.

Also, I've never understood this "wait for the service pack" mentality, Vista RTM was crap, Vista SP1 was crap, we're now into VIsta SP2 and oh, yeah, it's crap. With Windows 7 I'm definitely not going to be waiting around for SP1, as far as I'm concerned the os is fine as is.

Originally Posted by john3347

. The problem appears to be related more to the number of applications and the total size of all saved files rather than to version in use. (I have 11,000 photos and over 3000 songs, and a few online books, for instance.

(Backward compatibility, not planned obsolence endears an OS to me.)

Do you keep all the media you refer to on C:/? I would love to try to replicate this behavior since your frightening me a little.
I have this much media probably more though I have no more than twenty five apps installed currently.
I am thinking about moving enough media files to C:/ in an attempt to create some instability.
If you could be so kind as to update on these questions I would appreciate it.

Your comment on planned obsolescence however i couldn't agree with more, I would actually praise Microsoft if they tried to produce something that was intended for the TRUE long haul but alas when auto makers and furniture makers and home builders all subscribe to this practice of planned obsolescense we may be holding our breath for awhile.