OS Update 7 or 8.1 for office environment?

I need to update our office computers. Currently they are all running XP. Since our office still has one DOS based program I need to run a 32-bit operating system. I've tried our DOS program and it runs on either 7 or 8.1 32-bit. Windows 7 seems as though it would be easier for most of the employees to adapt to. Though Windows 8.1 while being more confusing actually seems to be smoother and faster than Windows 7. Windows 8.1 in my opinion actually works very well with older hardware. In addition it appears to be more secure.

I have to update approx. 15 computers so I don't want to do this twice. Would you suggest Windows 7 or 8.1?

 

Apparently, you plan upgrade the OS on your existing hardware. Is that correct? If so, I presume you know your computers are capable of running Win 7 or Win 8.1. The Microsoft-stated system requirements for the two OS are the same. If you are not sure about this issue, you could run Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor.

Also, if you have computers that can run 64bit versions of Windows, I think I would test using DOSBox to run that 32bit DOS program on your 64bit machines with 64bit versions of Windows installed. Some references I found indicate this can be done. Here's one: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/3487-73-running-programs-windows

Regarding your question of whether to go with Win 7 or Win 8.1, I would probably go with Win 8.1 because it is the latest version of Windows and because I have been using it and I like it. However, as Major Attitude points out, it is a major change from previous versions of Windows. So, you must realize making a transition to Win 8.1 will require more training for awhile to get people up to speed after the upgrade. If you are comfortable with that, then I'd say go with Win 8.1.

If I were in your position and I were transitioning to Win 8.1, I would pin icons to the Desktop taskbar for the programs employees normally use so that they don't need to wonder around the unfamiliar Start screen to start their programs. And, of course, show them that getting to the Desktop is just one click away from the Start screen after they start their computer.

 

If you set it to boot to the desktop, that becomes less an issue (showing them how to get to desktop).

 

Our W8.1 experience pushes us to Win7 unless all computers are new and are rated as "Win8.1 ready". If you have a mix of models or motherboards, you may end up chasing down Realtec drivers for LAN vs. Audio problems (usually being displayed as flakey LAN connections - sometimes on, sometimes off; and none of those were present with Win7 or Win8.0).

Win8.0 and Win8.1 remove a lot of User Customization abilities. If workers are in a mix of lighting environments (high light, low, direct sunlight, night and day workers), then Win8's removal of Screen Object individual colorizations can make a big difference. That is, this small, seemingly inoffensive option window is no longer available in Win8 and 8.1:


So if users need to re-color scroll bars for superior contrast levels, they can't. They must stick to a Theme Only, changing many other options, some of which will be less pleasing than others.

Then, there's training, which will always re-involve the PC administrator in more user-desk time on Win8x than Win7.

And when Users start installing Metro Apps and Desktop Programs, chasing those down to isolate problem-causes is more time-consuming.

You'll also lose the traditional File-Backup System you may have used in XP; it's there for Win7, but now Win8x has a History process that makes selective Restore more time-consuming, as well.

 

I setup a real estate office with Server 2012 and Windows 8 clients. I also added a start menu replacement to each of them. I haven't run into any issues with them having usability issues that have required my attention. Accessibility themes aside, what issues have you run into? Personally, I would disable the windows store in a work environment and uninstall any metro apps that are not useful to the job.