Win 7

Hi

No issues at all, even in early beta it ran all the apps I normally install with no issues, so having a comment that nothing works is weird! would need a software thread and info to delve deeper.

If a PC came with Win7 or the hardware has Win7 drivers then issues are not many apart from the odd app not working but there are things to try in Win7 like Compatability troubleshooter and options and now that can run from right click on the setup. XP mode if you have Ultimate.

If the PC hardware is older then thats where the issues arise from, cannot blame the OS if there are not drivers for it, not MSFTs problem, thats the OEM or HW developer.

I would imagine Windows 8 is going to be the next XP, Windows 7 is great and a huge leap forward from Vista (not knocking Vista as I never had any issues with that either) but for the stick in the mud XP users, Win8 will likely be there next update, timeline for Win8 likely Nov 2012 at a rough guess-timate.

 

Well Ned

Natural progression is Windows 8 in a timeframe of 2yrs, MSFT is likely to be getting back to that release schedule, it floundered a bit from XP > Vista > Win7, where as if you look at the release schedule it used to be 1-2yrs for each OS release.

If you look at it as a test OS then they all are in some way as new technologies or ideas come with each release.

Have to say though I dont have insider info on Win8 and what it will be like or even if a test version is around, need to likely get to SP1 for Win7 before that surfaces for testers.

 

XP is great OS Ned, but many do forget that in its first year of release it suffered more issues than Vista and Win7 do, the jump from 9x to NT based OS, caught many out, drivers where pittiful and software compatability hahahahhahaha, security apps faired the worst.

It was only after 6mths - a year things got IMHO better, although it was more stable when it was running than 98/ME but still needed to get to SP2 before it really shined, which is why many still love it now as its a great workhorse.

But a good install of Vista or Win7 really is much more stable than XP, crash protection is better, memory management far superiour (dont listen to the it's a memory hog, piffle, its designed to use all available ram, whats the point in spending cash on ram thats never used!!!!) and yes they are glitzy, but so was XP compaired to Win9x


I agree its a comfort blanket and a good analogy indeed, but like all blankets it gets threadbare, so moving forward, compatible hardware permitting is a great way to learn and keep up with new ideas, for me and its a small think is Start Search is a wonderful idea, I never use the Start > All Programs menu to get to apps, just start typing an apps name and dada... small and maybe overlooked option but a cracker for quick location of apps and/or files.

 

Yeah, pitty the developement of LH went wrong and pitty the legal issues of anticompetitive bull got in the way and alot was shelved due to the extra time sorting legal stuff out as LH was shaping up well and WinFS was ment to revolutionise data storage, sadly shelved and in beta didnt run to well (still have the beta setup)

 

Agreed, as using Home Premium right now typing this on my netbook, not a limiting factor but really need 2GB ram to run Aero and have a smooth really usable machine. I did also slim the services list down a tad.

Don't think that 64bit is an issue these days, current hardware most likely has 64bit drivers as from Vista most of the major HW companies have taken on board that 64bit is the way to go. If your PC is new and has 64bit support and drivers then its the way to go, I only dont run 64bit on my netbook, all 4 other pcs of mine are all 64bit OS.

Only issue is software that has not been updated to take advantage or compatibility with a 64bit OS, thats the issue the software developer needed to sort out over Microsoft.