I have been wondering the same thing, so I looked-up some of the reviews. CNET editors rate the system as “Outstanding,” 4.5 stars. Unlike Vista, Windows 7 is described as “more than just spin.” CNET describes the program as, “stable, smooth, and highly polished, with new graphical features, a new taskbar that can compete handily with the Mac OS X dock, and device management and security enhancements that make it both easier to use and safer.” The reviewers believe that Windows 7 is the best version of the operating system to date, combining the stability of Windows XP, with the look and feel of Vista.
Microsoft is offering six versions of the operating system: Starter, Home Premium, Professional, Ultimate, OEM, and Enterprise. They are primarily promoting Home Premium, Professional and Ultimate. The program will support both 32 and 64-bit processors, and you probably want to have a minimum of 1GB RAM.
Installation takes about 30 minutes. The process to upgrade your current system depends on whether you are running Vista or Windows XP. Vista users merely need to back-up their data and upgrade. XP users have to back-up and then do a “Custom Install.” If you are uncertain about whether your computer can run Windows 7, you can download and run the “Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor” from Microsoft.
The desktop looks very similar to Vista, but “7” is described as a full replacement operating system. Microsoft has added a new taskbar and accompanying notification area to quickly access programs and recently used documents. “Homegroups” are used to share files between networked computers. You can select the folders you want to share, and Windows 7 will automatically connect to other networked Windows 7 computers, so files can be viewed and edited remotely. Microsoft is now using “Libraries” to move away from the traditional file system, where there are absolute paths to each file and folder. A “Library” will show all of the request file types in one place in an organized fashion.
There is also a new side-window shortcut process. If you click and drag a window to the far left or right side of the screen and release, the system will automatically cut the window in half horizontally, allowing you to tile two windows side-by-side very quickly. You can resize by dragging the window to the top of the display. The new Control Panel is easier to use than the former Device Manager. The new operating system also has a number of specialized programs, such as Windows Journal, that allows you to handwrite notes and convert them into typed text. Much emphasis has been placed on tablet PC functionality, due to the growing market for touch computing.
They recommend the system for those of us who are still using XP and were afraid to upgrade to Vista, or for current Vista users. The program is not recommended; however, for users with pre-XP operating systems and hardware. Best of all, reviewers state that the majority of their existing hardware worked “out of the box” with Windows 7, without having to download updated drivers. A variety of software tested was also compatible.
I make restore points before I upgrade anything like this, but I still worry about upgrading too much and messing something up. So, is it better to upgrade computer drivers or leave them alone if they're working fine?
Posted by: propecia cost | April 26, 2010 at 10:51 AM
I have a Dell Inspiron 1525, and I had to upgrade the touchpad driver and WLAN wireless card driver because both were not working right. On Dell's website, there are many other drivers for my specific computer that they "recommend". One is for the audio, which works fine at the moment. I make restore points before I upgrade anything like this, but I still worry about upgrading too much and messing something up. So, is it better to upgrade computer drivers or leave them alone if they're working fine?
Posted by: Penegra | February 26, 2010 at 12:26 PM
I still prefer Windows XP because of its reliability and being user friendly but I admit that Windows 7 is also good.
Posted by: Download XP Drivers | February 24, 2010 at 03:36 AM
have a 2005 Compaq Presario desktop pc with operating system Windows XP. Can I upgrade my computer from XP to Windows 7?
Posted by: valtrex online | February 23, 2010 at 01:46 PM
I have seen windows 7 environent but I still not use But I have heard its soo nice window and has very amazing future, Regards.
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Posted by: invierta proyectos | February 10, 2010 at 01:23 PM
Yeah, same here too. There are programs that is not yet compatible although I think as months go by, everything will catch up. There have been some driver issues with my friends who already upgraded their systems.
Posted by: Stephen Draper @ ACE Financial Services | January 25, 2010 at 02:40 PM
I have Windows 7 and haven't had any trouble....except some software and hardware companies haven't created their Windows 7 compatible programs yet, so there is either a patch or you can't use the product...yet, but in a month or 2 I would expect everything to catch up.
Posted by: Alexis | December 22, 2009 at 11:03 AM