Nerd Alert: Windows 7
Let’s make one thing clear; Window 7 will not revolutionize your computing experience. In reality, operating systems are mostly boring. Aside from letting you connect to a few of your personal devices and networks, their main value is in running other applications. Although that might seem to be a useless truism, the point is that in the current age of the Web, the number of applications that need to be installed are rapidly dwindling. Namely, most people just need a web browser and the tools to work with media.
Even must-have applications for some, such as Quicken or TurboTax, now have online versions that you can use from within your browser. This changing landscape is reflected in the fact that a clean install of Windows 7 only has two applications on its taskbar, Internet Explorer and Windows Media Player. If we add to this another fact, that Microsoft has actually removed applications from Window 7 that used to be included in Vista (such as Mail and Movie Maker), you might be wondering if Microsoft has taken a cue from Seinfeld and made Windows 7 “the operating system about nothing.”
The Highs. In a way, Windows 7 is about nothing. Windows 7 is focused, unlike any release before it, on minimalism and staying out of your way. New system tray capabilities allow you to hide icons that you don’t care about and, more importantly, completely disable “balloon” messages from any application you choose. Vista’s hated UAC continue-or-cancel-pop-up annoyances can be significantly reduced by two new settings present in Windows 7, one of which is now the default. The Vista sidebar was often left running but ignored by users, cluttering the screen with a giant analog clock and other useless gadgets. The sidebar is now disabled by default. Last but not least, the taskbar now eliminates the redundant Quick Launch area in favor of a unified bar that both launches and tracks open applications. It also dispenses with unnecessary application text labels in favor of larger icons, which makes better use of taskbar space. These interface improvements all combine to produce a much saner and tranquil experience.
The Lows. In contrast to these great improvements, there are still some dark spots to the Windows 7 launch. First, the tales of vastly improved performance are untrue. Most testing has only shown small, if any, performance improvements over Vista. In a few rare cases, performance may actually be worse. The only improvement we saw in our testing was less hard disk activity at idle. So don’t expect to be dusting off your old equipment and reinvigorating it with Windows 7.
Also, Microsoft did not learn from the confusion and dissatisfaction over Vista’s many editions. In the US, Windows 7 effectively has nine editions after factoring in the 32-bit vs. 64-bit choice, which is only down one edition from Vista’s total of ten. The pricing can also be a sore spot if you aren’t getting Windows 7 included in the price of a new computer. For example, the upgrade version of Windows 7 Ultimate retails for $219, which is particularly high since a new desktop PC might cost less than $299. Furthermore, all of these editions and prices seem particularly ridiculous in comparison to Apple’s making the one edition of Snow Leopard available as a $29 upgrade.
Speaking of upgrades, despite Microsoft’s biggest competition coming from its own Windows XP, there is no way to do an in-place upgrade of an XP machine to any version of Windows 7. This means you will have to do a rather complicated sequence of steps to back up your data, do a clean install of 7, reinstall any applications that you need, and restore your data. Upgrading from Vista can be done in-place, however there are some catches depending on the editions involved. Essentially, you can’t switch from 32-bit to 64-bit or vice versa, you can’t upgrade to a “cheaper” edition (say, from Ultimate to Home), and you can’t go from either of Vista’s Home editions to Windows 7 Professional.
One last thing not to be overlooked is Windows’ propensity to attract malware and factory-installed junk. In the absence of any new security technologies over Vista or announcements from manufacturers, these common problems are unlikely to get any better with Windows 7. We strongly recommend taking the time to do a clean reinstall over anything that comes preinstalled from the factory, getting a top-quality anti-malware package, and keeping your system continuously up-to-date.
Recommendations. In case your head is spinning, here are some simple recommendations. If you are getting a new PC, get Windows 7. There are no qualifications to that. Get it. Specifically, if you are a home user, get Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit. You can finally give up on trying to navigate the models and rules to get an XP downgrade from the manufacturer. If you have an existing computer that is running XP, do not upgrade. There are simply too many headaches involved with transferring data and finding device drivers to make it worth it. If you have an existing computer that is running Vista, only upgrade in-place. In other words, don’t attempt any of the transitions that will force a clean install.
So is Windows 7 the greatest thing that has happened to PCs? No, but it does indicate a new focus from Microsoft on putting the computer user first. And that is definitely worth getting excited about.
