Author Topic: Will Win7 last as long as XP? (Read 38,901 times)

zridling · « **on:** September 12, 2009, 09:59 PM »

By all accounts, Windows 7 is going to be worth having, but I have a few questions.
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Josh · « **Reply #1 on:** September 12, 2009, 10:06 PM »

(a): Yes, as soon as newegg ships my copy
(b): I predict Windows 7 will probably last for a good amount of time, 3-4 years, before we see the next release (or at least a release date).
(c): I pre-ordered an upgrade copy, will be purchasing a full copy through my school, and will probably get it with my next PC.

Lashiec · « **Reply #2 on:** September 12, 2009, 10:37 PM »

a) Hope so. I plan to install it during Christmas, so it's either the last days of 2009 or the first ones of 2010.

b) That's something only Microsoft knows. While it's evident they won't release Windows 8 in two or three years as a solution to the problem that Windows 7 doesn't seem to be, whether they decide to carry on with the idea of shorter development cycles or not it's up to them.

c) Getting a full version through MSDNAA. And if some day I decide to get a portable computer, I'll have to decide if I get it with Windows 7 or opt to install some Linux distro (because, you know, Macs are a bit pricey :P)

housetier · « **Reply #3 on:** September 12, 2009, 10:43 PM »

a) No
b) neither, it will last for 6 years
c) neither

Stoic Joker · « **Reply #4 on:** September 13, 2009, 12:33 AM »

a) I already upgraded a month ago (MSDN Subscription)
b) I think that will depend on how well it captivates (and holds) the markets attention.
c) See a.

The new interface enhancements make it incredibly easy to re-find your place when you get side-tracked while multi-tasking. Like when you're in the middle of 12 different things and get called away from your desk by a user that needs to be rescued from some personal computing tragedy (which generally means arriving in person and pointing at the button you'd told them about on the phone). /BOFH Mode

Kamel · « **Reply #5 on:** September 13, 2009, 01:02 AM »

a) no, i'm fine with vista actually
b) no, not applicable
c) absolutely not. no job right now, it will literally be a miracle if i even make the rent

TheQwerty · « **Reply #6 on:** September 13, 2009, 01:04 AM »

a) My netbook is already running the RC. If I can find the time between when I get my copies and the end of the year both it and my desktop will be upgraded.

b) I don't think it would be wise for Microsoft to let 7 stand as long as XP did (I'd say at most 4-5 years). Nor do I think Apple, Google, and Ubuntu (or other distros) will afford them the chance.

c) I pre-ordered an upgrade copy of Home and Ultimate, but I also enrolled in one of the Launch Events where attendees supposedly get a free copy, so one of those pre-orders may be canceled.

Darwin · « **Reply #7 on:** September 13, 2009, 02:59 AM »

a) No - I cancelled my pre-order upgrade. Vista is rock solid and I like it.
b) I hope so, unless Microshaft decide to shift toward Apple's OS more enlightened upgrade/new release pricing scheme - ALL versions of a new OS X release are the same price, including upgrades, on a single DVD. I haven't checked on Snow Leopard, but at one point Leopard was $99 here (Canada) and that was for a DVD that contained the full version, not just an upgrade.
c) Don't see myself buying a new computer anytime soon... but who knows!

Caveat: If I start reading accounts from shocked and awed Win 7 adopters (ie those who have upgraded to it on existing hardware) that rave about the tremendous performance boosts that they're seeing on relatively recent Vista machines, I might be regretting cancelling my pre-order. However, I suspect that there will be some decent sales on upgrades around Christmas time, so I'm not too worried!

Stoic Joker · « **Reply #8 on:** September 13, 2009, 03:20 AM »

Well... Both of the machines I primarily use (here/home = x64 & work = x86) were upgraded from Vista to 7 about a month ago. While both are running noticeably crisper in the UI response department, I can't really say it's an earth shattering improvement. However the 32bit work machine having only 2GB of RAM does seem to show the most dramatic improvement as it's much less prone to lagging when I start a 2nd VM.

40hz · « **Reply #9 on:** September 13, 2009, 03:39 AM »

a) Yes. Fortunately, I have the luxury of running multiple machines so I don't have to abandon XP. For Win7, I'll do what I always do with a new OS. Win7 will get it's own machine with two separate installations on swappable hard drives - one to use on a day to day basis, and one to screw around with and break.

I've just downloaded Windows 7 and Server 2008 via MAPS (see note below). I should have both up and running by the end of next week.

b) If it works reasonably well (like XP) it will be around until Microsoft finally pries it from our cold dead hard drives. (Just like XP!

)

c) Ideally, it gets purchased with a new machine, but it ultimately comes down to economics: full OEM copies for new builds, and upgrades for everything else.

------------

Note: if you are professionally involved with any of this and have your own business, you may be eligible to join the Microsoft Partner Program. Doesn't take much to get accepted. Basically you need to fill out an application; take an online course and pass a not very difficult test every so often; and have some proof you actually have a bona fide tech business. In most cases that means furnishing a copy of a business tax permit or similar document.

Once you're registered as a partner, you become eligible to purchase something called a Microsoft Action Pack Subscription - or MAPS for short. A MAPS subscription provides copies of a goodly number of Microsoft products for internal use in your business. Cost for a subscription is approximately $300 (US) annually.

Most of the Server products are there along with desktop OSs, Visio, MSProject, and the most recent version of Office. Some of the products (Win7 and Office) allow for up to 10 copies to be installed.

Subscribers can download these products from dedicated servers Microsoft has set up just for MAPS. You may also elect to get delivery via hard media for an additional fee if bandwidth is a problem.

All in all it's a pretty good deal and well worth looking into if you're "in the business" as the saying goes.

CleverCat · « **Reply #10 on:** September 13, 2009, 07:11 AM »

It's been said to wait for first service pack before upgrading? $:-\$

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #11 on:** September 13, 2009, 09:37 AM »

Quote from: CleverCat on September 13, 2009, 07:11 AM

It's been said to wait for first service pack before upgrading? $:-\$

Not sure that applies to Windows 7 - think of it more of a major service pack on Vista with some new features.

Running Pro version on 3 computers and the only issues I have had so far are:

one piece of software that wouldn't install (the software didn't recognise the OS) - but it did install when I told the installer to install it in XP compat mode (not XP VM) - and it works fine.
a couple of drivers are missing because vendors are not releasing official drivers until Win7 official release date. I have installed Vista drivers where necessary and not noticed any problems at all.

jgpaiva · « **Reply #12 on:** September 13, 2009, 10:44 AM »

(a) Yep, did it last week.
(b) From what I've tried, it looks rock solid. Looks like there has been major worry with user interface and generaly making stuff simpler (while I think in Vista they didn't have that objective, some stuff got more complicated than on XP).
(c) Full version, win7 x64 Pro via msdnaa subscription.

I'm not using it as my main OS, so I guess I still need to play with it a bit more. (that's also why I upgraded so fast - I had no important data on the previous windows installation).

My experience is:
I really like the new interface. So much so that I installed a similar taskbar in linux. The update on window management (for maximize/restore) is a huge step forward (linux has done that since a while, it's good to be able to also use it in windows).
I think that programs that run on the tray (steam, winamp and live messenger come to mind) sort of break the interface, since the tray icons are hidden. There may be a way to have them showing, though.
As for drivers, the driver site for my laptop was down, but I installed the nvidia drivers from nvidia site installed with no problems.

CleverCat · « **Reply #13 on:** September 13, 2009, 10:51 AM »

Quote from: Carol Haynes on September 13, 2009, 09:37 AM

Quote from: CleverCat on September 13, 2009, 07:11 AM
It's been said to wait for first service pack before upgrading? $:-\$

Not sure that applies to Windows 7 - think of it more of a major service pack on Vista with some new features.

Running Pro version on 3 computers and the only issues I have had so far are:

one piece of software that wouldn't install (the software didn't recognise the OS) - but it did install when I told the installer to install it in XP compat mode (not XP VM) - and it works fine.
a couple of drivers are missing because vendors are not releasing official drivers until Win7 official release date. I have installed Vista drivers where necessary and not noticed any problems at all.

I'm still on XP....

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #14 on:** September 13, 2009, 11:02 AM »

Quote from: jgpaiva on September 13, 2009, 10:44 AM

I think that programs that run on the tray (steam, winamp and live messenger come to mind) sort of break the interface, since the tray icons are hidden. There may be a way to have them showing, though.

Just right click on the taskbar and in Properties you can customise the tray icons to show what you want.

f0dder · « **Reply #15 on:** September 13, 2009, 12:02 PM »

a) been running a post-rc beta for quite a while, will upgrade to MSDNAA RTM version as soon as I get around to it.

b) who cares

c) see a

jgpaiva · « **Reply #16 on:** September 13, 2009, 12:04 PM »

Quote from: f0dder on September 13, 2009, 12:02 PM

b) who cares

Anyone who has to pay for the new version, I suppose

invenit · « **Reply #17 on:** September 13, 2009, 01:10 PM »

(a) No. I like linux, but applications like BitWare have nothing comparable in linux so I run two WinXP boxes as well.
(b) Win7 looks pretty good. I expect MS will keep it around for awhile.
(c) definitely only when I need another machine

cyberdiva · « **Reply #18 on:** September 13, 2009, 01:12 PM »

a) I plan to wait until some of the usual startup bugs are eliminated and then buy a new computer with Windows7 preinstalled.
b) My crystal ball is in the shop
c) See a). I also hope to buy a netbook with Windows7 - I'm eager for a netbook but want to get one with an operating system that will be around and supported for a while. Seems silly to buy one with XP at this point, and I don't want Vista.

f0dder · « **Reply #19 on:** September 13, 2009, 01:28 PM »

Quote from: cyberdiva on September 13, 2009, 01:12 PM

and I don't want Vista.

Keep in mind that Win7 isn't that different from Vista.

Darwin · « **Reply #20 on:** September 13, 2009, 01:29 PM »

Quote from: jgpaiva on September 13, 2009, 10:44 AM

I'm not using it as my main OS, so I guess I still need to play with it a bit more. (that's also why I upgraded so fast - I had no important data on the previous windows installation).

This is a major factor in why I cancelled my pre-order: there's no upgrade path unless you go from Vista Ultimate to Win 7 Ultimate and I'm not too interested in having to reinstall my software and migrate my settings. Again. I know that there are programs out there that are supposed to will let me do this, but...

cyberdiva · « **Reply #21 on:** September 13, 2009, 01:35 PM »

Quote from: f0dder on September 13, 2009, 01:28 PM

Keep in mind that Win7 isn't that different from Vista.

Thanks, f0dder. I realize that, but from what I've seen so far, people seem much happier with W7 than with Vista. Since I'm still running XP Pro, I don't have direct experience with Vista, but my impression is that at least some of the aspects of Vista that bother people have been changed/eliminated in W7. At least I hope so.

f0dder · « **Reply #22 on:** September 13, 2009, 03:01 PM »

Vista has worked pretty well since SP1 arrived - after all, I kept it on my laptop. Win7 seems a bit faster & lighter, and I definitely like the various enhancements (user interface, optimizations, etc) that it brings over Vista - but it isn't that different. It's definitely more than a service pack, though

tranglos · « **Reply #23 on:** September 13, 2009, 04:28 PM »

Quote from: zridling on September 12, 2009, 09:59 PM

(a) Are you planning on upgrading to Win7 before year's end?

Not in the least. I upgraded to Win95 in 1997 or so; to XP only after SP2 was released; never intended to upgrade to Vista. And in XP, I enabled the default (themed) interface only a year ago

Vista never had a compelling reason to upgrade, and I have yet to see one for 7. But most of all, I cannot risk any instability, since it might easily cost me my monthly income, or a loss of a client.

When I upgraded to XP, it was for two reasons: certain drivers for Win2000 were becoming flaky or non-existent, and a number of applications I must use for work were becoming XP-only. Interestingly, none of these apps (including some in-house apps made by Microsoft and heavily reliant on .Net) ever became Vista-only. I'd say it's a good rule of the thumb to do what Microsoft does, not what they say.

Quote from: zridling on September 12, 2009, 09:59 PM

(b) Will it last as long as XP, or will Microsoft kill it in time for another upgrade in two years?

Who knows. I'm happy to see Vista didn't last long. It's a pimple on the face of computing. But how is 7 any better?

Quote from: zridling on September 12, 2009, 09:59 PM

(c) Are you planning to buy an upgrade version, full version, or just buy it with a new computer?

Probably a new version, since there seems to be no upgrade path from XP. But I'll be sticking with XP until some technology critical for my work requires a switch.

tranglos · « **Reply #24 on:** September 13, 2009, 04:51 PM »

Quote from: jgpaiva on September 13, 2009, 10:44 AM

I really like the new interface. So much so that I installed a similar taskbar in linux.

Looking at the screenshots, the taskbar seems way oversized now (just like the Office 2007 ribbon), but no longer displays any text - just the icons. This seems like it's going to be inconvenient: with two instances of the same app, how can I tell which is which? Can the taskbar be configrued to look like XP, with regular text labels?

And is it really all black, as some screenshots imply? (I'd hate that.)