Windows 7

Mr. Analog · December 21, 2009, 08:04:36 PM

So, I got an ASUS Eee (it's a netbook with some balls) and it shipped with Windows 7. It's actually pretty rad.

I'm thinking of upgrading to this on my other machines, is anyone running 7? How does it perform with high-performance games? Comparable with XP?

Melbosa · December 22, 2009, 11:09:23 AM

Windows 7 IMO is the reason to get rid of Windows XP. Both from an Office Desktop and Gaming Platform, I find the OS superb for both. I've been running it since RC, and have it on every desktop/laptop computer I interface with (work, home, etc). I recommend it to all my clients and to anyone else who will listen.

Although it is much much much better Vista for resource utilization and overhead, XP still requires less to run.

Thorin · December 22, 2009, 12:16:07 PM

Interesting to see that the market share Windows XP has been losing has pretty much been going to Windows 7: http://www.w3schools.com/browsers/browsers_os.asp

Also, WinXP is eight years old now, isn't it? Released in 2001?

I would upgrade from WinXP to Win7, except it costs me money and WinXP still works well for my purposes. I know, that sounds just like those people that didn't want to leave Win98 for Win2K, but seriously, WinXP still works well.

Lazybones · December 22, 2009, 12:39:03 PM

Plan on upgrading my work laptop over the holidays.

Tom · December 22, 2009, 05:00:45 PM

I was running Windows 7 RC1 at Frag. It ran great

I have W7 on my desktop and laptop atm, but its been months since I used any install other than the one installed in VirtualBox.

Mr. Analog · December 22, 2009, 06:29:06 PM

I think I may be buying into this once I figure out what version to get.

Finally time to let XP go I guess...

Thorin · December 22, 2009, 10:34:05 PM

Get used to clicking one extra time for every action...

Lazybones · December 22, 2009, 10:58:31 PM

Quote from: Thorin on December 22, 2009, 10:34:05 PM
Get used to clicking one extra time for every action...

Windows 7 UAC defaults to a less crazy level than Vista and can be adjusted to several levels where vista had on and off. That and launching apps by search is all I do in Vista, Win7 and MacOS now.. Every time I use a XP system I get frustrated that I have to go through the start menu to digg out an app.

Mr. Analog · December 22, 2009, 11:24:25 PM

Quote from: Thorin on December 22, 2009, 10:34:05 PM
Get used to clicking one extra time for every action...

Beyond disabling the Windows Firewall (which I do on XP anyway) this really hasn't been a problem yet for me, granted I haven't installed anything serious yet.

Thorin · December 23, 2009, 10:58:35 AM

Quote from: Lazybones on December 22, 2009, 10:58:31 PM
Quote from: Thorin on December 22, 2009, 10:34:05 PM
Get used to clicking one extra time for every action...

Windows 7 UAC defaults to a less crazy level than Vista and can be adjusted to several levels where vista had on and off. That and launching apps by search is all I do in Vista, Win7 and MacOS now.. Every time I use a XP system I get frustrated that I have to go through the start menu to digg out an app.

Good to hear, because most users on Vista left UAC on and "trained" themselves to just click OK without reading the pop-up at all.

As for App Search or whatever it's called, I do like that feature. In XP, I "trained" myself to know the name of the executable and start it by pressing the Windows+R (shortcut for the Run dialog), then typing the executable name and pressing Enter. Vista's and Win7's App Search is similar to this technique, but better because you don't have to make sure your executable is in the PATH environment variable.

For all the things that get added to Windows, some are real gems while others are stinkers. The big thing for me is whether I can do things without having to use the mouse, or if I have to use the mouse then that it doesn't require very precise clicking. I hope they continue to work on usability techniques - anything that just makes sense the first time you do it, like dragging a window to the side of the desktop and having it pop into place there.

In Windows 7, are you still able to drag windows off the desktop so that you can only see one or two pixels worth of menubar?

Lazybones · December 23, 2009, 01:34:44 PM

Windows 7 has multi monitor aware keyboard shortcuts the let you flip apps between screens and even arrage windowson the same screen such as 50% width and aligned to the right.

Mr. Analog · December 23, 2009, 04:25:34 PM

Quote from: Lazybones on December 23, 2009, 01:34:44 PM
Windows 7 has multi monitor aware keyboard shortcuts the let you flip apps between screens and even arrage windowson the same screen such as 50% width and aligned to the right.

That sounds pretty sweet, but a whole bunch of new shortcuts to learn LOL

Lazybones · December 23, 2009, 05:25:33 PM

I used a 3rd party app before so for me it is one less app. Win 7 also has much easier options for dealing with projectors vs extra monitors. Clone and extend desktop modes are much easier to setup for meetings.

Melbosa · December 23, 2009, 07:19:43 PM

I actually like the new pin system for icons (stolen from MAC). And the new snap system for windows. And as Lazy said, the mobile computing stuff is fantastic.

Also, for gamers, the DirectX9 just works. No more looking for dlls and such to play those older games.

Mr. Analog · December 23, 2009, 09:48:15 PM

Quote from: Melbosa on December 23, 2009, 07:19:43 PM
Also, for gamers, the DirectX9 just works. No more looking for dlls and such to play those older games.

Now that is encouraging!

Lazybones · January 02, 2010, 09:41:00 PM

Built up my work laptop this week on a clean Window 7 build.. Not too many issues doing so, however some native driver support for things like the new Biometric API where missing but have 3rd party options.

One little thing that is nice is that the login / lock screen can now be officially modified by dropping a jpg in a special folder and turning on a reg key... In vista you needed to use a 3rd party app to mod a dll, having native support like this is a nice customization that I plan on using on our corporate standard images.

Only issue so far is that tray apps are hidden by default. I have actually had to go and set some apps to leave their taskbar icon instead of minimize to tray so they better function with the new task bar. I don' want to turn all tray icons back on as it is not really the intent of windows moving forward.

Support for jump lists and tab previews is lacking in 3rd party apps: Chrome 4 beta builds support Jump lists but not previews, Firefox 3.6 beta supports previews (after setting an about:config variable) but will not support jump lists until 3.7 according to the road-map. IE 8 as a native app supports both.

I really like jump lists and this has pushed me to run Chrome 4 beta as my default browser for now.

BTW the Window keyboard shortcuts work great for snapping windows all over the place.

Lazybones · January 10, 2010, 09:02:21 PM

From a laptop point of view I can't stress how much better the WiFi network handling is as well as how fast and well functions like suspend and resume work.. I had always avoided suspending my windows laptops since resume took way to long or failed. Now I just shut my laptop and run, it greats me with a login screen almost instantly when I open it..

So far the best part of windows 7 is that is just works!

Mr. Analog · January 11, 2010, 12:02:53 AM

I have to agree about the wireless networking, a friend of mine has been having some trouble, we both have the same netbook the only difference is that mine has Windows 7 on it.

Lazybones · January 27, 2010, 10:37:45 AM

Another great windows 7 feature
Explore the Problem Steps Recorder in Windows 7
http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/window-on-windows/?p=849

Creates you screen shots of every major action the user takes, along with text description of the action, as well it lets the user highlight and comment on each action.

Tom · January 27, 2010, 10:42:17 AM

Oh, I had a neat experience with Windows 7 recently.

I booted into an install set up for a AMD Phenom II, on an Intel Q6600. It booted. It ran. Though It was crashing, a lot. So I reinstalled anyway. But the fact that it ran, and may have worked perfectly, to be fairly impressive (for windows).

Thorin · January 27, 2010, 11:16:19 AM

Quote from: Lazybones on January 10, 2010, 09:02:21 PM
From a laptop point of view I can't stress [..] how fast and well functions like suspend and resume work

Might also be worthwhile for desktops. We leave our desktops running all night, although the monitors shut off. Might be nice to save a few watts for eight to ten hours a day.

Tom · January 27, 2010, 11:22:24 AM

Quote from: Thorin on January 27, 2010, 11:16:19 AM
Quote from: Lazybones on January 10, 2010, 09:02:21 PM
From a laptop point of view I can't stress [..] how fast and well functions like suspend and resume work

Might also be worthwhile for desktops. We leave our desktops running all night, although the monitors shut off. Might be nice to save a few watts for eight to ten hours a day.

If its a beefy machine it can really make a dent in the power bill here, especially if it just happens to reach 12c/kWh. Imagine a machine that uses 150W at idle, and you're paying 12c/kWh, that's $12.30 you just spent on keeping that machine idle the whole time.

Mr. Analog · January 27, 2010, 04:58:11 PM

Quote from: Lazybones on January 27, 2010, 10:37:45 AM
Another great windows 7 feature
Explore the Problem Steps Recorder in Windows 7
http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/window-on-windows/?p=849

Creates you screen shots of every major action the user takes, along with text description of the action, as well it lets the user highlight and comment on each action.

That would be invaluable to support people.