Open Topic

[#1]

Some of the XP Vs Windows 7 sentiment is spilling over into some of the other threads where it doesn't really belong.  Let's use this thread to voice out opinions about why you prefer one over the other.  WHy are staying with XP or moving on to Windows 7.  I'm intentionally leaving Vista out of this discussion as it really isn't relevant, but feel free to comment on it as well. 

All I ask is let's keep this limited to rational discussions with none of the fanboy ravings.  It isn't productive and only creates hard feelings.  And let's leave the problems that some people are having with the Free Windows 7 Upgrade Offer out of this as well.  It really isn't pertinent to this discussion.

[#2]

Ok I will start this off. I honestly feels that Windows 7 is XP. My thoughts are that Windows 7 runs like XP and looks like Vista. I have been using XP for a very long time and its still being taught to me in school at Devry. While most all of troubleshooting is the same between operating systems Vista moved things and changed the way that you fix some common problems and Seven makes a step backwards. Microsoft has always had a past with a bad OS. It seems that when they try to make a major jump it fails because people are not into and don't want to get away from what they know. That was the case, with others in Vista, and Seven takes XP and makes that little step. That said I will be going from Windows Vista to Windows 7 but my 3 desktops and other laptops will stay at XP because that's what runs the best on them. We will see where 7 takes us.

[#3]

Well, I just received my confirmation to the Windows 7 IT and Developer Technical Briefing in Chicago on October 20th.  Hopefully I'll be able to learn some more information on Windows 7 along with some nice swag.  If anyone else is going to the Chicago meeting maybe we can hook up there. 

[#4]

Win7 decimates XP in my opion, both in usability and on new systems in speed. On older systems in almost all situations it alteast matches XP, the only caveat being systems with low memory (under 512MB). XP doesn't run well in this but Win7 REALLY hates it. I upgraded one of the laptops for an office mate to win 7. She is not very computer knowledgable (she can sync her iPod, check email, browse but thats about it), but she LOVES Win7. Despite, one or two hiccups due to things moved, she said that she finds it is MUCH more efficient for her to use. Especially the new task bar.

[#5]

You are entitled to your opinion, but everything you stated is wrong.  Windows 7 is NEVER faster than XP on ANY hardware with a single exception, DX10.  Only when one needs DX10 does it outperform XP and then only because there is no DX10 for XP.  No one has EVER been able to find a single benchmark that supports the claim of Se7en being a better performer than XP on any other level than DX10 on ANY hardware.

As for usability, that depends on the user.  No one that I have worked with or dealt with on a personal PHYSICAL level has found Windows 7 (or it's predecessor Vista) to be easier to use.  All of them (and that is several hundred users) have unanimously found Window 7/Vista to be less efficient or usable overall.  They all hate it with a passion, especially on laptops.  I keep hearing of people on the net and in forums who like it, but that has not held true in any real life experience that I have encountered.

Recent tests have shown that Windows 7 actually takes LONGER to completely boot to a usable state than the same system with XP, and will over time take nearly twice as long to fully boot.  That isn't an increase in performance to me.  Batter life is also lower.  Run time between charges on a laptop is important so this makes XP a better performer as well. 

Se7en may be a step up from Vista when it comes to performance, but it's usability over Vista is a wash at best, and in many ways a step back.

Finally, since when has it been considered a step up when a new OS requires MORE use of the command line to get things done than it's predecessor?  That defeats the entire purpose of the GUI.