nsane.forums Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 Windows XP's most beloved factors are also driving Windows 7 to long-lasting stardom, even for Windows 8 adopters. We love Windows 7: That's the message loud and clear from people this week at the TechMentor Conference held at Microsoft headquarters in Redmond, Wash. With Windows XP reaching end of life for support in April 2014, the plan for most organizations is to upgrade -- to Windows 7. Although Windows 8 has reached its final version (the RTM, or release-to-manufacturing, version) and will be publicly available on Oct. 26, the plan for most organizations is to upgrade to Windows 7. It's a win for Microsoft either way. It's not like companies are dropping Windows in the enterprise for Macs (not in bulk anyway, though there seems to be more Macs in the workplace than ever before). But it does indicate a repeat of history for what we've seen with Windows releases, the original-cast "Star Trek" movie pattern where every other version was beloved and the ones in between decidely not so. In Windows' history, Windows 95, Windows XP, and Windows 7 were loved; Windows ME, Windows Vista, and now Windows 8 (at least by reviewers) were hated. (Windows 98 was essentially a minor upgrade to Windows 95, and Windows 2000 was essentially a niche corporate version in its era, so neither counts.) But what do we actually love about Windows 7? Sometimes it's easier to see its charms (no pun intended) when looking back from the newest OS. For me, Windows 8 has crystalized the five Windows 7 features I love most. 1. The user interface With a dramatic UI change in Windows 8, I love the UI of Windows 7 -- especially its Start Orb and Start Menu -- more than ever. Keep in mind it's not as tablet- or touchscreen-friendly as I'd like -- Windows 8 certainly has it beat in that regard. However, Windows 7's UI is comfortable, and rolling out Windows 7 won't have your users cursing your name as they will if you spring the Windows 8 UI on them. 2. The security enhancements Although Windows 8 comes with great security features like picture passwords and malware-protected secure boot if you have a UEFI system, let's not forget that Windows 7 provided a much better -- by far -- set of security features than XP. For example, the Windows 7 Action Center offers immediate access to information about the security and maintenance of your system. The UAC slider lets you take your system security levels into your own hands and take it to superstrong (the Vista setting) but not crazy levels with UAC pop-ups (the default Windows 7 setting); you can even completely shut down the security settings and fly blind, aka the Mac setting. Kidding -- Mac people love that joke at conferences. For home users, Windows 7 has parental controls built right in. 3. The ease of networking If you've been around long enough to remember the days of Windows NT 4.0 networking (or Windows 95/98 networking), you still flinch in pain from memories of the many sleepless nights you spent gathering drivers, worrying about protocol options, and so forth. XP was better, but still not easy. By contrast, it's easy to get your system connected with Windows 7. With features like HomeGroups, home users and small businesses can share printers nearly without effort compared to the previous versions. Likewise, wireless connectivity was simplified, and the ability to lock down your public and private (or home/work) networks through Advanced settings ensures better online safety. In addition, when combined with Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows 7 takes advantage of features like BranchCache and Direct Access that provide for faster access to data and connectivity without a VPN. 4. The manageability through PowerShell Being able to use PowerShell to manage systems -- especially with the remoting capabilities that come with Windows 7's Version 2 -- is incredibly helpful to IT admins. Because PowerShell Version 2 was designed for Windows 7, you get all the management hooks. Although PowerShell Version 2 is available for XP and Vista, they lack some of the hooks, so they can't exploit PowerShell completely as Windows 7 can. 5. The improved performance Windows 7 boots incredibly fast compared to XP or Vista. On laptops, battery life is longer, and recovery from sleep and/or hibernation is improved. Windows 7 also offers features like ReadyBoost to use USB storage space to address low-memory issues, improved search results without tanking the system, and a variety of other under-the-hood improvements. Windows 8 takes computing to a new level As much as you've heard me complain about working with Windows 8 from the user perspective, you won't hear me complain about the features and improvements outside the UI. At heart, Windows 8 is Windows 7 taken to the next level. All the features I love in Windows 7 are still available in Windows 8. Some items, like Network Map, that I didn't love are gone. And many Windows 7 aspects are further enhanced in Windows 8: File History, secure boot, built-in antivirus protection, Hyper-V 3 on supported systems, and PowerShell Version 3 are all examples. Still, those are enhancements to Windows 7 -- the Windows 7 your users know and love on their home PCs. Don't feel bad if you've decided to go with Windows 7 as you move from XP because you can't make that jump to Windows 8. Windows 7 is simply an awesome OS. If you decide to take the plunge and go to Windows 8, you'll get the features everyone loves in Windows 7 and more. If you can get past the UI challenges, the rest of Windows 8 -- that is, the Windows 7 part -- is solid. View: Original Article Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
visualbuffs Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 yahhh windows 7 is almost the perfect windows after all!! windows 8 will break this perfection! due to new features Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mosaji Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 Give us the start menu and the whole lot of us will move to windows 8Or else... i am sure most of the desktop users will find windows 8 clumsy compared to windows 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator DKT27 Posted August 23, 2012 Administrator Share Posted August 23, 2012 Give us the start menu and the whole lot of us will move to windows 8 Or else... i am sure most of the desktop users will find windows 8 clumsy compared to windows 7 Totally agree. I don't want to be a victim of M$'s "mobile environment" strategy. Talk about ruining a OS by changing it's essentials to something only clowns would design. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laysson Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 Installed Windows 8Tried for about 15 minsReinstalled Windows 7Waiting for Windows 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marke68 Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 Give us the start menu and the whole lot of us will move to windows 8 Or else... i am sure most of the desktop users will find windows 8 clumsy compared to windows 7 That's pretty much it in a nutshell for me,i simply cannot see past that horrid Metro interface so even if the start menu was present i very much doubt i'd bother with this OS again. It just doesn't feel like any OS i've ever used before and a hell of a lot more fiddly just doing the simple things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ganxxta Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 So I downloaded Win8 from MSDNAA (or whatever its called now..) and now I'm waiting until theres a tool that can -bugfree- disable Metro (or whatever its called now...), active borders, activate start menu (Win7 style), activate Aero, also window transparency, glossyness, etc.When there is something to do that, I'll install Win8 and will have Win7.5^^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marke68 Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 So I downloaded Win8 from MSDNAA (or whatever its called now..) and now I'm waiting until theres a tool that can -bugfree- disable Metro (or whatever its called now...), active borders, activate start menu (Win7 style), activate Aero, also window transparency, glossyness, etc. When there is something to do that, I'll install Win8 and will have Win7.5^^ There already is a tool that does all that you ask and it's called Windows 7. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ganxxta Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 Hehe I know, thats why I'm staying with it for a long time to come, but IF Win8 has/will have a killer feature which I might need (dunno like exclusive drivers...), thats my solution :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a2ms Posted August 24, 2012 Share Posted August 24, 2012 IMHO I don´t think 15 min are enough to try a new OS... Although the metro UI could be a little anoyong at first, if you work with it for like a week, you get use to it, and embrace some of the new good things and ignore the bad things... yes it is an extra step to show the desktop (a click that takes less than one sec).. but when you are in the desktop it is win 7++The only things I can't get passed over is that the PC Settings are in a metro app style... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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