Windows 7

[PZ]

Anyone have information about the latest OS and gaming?  I currently play through Vista64 and don't have issues that I can directly attribute to gaming.  I know that the problems inherent in Vista were supposedly fixed for W7, and that it is said to be tons better, but I don't want to invest in a new OS only to have it worse than what I now have.

[Art Blade]

To paraphrase a decent PC mag (computer and technology magazine "c't") which I like for years now):

Vista had issues before the SPs were out, but its reputation was already ruined for good, and fast. After the SPs, performance and compability in comparison with XP, Vista and Win7 are about equal. Redmond really wanted to avoid making the same mistakes they did with Vista, so Win7 is considered pretty good from start, hence a better reputation. Plus new gimmicks.

My own thoughts: Basically there is no need to change from Vista to Win7 (yet), but there is from XP, to either Vista (with SPs) or Win7. What makes win7 the better choice for people running their PCs on XP is, that Win7 is brand new and replacing vista.

[fragger]

PZ, if it were me and I wasn't having any probs, I'd be inclined to leave it alone, at least until Win7 has proven itself. It's still early days for that, I think. I'm always wary of new OSs, and I tend to adhere to the "if it ain't broke, don't try to fix it" school of thought. I'm on Vista too and some aspects of it irk me no end, the overly-protective security functions among other things, but I've never had any probs gaming with it (knocks on wood). I'd like to upgrade too at some point, but I think I'll wait until 7 has been time-tested and/or I've talked with people whose judgement I trust who have wrung it out a bit.

I've heard Win7 descibed as "Vista with all the annoying bits removed", but I don't think I'll be upgrading for a while yet. For the time being, better the devil I know.

That's just my two-bob's worth.

[Ricamundo]

I agree with fragger about the "If it aint broke" wisdom. ;) Im on XP(sp2) which i got just before XP was removed from the market in favour of Vista, which i wanted to avoid at all costs.'

I've read good things about Win7, but unless i suddenly discover a stash of cash hidden somewhere so i could upgrade my GPU and memory, i see little point in updating the OS to W7 at this time. Maybe in a few years, when i get my next rig...of course by then we'll be into Win7.57676876544532.2345. ;)

[PZ]

... by then we'll be into Win7.57676876544532.2345. ;)

lol, good one, and probably true!

I agree, there is wisdom in the time tested phrase "if it ain't broke..." - thanks for the input.

[JRD]

I`m buying a netbook for the missus and it should come with W7 installed by default, so maybe I can bring some feedback here.
Actually, since it is meant to be for internet and office tools only, I really want it NOT to be Vista  ;)

[PZ]

That might be good news - netbooks are not know for having that much processing power so for one to come with W7 as the OS is perhaps good news for those that want a peppy experience on their desktops.

[Art Blade]

If I want to get Just Cause 2, I need a new operating system. And I'll be damned if I take Vista  ;D So you can bet that sometime soon I'll be beta-testing W7  ;)

[fragger]

And I'll be damned if I take Vista

Wise move.

[Ricamundo]

And I'll be damned if I take Vista

Wise move.

Actually, i think Vista has disappeared altogether from retail shelves. All i see now is W7. ;)

[Art Blade]

And I'll be damned if I take Vista

Wise move.

Actually, i think Vista has disappeared altogether from retail shelves. All i see now is W7. ;)

Wise move.




;D

[fragger]

Hehe ;D

[JRD]

Just purchased a netbook... Dell mini 10... for my wife and it comes with W7 installed... can't remember what version, actually (pro, home etc) but it should give me a fair taste of how it feels compared to Vista as my w@&k laptop runs on that pice of crap of OS.

Wow... now I have a PC on XP pro, a laptop on Vista and a netbook on Windows 7... and I only had a choice when purchased my PC, all the rest was take it or leave it!!

Bill Gates should send me a gift, that prick  >:(

[fragger]

 ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Don't you wish you'd been the one to throw that pie in his face several years ago?

I'd be really interested to hear what you have to say about Win7, mate - once you've used it a bit, of course :)

[PZ]

I'm using it a bit at w@&k and it feels much like Vista - same start button, program access, etc.  In other words, if you are accustomed to Vista, then W7 won't be much of a problem.  There are a few obvious differences that are simple to manage however, like the system tray item access.  I must say however, that so far it appears to be better.

[mandru]

Every time I get a new windows OS (XP but especially Vista) the first thing I do is shut down all the desktop animations, clear the start up tray as much as I can and switch back to as close to the Classic appearance as possible.

Can you do that with W7?

I missed getting XP64bit by mere days from the company that I had build my system or I wouldn't have gone with Vista at all.

I've also been looking into one of the Linux flavors called Ubuntu which I understand can load as a dual boot and in theory allow my system to run more quickly because of the lack of bloatware and all the stripped out background processes that Vista wants to stack on you but the verdict is still out on Ubuntu.

I have a pretty high mass/momentum rest state to overcome whenever it involves new procedures to get a computer to do what I want.  :P

[PZ]

Every time I get a new windows OS (XP but especially Vista) the first thing I do is shut down all the desktop animations, clear the start up tray as much as I can and switch back to as close to the Classic appearance as possible.

Can you do that with W7?

I haven't had a chance to check in W7, but one of my Vista machines looks just like an old W2000 machine due changing the visuals in the performance settings - sure does help on old hardware.

[mandru]

Thanks PZ, that's helpful to know.  :)  :-X

I'd like to tweak for more speed but not going to run out and update just because Windows says to.  ;D

[PZ]

Glad to be of help - I'll check later to see if the same ability to change the visual performance settings is the same in W7 as in all other flavors of Windows, but I suspect that it is.

[mandru]

 :-X

[JRD]

Hey all... typing from my Windows 7 netbook  :)

Its a cute little toy indeed and the wife is very happy with it... also, she's the one with fingers that small... keyboard is 92% the size of a regular keyboard  :(

But the thing is W7...

FYI... I'm running W7 32 Starter edition... came with the netbook... no choices there!

It looks like Vista and feels like Vista... as it is my first session with it I can't write much about it yet. I'm just downloading and installing things like FireFox 3.6 and MSN messenger, so I'm getting to know the OS as I use it.

It has the same nanny system as Vista... "Are you sure you want to do this and that? Really, don't you wanna think it over? I'm stopping all actions just in case!!"

Annoying...  >:(

Also, the interface won't allow me simple thigs like change my desktop background image... there must be a way, of course, but not so obvious or user friendly nor intuitive. I even managed to right click on one image and get the option "Use as background on desktop" but as I click on it, nothing happens... so far all I got is the ugliest Windows logo as background... gee... thanks, Bill... >:(

Besides... as it came with the OS installed I don´t have admin permission, so I cannot even choose where to save a download... anyone knows how to revert that situation?

Cheers all... more to come!




Sorry for the rant... nanny OS are really annoying  :-\

[Art Blade]

The starter version is the lightest w7 version, lacking a lot of stuff other versions have. What should be best in your situation (and generally with W7) is: use the search function, that's what I gather from reportst about w7. A lot of stuff isn't where you were expecting it, but the search function should deliver quick results. Try "desktop" and "background" and "admin" etc :)

The nanny function should not be as annoying as it was with vista. W7 learns the rules after a first program start (probably what you're experiencing, installing software) and should leave you alone afterwards :)

[JRD]

You can tone down how much the system prompts you before acting.
They make it seems like you taking a risky decision and exposing you PC, but as long as you browse through safe pages and do not download lots of stuff, you should be safe tweaking it down a bit.
It also makes the system fells less of a nanny.
Will try the search function and report back.  :-X

[Art Blade]

ok, good luck :)

if you download stuff and want some security, try http://www.virustotal.com/ (although it is in German, there are other language options -- albeit English not working, at least for me) Basically it's upload a file as you would with our gallery, and the file gets scanned by 40+ virus scanners. :)

[JRD]

Didn't find how to get admin permission...  :(

Also, found out that you cannot change the desktop background image in W7 Starter... the only question is: Why, oh why?
Being this machine a netbook, I can only guess that it would be one more item to load in an simple system designed to be fast!
But it doesn't make sense... it might be a way to have users upgrading to Home or Pro versions soon... (pardon my french) those fucking greedy bastards  >:(

Gimme a free upgrade option then!!

Well... tests here show that I can run office tools, MSN messenger and internet in a decent way... thats what a netbook is intended to do, so I'm pretty happy with that so far (so is the wife  ;) )

But as far as a Starter version goes... I'd rather have a Vista Home or any XP installed!!