Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate

5 Responses to Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate

1. 

   adam284 on October 25, 2009 at 6:22 pm

   I switched from Windows to Mac about 4 years ago. Since then Macs have been close to flawless, and yes Windows had some hiccups, but I still want to keep up with it. All Macs now can run windows, as I’d like to, but the pricing/copy protection system is out of whack. Microsoft is so paranoid about piracy that it’s hugely difficult to install Windows without a new valid copy. I know that might sound like I’m just advocating piracy, but if anyone at Microsoft is listening, hear me out: Folks won’t be calling into MS and costing you money with tech support without a valid license, some just want to throw a copy on a separate partition of their Mac hard drive for occasional use. This is beneficial for Microsoft in many ways, i.e. it bumps up Windows market-share, it would probably engender more sympathy that MS is a ‘play nice’ company and not just a behemoth that needs strict regulation, if it’s priced fair it would throw a few more dollars in the MS coffer, and it would help with general PR (which MS is having a really hard time with). Either it should be more affordable for the occasional user, or made easier for folks to install while forgoing any tech support.

   In the Mac world when you buy a new OS, you can install it on any Mac that can handle it (hardware-wise). It’s so easy and seamless. I understand it’s a different financial situation for MS, but they’re not helping anything with their overly strict pricing system.

   I hope this review can be read without jumping into the all-too-common ‘Mac vs. PC’ fight. I’d like to imagine a world where they both learn from each other and thrive
   Rating: 2 / 5
2. 

   Yehia Zakraia El Zene on October 25, 2009 at 8:08 pm

   Simply, Windows 7 is by far the most, reliable, easy to use, faster, goodlookin OS microsoft has ever released .. I love this one

   GO GO GO Microsoft
   Rating: 5 / 5
3. 

   J. Robertson on October 25, 2009 at 10:19 pm

   I must say a job well done to the Windows development team for putting together an amazing product. This release really focuses on the end-user – Microsoft really has listened.

   Going back in time, I thought Vista post SP was a great product in regards to plumbing (architecture change, audio stack changes, redeveloping the entire network stack, etc.) – but consumers missed out and just seen imcompatability due to the architecture change instead of looking at the prospectives of the OS. Windows 7 is just that… the segway to something that most consumers had difficulty seeing.

   With device stage, the improved boot-strap (faster booting), much improved memory management and battery life, updated legacy applications, increased security, and new capabilities in the taskbar to make managing tasks fast! I didn’t think I’d be getting much performance improvement, but I definetly feel the difference. I really think this product is what Microsoft needed to remove the stigma received from Vista.
   Rating: 5 / 5
4. 

   Joel Ramnaraine on October 26, 2009 at 12:35 am

   It seems as if the unofficial tagline for Windows 7 is “Windows Vista done right!” Though that may be true, I’d say it’s more. With the Windows 7, it is clear that Microsoft made performance it’s number one goal. After the tragic train wreck that was Windows Vista, Windows 7 offers so much more in overall performance. Installing Windows was fast and easy; it took me exactly 12 minutes from start to finish. When Windows finally launched, I was pleased to see that my drivers, (ATI Graphics Card, HP AIO Printer, Audio Drivers, etc.) were already installed and ready to go on my system. Startup and shutdown times were noticeably faster–just as fast as Windows XP running on my desktop.

   I was also pleased to see that all of my software installed and functioned flawlessly. As a college student majoring in Digital Media, I was ecstatic to see that I was able to run Adobe Photoshop, Premiere, and Lightroom all at once without having much of a lag (if any at all). Switching from program to program was smooth and seamless. This was definitely a major improvement since Vista–I use to have to actually wait when jumping from application to application.

   Windows XP Mode (included in Professional and Ultimate editions) can be very useful if you’ve a program that for some reason runs only on Windows XP and nothing else (though I’ve yet to find a program which runs on XP alone). You’ll be able to run XP software natively within Windows 7, having full functionality of the program and the operating system at the same time.

   The user interface has been improved without altering taking away from its usability. Everything including the windows and taskbar are crisp and clean. The best part, however, is that Windows Aero doesn’t consume all of my computer’s resources. I can finally enjoy the sleekness and innovation of Aero without having the pay the cost by allocating the majority of my system’s RAM towards it.

   Many of the classic Windows applications have been revamped. The “Ribbon” concept, first introduced in Microsoft Office 2007, has been implemented throughout the operating system and programs such as Microsoft Paint or WordPad. Though I don’t know anyone who ever uses these, the improvements are quite nice; I even found myself using the new “brush” tool in Paint for a homework assignment.

   Overall, improving functionality and performance were obviously a major priority for Microsoft when designing the operating system. Now I can actually enjoy using my PC without hoping it doesn’t crash on me midway through a project. We now finally have an operating system that not only looks pretty, but allows the computer to run like it should.
   Rating: 5 / 5
5. 

   Knowledge Forest on October 26, 2009 at 2:22 am

   I have been using Windows 7 Ultimate for a few weeks now. I have also used Windows 7 Premium. All in all, I think Microsoft did a really good job.

   Here’s what I like about Windows 7:

   - Driver Support: I didn’t have to hunt for one driver. Win7 recognized everything including my TV tuner card and front panel A/V ports.
   
   - New Task Bar: Easy access to apps… but did MS rip off Apple’s dock?
   
   - Jump Lists: You are only a right-click away from accessing recent documents, folders , web sites, and even recent remote computers.
   
   - Snap: A quick way to resize windows. I can quickly make 2 windows take up my entire 24″ screen.
   
   - Home Group: File sharing that’s easy for anyone to use.
   
   - New Windows Explorer and Libraries: You basically have quicker access to the “major” types of files on your computer (i.e. documents, music, photos, etc.). It’s a simple change but a welcomed one. Plus you can create your own Libraries. (I added libraries for “E-Books” and “Software Installs”)
   
   - Seems to use less memory than Vista.

   What I don’t like:

   - Expensive: If you have an XP or Vista system that is running fine, I don’t see a compelling reason to shell out $[...] yet. If Win7 turns out to be more secure, this alone would justify the upgrade.
   
   - The Backup application isn’t flexible at all. I’d prefer to be able to select which files to backup and when, instead of “all files at one time”.
   
   - I don’t know if it ships with Internet Explorer 8, or if I installed it via Windows Update. I just know that I have compatibility issues with it. Stick with 7.

   Other things that I have not figured out yet that another Amazon user might tell me via comments:

   - When you click an application on the taskbar that has multiple windows open, the windows pop up, giving you a chance to pick which one you want to go to. I’d prefer to go back to the last window opened. This 2 step process irks me.
   
   - I’m able to easily re-locate folders that reside in the “c:usermy-user-name” folder to another disk (right-click > properties > location). I don’t see how to move the actual “c:users” folder itself.
   
   - I couldn’t shrink the C: drive to anywhere close to the available space, even after multiple defrags. I might have to start over from scratch to set up my partitions the way I want.

   Should you Upgrade!?!?!?!?

   As I stated above, if you have a system that runs XP and Vista fine, I don’t see a compelling reason to pay $[...] to upgrade to Windows 7. You should just wait until you buy a new computer that comes with Windows 7. If you want to see the differences between Win7, XP, and Vista, check this out:
   
   http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/software/microsoft/WindowsVsWindowsLarge.jpg

   If you can upgrade to Windows 7 for free (or really cheap), I think you should upgrade. Unless you have a specific requirement to run XP (or less likely, you need to run Vista), Windows 7 is the way to go. At the least, it’s going to perform better than Vista, and it will be compatible with future software. XP and Vista eventually are going to die.

   Should you pick Windows 7 or Vista?!?!?!?

   Vista will die eventually so there’s no reason to pick Vista over Windows 7.

   Which Edition of Windows 7 should you get?

   Most users will be fine with Premium:
   
   http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Windows-Home-Premium-Upgrade/dp/B002DHLUWK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=software
   
   If you need to upgrade multiple machines, consider the CHEAP family pack:
   
   http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Windows-Premium-Upgrade-Family/dp/B002MV2MG0/ref=amb_link_85673411_11?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

   Windows 7 Clean Install vs Upgrade?!?!

   I always vote for a clean Install. I know re-installing all of your programs is a hassle. I just think it’s better to rid yourself of orphaned files, orphaned registry entries, unused programs and updates, etc. You might even get rid of spyware that you didn’t even know you had!!! Before doing a clean install, just make sure that:

   - You have all the serial numbers for your apps.
   
   - You have Windows 7 compatible drivers for all of your devices and internal cards.
   
   - You back up all of your data to another drive before performing the install.

   Hope this helps.
   
   Rating: 4 / 5

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