Hello Windows 7, so long Vista...

[Kevin Young]

Microsoft did get it right this time around. But don't be deceived.
Its still a beta product. I've noticed tearing with Video for one
thing. Otherwise, its a great product, and I expect great things with
Windows 7.

Please remember, that while Win7 LOOKS like Vista, it is in no way a
warmed-over Vista. Different kernel, better networking, faster file
copy.

Please folks, don't compare Windows 7 with Vista. YOu will kill it
just like you killed Vista by comparing it with XP.

Vista was good product, but the public killed it when they circulated
the FUD about it all over the Net. HOpefully, users won't make the
same mistake. But Ive already seen the FUD starting in various blogs.

Microsoft slurs are still circulating, and have become attached with
Windows 7 now. I also see the FUD starting here in this newsgroup,
calling Windows 7 a warmed over Vista, claiming it is built on the
same kernel as Vista, when it's not.

Windows 7 is its own OS, built on the Windows 2008 Server kernel and
core, and has nothing to do with Vista except the GUI, and even the
GUI has been reworked.

MS needed a wake up call in my opinion and while Vista may have been
painted a failure with a wide brush, some of that was deserved. They
were warned about some of the performance and other problems in the
development stage and rushed it out the door anyway. There were 5 years
between the release of XP and Vista. Vapourware talk resulted in a
false start and the process took too long likely forcing Vista to be
pushed out the door before it was ready. There was some great work in
Vista but it was overshadowed by the faults. I still see some of the
Vista legacy at play in the Live initiative, Windows Live Mail comes to
mind.

Windows 7 in my opinion was a new start for the operating system side of
the business though. It has taken a tremendously different direction
for the better. The beta is not perfect and that is why it is called a
beta but they have come a long long way in making it one of their best
if not their best operating system to date. In addition, we are just
now hitting 2 years from the retail release of Windows Vista and already
at likely a feature complete stage in Windows 7 with time to focus on
bug fixes and getting the code right before it goes RTM. Microsoft has
done a complete turn around in terms of the Vista experience and
deserves a lot of credit for that. Both the management and developers
of Windows 7 deserve a lot of credit.

 

[Kevin Young]

Ah - that explains a lot.

If you say so Ray. There were some good things that Vista brought to
Windows and there was also some big flaws. They have fixed those flaws
In Windows 7 but I some how suspect that your mind is already made up
though so believe what you will.

 

[ray]

If you say so Ray. There were some good things that Vista brought to
Windows and there was also some big flaws. They have fixed those flaws
In Windows 7 but I some how suspect that your mind is already made up
though so believe what you will.

My mind is always open, but that does not mean I have a hole in my head.
My comment was specifically addressed to several posts van chocstraw made
in some Linux groups. I rather believe it is he who has his mind made up.

 

[The poster formerly known as 'The Poster Formerly]

You're very welcome Bob. I still prefer the new taskbar as is, I'm
embracing the change, but happy to see there is a work around for folks
that prefer the former way.

Me too. But I wish I could pull it off of the task bar all together
like I could in older versions of windows. I'd also like to know where
the details option is in places like Control panel? So far, the
performance I see is great, even with the eye candy enabled. But as far
as customization, it feels like they took more options away than they
added to it. It makes it feel like it's harder to work in.

--
"Software is like sex, it's better when it's free."
- Linus Torvalds

DRM and unintended consequences:
http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/security/?p=435&tag=nl.e101

 

[Kevin Young]

My mind is always open, but that does not mean I have a hole in my head.
My comment was specifically addressed to several posts van chocstraw made
in some Linux groups. I rather believe it is he who has his mind made up.

My apologies then Ray. I haven't seen van chockstraw's other posts.

 

[Richard Urban]

Windows 7 is based upon the Windows Server 2008 kernel which is based upon
the NT 6 service pack 1 kernel (Vista). Windows 7 is therefore based
tightly/loosely upon Vista.

See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Server_2008

Quote from Wikipedia:

Windows Server 2008 is the most recent release of Microsoft Windows' server
line of operating systems. Released to manufacturing on 4 February 2008 and
officially released on 27 February 2008, it is the successor to Windows
Server 2003, released nearly five years earlier. Like Windows Vista, Windows
Server 2008 is built on the Windows NT 6.0 Service Pack 1 kernel.


Also see the history of the NT kernel below:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_NT

 

[+Bob+]

I think sometimes people fear change. Sometimes people are unwilling to
try a new and different way even though in the long run the new way
might be a better way. A good example would be the ribbon bar in Word
2007. One could also relate this to aspects of Vista or even Windows 7.
;-)

I don't mind change - I like it, and I really enjoy new features that
make me more efficient or just make tasks easier and more enjoyable.
But, mostly what I see from MS is loss of functionality as they dumb
down their products or just ignore their customer's desires. In
addition, the change seems to be driven most from a viewpoint making
the product different just so they can sell a "new" version, rather
than making it better.

 

[JerryF]

Then you can always stick with it. I think when you try Windows 7 though
you'll see all the good work that existed in Vista, a few new features and
improvements in performance, boot and shut down times. The use of
transparent Windows overlaid on top of the taskbar icons takes the eye candy
glass appearance of Vista and turns it in to a productivity win by
introducing a new taskbar. If you like Vista I bet you're going to love
Windows 7.

Hard to get use to the new taskbar. I liked quick
launch. Now that it is gone you have to click on the
active desktop bar then click again to start another
session ie of IE.

Also do not like what they have done to the sidebar. I
do not keep it on constantly, but when I do, I like to
see all my gadgets. Now you stop and stop each gadget
independently. They could in theory end up anywhere on
the desktop.

 

[JerryF]

I have now installed Windows 7 on 4 different systems; an HP quad core
desktop, a Lenovo T61p laptop, an HP TX26XX Tablet PC and on the HP 2133
Mini-Note. In my opinion, Windows 7 is the best version of Windows I have
ever used and I've used every version except version 2 and Me. Windows 7

Ran slow as crap on my Samsung NC-10 netbook.
Bootup and Shutdown times minimally better than Vista.
Would dim the backlight down on the sceen even while I
was typing after about 3 minutes, very annoying. Would
hang intermittently, and lock up all the Vista
compatible drivers for Samsung keys (Volume, Wireless,
etc). Even the Wireless network would hang
intermittently. Got so bad had to remove it. Even though
Win7 should run on a netbook, it won't be running on
mine for some time. Back to Vista and doing fine!