# Windows 7



## Kenmac (Jan 24, 2007)

Just wondering which board members have upgraded to Windows 7? I'm now using Windows 7 Professional after having used Windows Vista Home Premium for the last two years and Windows 7 just blows it away in speed and performance even with all the "eye candy" on.


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

I have to go out and buy the 'actual' but I've been on the release candidate version for several months now. Loving it. Tho we have a laptop and the kids computer on Vista, I've been on XP Pro for years and years and liked it. This is a big step up.


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)

I`m this close to going Mac...just tired of all the freakin problems with viruses and windows. Already started looking at prices, shouldn`t be too long now.


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## JeS89 (Aug 23, 2009)

this is gonna be my last pc lol im switching to a mac saw it to be pointless since a pc's lifespan is not even 5 years probably a lot less. Im surprised mines lasted 2 years.


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## Guest (Nov 1, 2009)

Oh man...we need multiple choice options! I'm a Mac user, but have some Windows machines in the house. They'll all be staying at XP SP3. And I'll be staying on OS X.


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

Windows 7 is supposely gonna be good, but takes on average 1 year for microsoft to get a OS working properly once it's out there.

So i'll stick to XP64 until it's in the clear...and my favorite OS-X also..


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## zjq426 (Aug 23, 2009)

Before my laptop takes 3 min to boot
now is less than 1 min.
Win7 is the completed version of Vista
so definately worth upgrade.

Btw I use a thinkpad x61t


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

Haven't switched yet, but I'm planning to. Win 7 looks like a monster! I've used it here and there and thought it was pretty impressive.


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## Scottone (Feb 10, 2006)

sneakypete said:


> I`m this close to going Mac...just tired of all the freakin problems with viruses and windows. Already started looking at prices, shouldn`t be too long now.


I made the switch to a MacBook in August and can't be happier. I bought it for myself, but my wife and son have also taken a shine to it.....our PC doesn't get too much use anymore.

That being said, Windows 7 does look like a big leap forward based on the feedback I've heard.


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## Jim DaddyO (Mar 20, 2009)

I will, but have to build a new PC first..lol. My machine now is XP.


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## cptheman (Oct 15, 2009)

Ya, when I get a new computer I will definately get windows 7 (hopefully soon) but for now stickin it out with xp


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

When I replace my laptop, it'll either be a used macbook or a cheaper new laptop w/ windows 7 already on it.

Until then, I have resoureces-hog


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## traynor_garnet (Feb 22, 2006)

I'm actively looking at laptops right now. Yep, time to upgrade my 2001 Dell running Window ME! 

I have yet to read anything negative about Windows 7. MS really seems to have done it right this time.

As far as the Mac "no virus" stuff, Mac's do get viruses. Fewer are written for them because their install base is peanuts compared to PC. I've also never figured out why people get some many viruses? Seriously, WTF are they doing? I don't even have a virus checker on my machine!!!

TG


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## Stratin2traynor (Sep 27, 2006)

I have 3 PC running Windows XP SP3, 1 netbook running Linux and My MacBook. Love the Mac. As soon as they develop a proper Quicken Program for Mac, I'm done with PC's.


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## rhh7 (Mar 14, 2008)

Say, what do you think about your netbook with Linux? I think this is the route I would like to take.

Thanks!


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## Stratin2traynor (Sep 27, 2006)

rhh7 said:


> Say, what do you think about your netbook with Linux? I think this is the route I would like to take.
> 
> Thanks!


I love it. I use OpenOffice for any desktop publishing. The netbook is pretty straight forward and easy to use. As long as you don't need any third party software then your are laughing. It's similar to Windows in that it uses icons to open programs. For a while there I was going to download Ubuntu and install it on my PC just to get rid of Windows. 

Mine has the 20GB Solid State Drive and boots up in like 10 seconds. Superfast. It has 2GB of RAM. Best part was that it only cost me $229.00. This was at a time when the Windows XP versions were being sold for $399.00. Couldn't be happier with it.


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)

I was speaking figuratively not literally about mac viruses, fully aware there are some but from what I`ve read far fewer for the reasons you state. speaking for myself...all I`m doing is visiting web sites, I believe I got infected at You-Tube, I like watching Bill Maher and Letterman and it`s the best place I know of for that. I`d love to meet up with some of the people who write these viruses. 
no virus checker eh...just a matter of time before you too get infected.


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## LaRSin (Nov 27, 2006)

Yes , why make a virus for 5% of the users, 

I switched to win 7 , I was using the Rc version for a while on a dual boot with xp, But win 7 is a good upgrade ..Vista did suck ..


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## dan_ (Feb 5, 2008)

Upgraded to 7 on my 5 year old laptop...and it runs (seriously) better on 7 than it did on XP. YMMV


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## ThePass (Aug 10, 2007)

Well, not sure if I "upgraded" in any way but I do have a new laptop now with W7 installed.......has a "Mac" look and vibe I find so far


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

sneakypete said:


> I was speaking figuratively not literally about mac viruses, fully aware there are some but from what I`ve read far fewer for the reasons you state. speaking for myself...all I`m doing is visiting web sites, I believe I got infected at You-Tube, I like watching Bill Maher and Letterman and it`s the best place I know of for that. I`d love to meet up with some of the people who write these viruses.
> no virus checker eh...just a matter of time before you too get infected.


Not necessarily. The whole "macs are better because pcs get viruses" thing boils down to a) # of available viruses (which we've covered already) and b) surfing habits.

I've been using computers since the 80's and in my time surfing the internet (or ftps, bbs'es or other pre-internet warez sites), the only time I got hit with a virus was when I was surfing a shady site looking for serial number and cd keys for a specific program (can't recall now). I knew what I was doing could land me in PC-HIV trouble, and it certainly did. 

So what happened? Quick re-format, re-install of all my progams and re-copying of my backed up stuff and presto-changeo I was up and running virus-free in less than a day. Big whoop.

If you're surfing cautiously, not clicking on things you shouldn't be clicking on, installing critical updates and generally being careful, viruses shouldn't be a problem. Ever. Regardless of what machine you use.

Macs are great little machines, but they're not orders-of-magnitude better than PCs. They're not better at all, as far as I'm concerned. They're good, but in a different way and maybe at different things. These days, the internal architecture is almost the same as well, so the only real difference is the OS. But if you take your MacBook running OSX and surfing like a moron looking for free porn and serial numbers, then you're going to get hit just as easily as your neighbour on his Dell.


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## Guest (Nov 3, 2009)

hollowbody said:


> Not necessarily. The whole "macs are better because pcs get viruses" thing boils down to a) # of available viruses (which we've covered already) and b) surfing habits.


I'll add a third point to that:

C) The degree of difficulty involved writing an exploit that does something useful for the writer.

Macs run a core OS (BSD) that had historically been built with psychotic attention security and stability. Of all the exploits that have popped up and been patched on my Mac in the last year _zero_ have been OS exploits. They're always software exploits: Java, JavaScript in Firefox, Safari, etc.



> Macs are great little machines, but they're not orders-of-magnitude better than PCs. They're not better at all, as far as I'm concerned. They're good, but in a different way and maybe at different things.


I like to say they're just "different" too. Ain't a greener grass, just a different shade of green. I move between 5 or 6 different OSes in the course of a day and each has strengths and weaknesses.


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)

guess I`m just a surfing moron then.


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## Morbo (Aug 26, 2009)

My desktop, my laptop and my girlfriend's laptop are running Windows 7. Awesome OS, my laptop is fairly old and now runs like a new. Installing it was both easy and quick. Craziest thing for me, now I can't live without aero. I use these shortcuts all the time now and feel a bit annoyed when I'm at work on Windows 2000.


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)

a few days ago we ditched the desk top and set the lap top up and are now using it full time for the web and I haven`t cursed at it once so far, running very smoothly and it even has Vista. Boots up quickly and is very fast. Life is good again.
the surfing moron...but youse can call me mo.


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## NB-SK (Jul 28, 2007)

Vista, after the updates, is good...But XP is still way faster at startup.


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## Big_Daddy (Apr 2, 2009)

hollowbody said:


> If you're surfing cautiously, not clicking on things you shouldn't be clicking on, installing critical updates and generally being careful, viruses shouldn't be a problem. Ever. Regardless of what machine you use.


I agree, 100%. Every day we have 2 or 3 people coming down to the support area with infected machines. _*In every case*_, they have been surfing questionable web-sites (on company time, no less) and clicking around like naive little kids. It costs our company thousands of dollars a month to clean up the mess these people cause on their machines.

On the other hand, I have a PC at home that I use for DAW, PC games, etc. I purposely did not install any AV software to avoid any performance issues. It's been hooked up to the internet for 3 years now and I have not had one virus or piece of spyware/malware/adware on this machine to date. Mind you, I don't let my kids touch this machine. :smile:


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## Morbo (Aug 26, 2009)

Big_Daddy said:


> I agree, 100%. Every day we have 2 or 3 people coming down to the support area with infected machines. _*In every case*_, they have been surfing questionable web-sites (on company time, no less) and clicking around like naive little kids. It costs our company thousands of dollars a month to clean up the mess these people cause on their machines.
> 
> On the other hand, I have a PC at home that I use for DAW, PC games, etc. I purposely did not install any AV software to avoid any performance issues. It's been hooked up to the internet for 3 years now and I have not had one virus or piece of spyware/malware/adware on this machine to date. Mind you, I don't let my kids touch this machine. :smile:


You know what they say, PEBKAC. It's often the case in my experience.


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## NB-SK (Jul 28, 2007)

Big_Daddy said:


> I agree, 100%. Every day we have 2 or 3 people coming down to the support area with infected machines. _*In every case*_, they have been surfing questionable web-sites (on company time, no less) and clicking around like naive little kids. It costs our company thousands of dollars a month to clean up the mess these people cause on their machines.
> 
> On the other hand, I have a PC at home that I use for DAW, PC games, etc. I purposely did not install any AV software to avoid any performance issues. It's been hooked up to the internet for 3 years now and I have not had one virus or piece of spyware/malware/adware on this machine to date. Mind you, I don't let my kids touch this machine. :smile:


Your company would save itself tons of money if its computers were loaded with Ubuntu...But you probably already knew that.


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

Big_Daddy said:


> On the other hand, I have a PC at home that I use for DAW, PC games, etc. I purposely did not install any AV software to avoid any performance issues. It's been hooked up to the internet for 3 years now and I have not had one virus or piece of spyware/malware/adware on this machine to date. Mind you, I don't let my kids touch this machine. :smile:


I've been doing the same for years. We have 3 computers at home, mine in my office, my wife's in living room, and downstairs for the kids. They know, from past history, that if they screw up and get a virus the machine is going to be reformatted and they will lose all their data. Saved games, favourites, whatever up to and including homework, though I will help them salvage important things if possible.

Remarkable really how clean their machines are these days


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## Greenbacker (Mar 29, 2007)

Mac viruses? I know in 2007 there were about 5000 known PC viruses to 2 mac viruses. I've had 3 macs since 1999 and they all still run perfectly. I can't throw a computer out that still works! My 1999 G3500 imac runs OSX and a lot of current software perfectly!

I still use two of these for hours every day (graphic designer), go where I want online, download what I please and nothing... I've never run an antivirus.


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## eric_b (Dec 6, 2008)

I use Slackware & m0n0wall.
What's this "virus" you speak of?


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## NB-SK (Jul 28, 2007)

Greenbacker said:


> Mac viruses? I know in 2007 there were about 5000 known PC viruses to 2 mac viruses. I've had 3 macs since 1999 and they all still run perfectly. I can't throw a computer out that still works! My 1999 G3500 imac runs OSX and a lot of current software perfectly!
> 
> I still use two of these for hours every day (graphic designer), go where I want online, download what I please and nothing... I've never run an antivirus.



I would have kept my old desktop if it wasn't for the fact that it was using way too much electricity. It was no worse performance-wise than my new one.


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## JBassJohn (Feb 19, 2007)

Maybe there should be a 'not yet' option. I don't want to hear about a new Windows operating system until after service pack 1. (or maybe 2).


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## thehoj (May 12, 2009)

Yes, at work I've been running the release candidate since it was available. I also now have a license for the official release.
I love it. Even the simple things like the way the taskbar works now, it's much more manageable for those who have tons of stuff open at the same time (me).


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## Kenmac (Jan 24, 2007)

JBassJohn said:


> Maybe there should be a 'not yet' option. I don't want to hear about a new Windows operating system until after service pack 1. (or maybe 2).


It's funny you mention that, as about an hour after I posted the poll I wanted to edit it to add that option but found I couldn't do it.


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## Were We Brave? (Oct 29, 2009)

I already have enough trouble getting my audio interface to work flawlessly with Vista, I wouldn't want to make things worse... So if the price of the upgrade doesn't fix that, I couldn't justify the purchase.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

I know one thing, the commercials are making me ill


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## Accept2 (Jan 1, 2006)

I just got a new laptop, and Windows 7 is starting to appear better then Vista, but you never know when things will go wrong. Vista was good when it first came out, but after ahwile the features started showing up, and fixing those features created new features until I wished that Flanders was dead............


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## Guest (Nov 29, 2009)

I just put OS X 10.6.x Snow Leopard on my Mac last night. Painless upgrade. Smooth operation. Digging the new "sorted" Expose view. And my shiny new Magic Mouse is slick but disconcerting at times.


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