Windows 7 (Win7) has been available for almost 6 months now, and we're seeing more and more instances of Win7 in our clients' networks. We thought it was timely to review some common questions and misconceptions about Win7.
You do not need to upgrade all your PCs to Win7 simultaneously, and, yes, Win7 can connect to Windows 2003 servers just fine.
Most new PCs will come with Win7, so there is no need to upgrade. Almost every vendor of PCs, especially those aimed at consumers, have switched almost their entire lines to Win7 making it the operating system of choice.
Businesses will have to choose whether they will buy new PCs with Win7--and it probably comes down to applications. If you run primarily general applications, Win7 is a good choice now. There are changes in the user interface, but in our experience, most users have adapted very quickly. If you have special applications, check that your applications work. If it runs on Vista, it will most likely run fine on Win7 but it's worth a check.
The typical computer user probably should not upgrade an existing machine. Yes, we're biased, but we would recommend leaving a Vista-to-Win7 upgrade to an experienced IT person. Currently there is no official direct upgrade path from Windows XP to Win7. A clean install of Win7 is the way to go on newer machines currently running Windows XP that can support Win7.
The other thing to keep in mind is that a typical new Windows system costs a lot less now than it did when Windows Vista came out nearly three years ago. You can get a reasonable mid-to-high-end desktop with Win7 for under $1,000 and a decent mid-range system for $500. A reasonable consumer notebook can sell for $800 or less. Instead of spending $200 for a Windows upgrade, save the money until you can afford a new machine on which it's preinstalled.
If you're thinking of going with Win7, be sure to order carefully. One client inadvertently ordered new machines with the Windows XP downgrade option (as a fallback) and ended up with 5 new machines running Windows XP. We had to upgrade them to Win7 for him, and now their network is humming along on Win7 machines.
Source: http://goo.gl/Fh79C
Friday, May 27, 2011
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Should I Upgrade to Windows 7 ?
The first thing you need to think about is "Do I need to" "or "why do I need to" upgrade to Windows 7. Is there an advantage for me to do so considering my current usage profile?
I recently read a review comparing Windows XP with Windows 7 using a reasonably configured PC. Windows XP came ahead on some counts, Windows 7 on others (but not by a lot in either case) except in the "multimedia" area where windows 7 came further ahead. So I guess if you are heavy into multimedia, maybe. The differences except for this again posed the question "Should I upgrade to Windows 7" as the gain looks minimal.
This leaves functionality. "Is there any extra functionality in Windows 7 that I may gain advantage of" First one should consider that many new features in Windows 7 (like ISO image burning) you probably already use other programs. Paint for example has been jazzed up in Windows 7, but you probably already use much better graphics programs.
Look at it this way, in my opinion most Windows upgrades are mainly for show and to add some extra functionality to keep driving revenue into Microsoft. Microsoft gets steady revenue from new PCs already installed with their operating system. This is independent on which version of windows is installed. They keep pushing up their revenue by creating new Windows versions. They get this extra revenue by you and I upgrading. If they did not do this then this would be a revenue stream lost. I think this is where "Vista" fell down they tried to rush it out to get this revenue stream going and it fell in a heap, thus Windows 7.
Now Windows 7 didn't fall in a heap but it is considered "bloatware" That is, it has so much so called functionality and frivolity that most users would only look and use a fraction of its capability. Most operating systems are like this even Windows XP. Compare it to when VCR's came out. Most people just wanted to push a button to watch a video or push one or two to record, yet they were presented with so many options to do this that most people sort of gave up. The same thing with remote keypads. There are so many buttons that most people did not know what they did.
Getting back to "should I upgrade to Windows 7". Are you happy with Windows XP? Does it do everything you want? Well stay with it as you are not going to get any extra benefit from upgrading. Later on you may need to, as support for Windows XP will vanish (and it will eventually) and even then you may not want to upgrade.
I have been in the computer systems business over 35 years and one thing I have found is that most problems occur when new updates of existing operating systems, (patches, fixes etc) are installed. When these stop being installed the operating system became very stable. I have found this with many "Mainframe" systems I used to look after when existing system support updates were discontinued. I would see Windows XP the same. As soon as support is discontinued many new problems disappeared. Unfortunately you may eventually have to upgrade to windows 7, as programmers will start developing programs that will only work on the Windows 7 operating system.
I hope this helps you to make a decision on the question "should I upgrade to Windows 7". Basically if you have no need to then all you are doing is pushing money out your pocket at this time. Better to wait until Windows 7 matures if you feel you want to keep up with the game, or if you buy a new computer.
Source: http://goo.gl/tJipm
I recently read a review comparing Windows XP with Windows 7 using a reasonably configured PC. Windows XP came ahead on some counts, Windows 7 on others (but not by a lot in either case) except in the "multimedia" area where windows 7 came further ahead. So I guess if you are heavy into multimedia, maybe. The differences except for this again posed the question "Should I upgrade to Windows 7" as the gain looks minimal.
This leaves functionality. "Is there any extra functionality in Windows 7 that I may gain advantage of" First one should consider that many new features in Windows 7 (like ISO image burning) you probably already use other programs. Paint for example has been jazzed up in Windows 7, but you probably already use much better graphics programs.
Look at it this way, in my opinion most Windows upgrades are mainly for show and to add some extra functionality to keep driving revenue into Microsoft. Microsoft gets steady revenue from new PCs already installed with their operating system. This is independent on which version of windows is installed. They keep pushing up their revenue by creating new Windows versions. They get this extra revenue by you and I upgrading. If they did not do this then this would be a revenue stream lost. I think this is where "Vista" fell down they tried to rush it out to get this revenue stream going and it fell in a heap, thus Windows 7.
Now Windows 7 didn't fall in a heap but it is considered "bloatware" That is, it has so much so called functionality and frivolity that most users would only look and use a fraction of its capability. Most operating systems are like this even Windows XP. Compare it to when VCR's came out. Most people just wanted to push a button to watch a video or push one or two to record, yet they were presented with so many options to do this that most people sort of gave up. The same thing with remote keypads. There are so many buttons that most people did not know what they did.
Getting back to "should I upgrade to Windows 7". Are you happy with Windows XP? Does it do everything you want? Well stay with it as you are not going to get any extra benefit from upgrading. Later on you may need to, as support for Windows XP will vanish (and it will eventually) and even then you may not want to upgrade.
I have been in the computer systems business over 35 years and one thing I have found is that most problems occur when new updates of existing operating systems, (patches, fixes etc) are installed. When these stop being installed the operating system became very stable. I have found this with many "Mainframe" systems I used to look after when existing system support updates were discontinued. I would see Windows XP the same. As soon as support is discontinued many new problems disappeared. Unfortunately you may eventually have to upgrade to windows 7, as programmers will start developing programs that will only work on the Windows 7 operating system.
I hope this helps you to make a decision on the question "should I upgrade to Windows 7". Basically if you have no need to then all you are doing is pushing money out your pocket at this time. Better to wait until Windows 7 matures if you feel you want to keep up with the game, or if you buy a new computer.
Source: http://goo.gl/tJipm
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Should I Upgrade to Windows 7?
The first thing you need to think about is "Do I need to" "or "why do I need to" upgrade to Windows 7. Is there an advantage for me to do so considering my current usage profile?
I recently read a review comparing Windows XP with Windows 7 using a reasonably configured PC. Windows XP came ahead on some counts, Windows 7 on others (but not by a lot in either case) except in the "multimedia" area where windows 7 came further ahead. So I guess if you are heavy into multimedia, maybe. The differences except for this again posed the question "Should I upgrade to Windows 7" as the gain looks minimal.
This leaves functionality. "Is there any extra functionality in Windows 7 that I may gain advantage of" First one should consider that many new features in Windows 7 (like ISO image burning) you probably already use other programs. Paint for example has been jazzed up in Windows 7, but you probably already use much better graphics programs.
Look at it this way, in my opinion most Windows upgrades are mainly for show and to add some extra functionality to keep driving revenue into Microsoft. Microsoft gets steady revenue from new PCs already installed with their operating system. This is independent on which version of windows is installed. They keep pushing up their revenue by creating new Windows versions. They get this extra revenue by you and I upgrading. If they did not do this then this would be a revenue stream lost. I think this is where "Vista" fell down they tried to rush it out to get this revenue stream going and it fell in a heap, thus Windows 7.
Now Windows 7 didn't fall in a heap but it is considered "bloatware" That is, it has so much so called functionality and frivolity that most users would only look and use a fraction of its capability. Most operating systems are like this even Windows XP. Compare it to when VCR's came out. Most people just wanted to push a button to watch a video or push one or two to record, yet they were presented with so many options to do this that most people sort of gave up. The same thing with remote keypads. There are so many buttons that most people did not know what they did.
Getting back to "should I upgrade to Windows 7". Are you happy with Windows XP? Does it do everything you want? Well stay with it as you are not going to get any extra benefit from upgrading. Later on you may need to, as support for Windows XP will vanish (and it will eventually) and even then you may not want to upgrade.
I have been in the computer systems business over 35 years and one thing I have found is that most problems occur when new updates of existing operating systems, (patches, fixes etc) are installed. When these stop being installed the operating system became very stable. I have found this with many "Mainframe" systems I used to look after when existing system support updates were discontinued. I would see Windows XP the same. As soon as support is discontinued many new problems disappeared. Unfortunately you may eventually have to upgrade to windows 7, as programmers will start developing programs that will only work on the Windows 7 operating system.
Source: http://goo.gl/kIJcq
I recently read a review comparing Windows XP with Windows 7 using a reasonably configured PC. Windows XP came ahead on some counts, Windows 7 on others (but not by a lot in either case) except in the "multimedia" area where windows 7 came further ahead. So I guess if you are heavy into multimedia, maybe. The differences except for this again posed the question "Should I upgrade to Windows 7" as the gain looks minimal.
This leaves functionality. "Is there any extra functionality in Windows 7 that I may gain advantage of" First one should consider that many new features in Windows 7 (like ISO image burning) you probably already use other programs. Paint for example has been jazzed up in Windows 7, but you probably already use much better graphics programs.
Look at it this way, in my opinion most Windows upgrades are mainly for show and to add some extra functionality to keep driving revenue into Microsoft. Microsoft gets steady revenue from new PCs already installed with their operating system. This is independent on which version of windows is installed. They keep pushing up their revenue by creating new Windows versions. They get this extra revenue by you and I upgrading. If they did not do this then this would be a revenue stream lost. I think this is where "Vista" fell down they tried to rush it out to get this revenue stream going and it fell in a heap, thus Windows 7.
Now Windows 7 didn't fall in a heap but it is considered "bloatware" That is, it has so much so called functionality and frivolity that most users would only look and use a fraction of its capability. Most operating systems are like this even Windows XP. Compare it to when VCR's came out. Most people just wanted to push a button to watch a video or push one or two to record, yet they were presented with so many options to do this that most people sort of gave up. The same thing with remote keypads. There are so many buttons that most people did not know what they did.
Getting back to "should I upgrade to Windows 7". Are you happy with Windows XP? Does it do everything you want? Well stay with it as you are not going to get any extra benefit from upgrading. Later on you may need to, as support for Windows XP will vanish (and it will eventually) and even then you may not want to upgrade.
I have been in the computer systems business over 35 years and one thing I have found is that most problems occur when new updates of existing operating systems, (patches, fixes etc) are installed. When these stop being installed the operating system became very stable. I have found this with many "Mainframe" systems I used to look after when existing system support updates were discontinued. I would see Windows XP the same. As soon as support is discontinued many new problems disappeared. Unfortunately you may eventually have to upgrade to windows 7, as programmers will start developing programs that will only work on the Windows 7 operating system.
Source: http://goo.gl/kIJcq
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Speed up Windows 7 by these 3 tools
Windows 7 is the latest offering from Microsoft, but it's still prone to running slowly and with errors. This is a problem which even the most advanced computers cannot avoid, and is one which is actually very easy to fix if you have some software tools to boost the speed and reliability of your system. Here are the top 3...
#1 Antivirus, AntiSpyware & Anti-Adware - Anti-"malware" (Malicious-ware) programs are an essential part of any computer for several reasons, not least because of how they can protect your personal data. These tools are also highly effective at speeding up your PC, as the more infections it has, the slower it will run. Windows 7 is currently getting bombarded with 1,000's of new viruses and adware infections, making the need for antivirus, antispyware and anti-adware a necessity. You can get these tools from most major download sites.
#2 Junk File Cleaner - "Junk Files" are files which Windows cannot use or read. These come in two forms - files which you just download or create and are of no use... and files which are useful but are unreadable. As computers age, their buildup of junk files increases, slowing your computer down tremendously. Every computer has these files, and many unchecked PCs have gigabytes of data just blocking up your system. To remove these, you should go through your computer and delete any of the downloaded files that you no longer want by selecting them and pressing SHIFT + DELETE. You can alternatively get a junk file cleaner program, which will automatically remove all the junk files from your system.
#3 Registry Cleaner - Many people claim that these tools can do all-sorts to your PC. The fact is that registry cleaners can boost your PC's speed if it has a lot of errors inside it. These tools scan through the registry database and remove any damaged or corrupted settings that are causing problems. The registry is basically the storage facility for Windows, which keeps data including your saved passwords, latest emails and desktop wallpaper safe. Unfortunately, the registry is also prone to making your computer run much slower as your PC often saves many of the files in the wrong way. This causes them to become unreadable, which slows your PC's speed. To fix this, registry cleaners are designed to scan through the registry database and fix any of the damaged / corrupted settings that are causing a problem. This allows your system to become faster, but only if there are a considerable amount of errors on there.
Source : http://goo.gl/Rg8Xz
#1 Antivirus, AntiSpyware & Anti-Adware - Anti-"malware" (Malicious-ware) programs are an essential part of any computer for several reasons, not least because of how they can protect your personal data. These tools are also highly effective at speeding up your PC, as the more infections it has, the slower it will run. Windows 7 is currently getting bombarded with 1,000's of new viruses and adware infections, making the need for antivirus, antispyware and anti-adware a necessity. You can get these tools from most major download sites.
#2 Junk File Cleaner - "Junk Files" are files which Windows cannot use or read. These come in two forms - files which you just download or create and are of no use... and files which are useful but are unreadable. As computers age, their buildup of junk files increases, slowing your computer down tremendously. Every computer has these files, and many unchecked PCs have gigabytes of data just blocking up your system. To remove these, you should go through your computer and delete any of the downloaded files that you no longer want by selecting them and pressing SHIFT + DELETE. You can alternatively get a junk file cleaner program, which will automatically remove all the junk files from your system.
#3 Registry Cleaner - Many people claim that these tools can do all-sorts to your PC. The fact is that registry cleaners can boost your PC's speed if it has a lot of errors inside it. These tools scan through the registry database and remove any damaged or corrupted settings that are causing problems. The registry is basically the storage facility for Windows, which keeps data including your saved passwords, latest emails and desktop wallpaper safe. Unfortunately, the registry is also prone to making your computer run much slower as your PC often saves many of the files in the wrong way. This causes them to become unreadable, which slows your PC's speed. To fix this, registry cleaners are designed to scan through the registry database and fix any of the damaged / corrupted settings that are causing a problem. This allows your system to become faster, but only if there are a considerable amount of errors on there.
Source : http://goo.gl/Rg8Xz
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