Windows 7 Versions
 

Microsoft is getting absurd with all the different OS versions. Here's a run down of the announced SKUs for Windows 7. Emphasis mine.
http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/246562/w...-flavours.html

"Starter Edition: A lightweight version for netbook computers, that will only be capable of running three applications concurrently. It will lack the vast majority of the advanced features, such as Media Center and touchscreen support, but will include the new Taskbar and Home Group feature."
Home Basic: For emerging markets only. Microsoft has, bizarrely, appeared to swap the meaning of Starter and Home Basic. Intended to "access the internet and run basic productivity applications".
Home Premium: The mainstay version that Microsoft will put the majority of its marketing weight behind. Will include Media Center, touchscreen support, full Aero glass graphics, improved media format support and streaming, and the option to easily share files across a home network with the new Libraries feature.
Professional: A business version for home workers and small businesses not operating on a volume licence. Will include features such as advanced network backup and Encrypting File System. However, BitLocker encryption is once again reserved for the Enterprise and Ultimate editions.
Enterprise: For volume licence customers. Will include all the Professional features, plus BitLocker protection - including the new option to encrypt USB flash drives and external hard disks. Will also include DirectAccess, which allows remote workers to securely access a company network without a VPN.
Ultimate: The all-encompassing version of Windows 7, although there's no repeat of Vista's much-maligned Ultimate Extras. Brandedas the "no compromise SKU for tech enthusiasts" it will include every single feature available in Windows 7."

Starter Edition and Home Basic are both a waste of time.

Vista deja vu confusion all over again.

Yep; and no one is knowingly going to buy an OS that only lets you run 3 apps at a time (excluding anti-virus and like application).

The upgrade path pricing structure that I have seen is prohibitive as well. So, I'll be snatchin up a cracked copy of Ultimate from a warez site near you soon.

so, almighty geek gods, is it worth upgrading from XP?

I'll let you know once I find out. I'm downloading the beta right now.

But it's safe to say that it's going to be a good idea to hang on to XP for a while after the release. It always takes a while for programs to be updated for a new OS... at least with Windows anyway.

Good thing is there will be versions of TinyXP released for a while, in case you can't get a legit full version of XP.

I like Win 7 a ton more than Vista, and even more than XP in most cases. A lot of the retardation that Vista showed Win 7 has eliminated or at least given you an option to turn off. The taskbar is very nice, especially since if you pin things to it and have them open, it surrounds their icon with a little square (or multiple squares for more than one instance). If you mouse over the taskbar, it will show little screenshots. I'll upload a screenshot of my taskbar so you can look at it. It's been a lot more stable than Vista too, which doesn't say much since Vista was stable as a unicycle driven by a one-legged drunken Pollock, but also seems at least AS stable as XP.



-SRD

I have an ISO plus key, so I am tempted. I have a lot of positive reviews that raped vista.

I've been using it for a couple of weeks. If you have a dualcore 2 processor its def worth it to get the 64-bit version. I use it and windows Xp. I'm used to xp but 7 is not too shabby, it gets the trips seal of approval. They just need more driver support.

It is still beta, but better driver support now than when Vista was released retail from what I have heard.

Oh absolutely, mostly because it uses most of the 32 vista drivers but all the 64-bit ones

Win 7
 

Ive been running this on my work laptop (everyday use) and my home system to do random stuff..


It is quicker then vista.. even quicker then XP on bootup\shutdown.. it seems to integrate just about every feature that was 'cool' in vista.. and tweaks the ones that suck ass..


Its vista.. cleaned up.. repackaged and refined.. it is by far a better operating system then vista.. and when properly adopted by the massess.. will be a very popular OS.

Now.. if they could integrate the query style file system they have been promising since like '82.. id reeeaaally be impressed... I think they called it WinFS.

Marcus

My 2 cents
 

Ive had it on my computer about a week and I really like it. Its basically a refined Vista. Page loading seems to be faster, loading up my photoshop is a bit faster. Start up and shut down are also faster. You can now have a scrolling background not just a static picture. Load whatever pics you like and the can scroll from 10 seconds a pic up to 1 day between background changes. You still have gadgets but the annoying sidebar is gone. Revamped Paint and Wordpad - much nicer. Internet Explorer 8 is part of it and has new features as well. If you see an address on a web page , select the address , right click and you have options such as a instant map , a handy new feature. New screen savers and backgrounds. 3 new games - Checkers, backgammon and spades - and all are internet based. I have the Ultimate Version and unless your a computer freak and need Bit Locker encryption, don't bother. The Beta test is over Aug 1st, so I would expect it out by Christamas or around then. I dont think they are going to have to make huge changes between now and then , so there shouldn't be a hold up.

Now I am on Mac I cant even understand people still using Windows. I really struggle to see any real advantages, especially when MS is pulling this kind of shit every single time they release something. I wasnt impressed by the screenshot at all, doesnt look innovative in the slightest to me!

Because I like gaming. :D And building my own computer with whatever specs I want

Who says it has to innovative? I couldn't care less if it's innovative. That's the problem with you Mac people. You got all caught up how the OS looks instead of what's underneath and what kind of options you have. If the Mac OS was able to be put on just about any hardware like Windows is, they'd have just as much problems with it. That's the only reason Mac OS is so stable; they control what hardware it's designed for. In other words, Windows = freedom, Mac OS = dictatorship.

Bingo.

I seriously considered getting a mac laptop, but when I saw that the same specs that my vostro has would cost me $1k more my decision was made.

Im not one of those "mac people". I have used Windows the whole time until just recently. Frankly, calling windows freedom is total bullshit. Whenever I had windows I didnt exactly feel free. I felt like every time I tried to do something I would get errors and crashes out of nowhere, that after using the computer for a couple of months there would be so much shit churned out by windows that clogs the system that I would get nowhere near the performance that I should, I had the freedom of downloading endless amounts of spyware, viruses and the like too. I dont get into any of this windows vs. mac stuff usually because I know they are good for different things. But thinking I have a mac because it looks pretty would be a big mistake. Its extremely reliable, does everything I would want and more and has consistent performance for pretty major tasks.

If I want to play games I use my Xbox, my Mac is a big boys toy ;)

Yeah, that's the kind of stuff that happens when you don't know what you are doing. :D The last time I had a major problem it was because my hard drive was dying.
Plus a lot of people get confused over what is a problem with Windows and what is actually a problem caused by some shitty 3rd party software.

You really dont like that I know how to use a computer and still like Mac. I knew you would say that about the software, but I am sure you know yourself that its not really the case. Software inevitably conflicts at some point in Windows and will never tell you why it happened. I know what I am doing very well, do you want my entire history of working with computers and documented knowledge before believing some people buy a Mac based on an educated decision and actually find it far superior to windows?

By the way I dont know if my posts are coming across properly or not, but im not really taking this seriously. I genuinely believe Mac is best but I dont give a shit what any of you think is best or this dumb new Windows thing.

For me, Macs are for ppl who don't want to mess around with software. They just want their computers to work.
PC's are for folks who like to tweak and personalize their shit. I'm a PC guy, myself.

haha Yeah I'm not either. I'm just fuckin around. Macs are stable and blah blah blah. I still prefer Windows or Linux.

Ahh the Scottish (or whatever the plural form is), such a breath of fresh air.

I have a Mac and a PC, and they both have their good and bad points. If you want to record music or make good home movies, I would use a Mac. Pretty much everything else, I use a PC. And if your having that much crashing, it might be a hardware issue. My system is very stable , and has almost no crashing issues - if it does crash, its almost always something I did.

That is SOOO true. I have XP systems which haven't had a problem since first loaded and during the MSDN release prior to retail. I've never had a problem with any Vista system which wasn't directly related to other software (mostly Adobe's crap).

My neighbor is on his 3rd repair of his iMac. 5th 1st gen iPhone, 2nd 2nd gen iPhone. He's reloaded the mac OS 6 times. I know at least 50 Mac people who bash Windows, but when you start talking with them about problems they've had they've always been directly related to Apple's OS.

Even more scary are the number of Mac users who swear "Mac's can't get viruses, they just don't exist on the Mac." I've had may emails originating on a Mac bring a virus along with it which my AV software detected and cleaned. You say something and get a brick wall. Then you go prove it and they say "Well, Windows has more". DUH, more people use Windows so it's more of a target.

Anyways, I'm not concerned about the different versions. Look at other companies. Hell, look at the confusion of Linux. Sure, it would be nice to go back to the days of 2000 Pro and 2000 Server, but time moves on.

I'm just annoyed that old hardware isn't as supported by W7 as was originally stated.

Best tech related post EVER!

I guess for now this will be the general Win 7 thread.

So, there is some interesting new DRM found in Win 7. From Slashdot:

"A few days' testing of Windows 7 has already disclosed some draconian DRM, some of it unrelated to media files. A legitimate copy of Photoshop CS4 stopped functioning after we clobbered a nagging registration screen by replacing a DLL with a hacked version. With regard to media files, the days of capturing an audio program on your PC seem to be over (if the program originated on that PC). The inputs of your sound card are severely degraded in software if the card is also playing an audio program (tested here with Grooveshark). This may be the tip of the iceberg. Being in bed with the RIAA is bad enough, but locking your own files away from you is a tactic so outrageous it may kill the OS for many persons. Many users will not want to experiment with a second sound card or computer just to record from online sources, or boot up under a Linux that supports ntfs-3g just to control their files."

Re - Photoshop: That Photoshop stopped functioning after we messed with one of its nag DLLs was not so much a surprise, but what was a surprise: Noting that Win7 allows programs like Photoshop to insert themselves stealthily into your firewall exception list. Further, that the OS allows large software vendors to penetrate your machine. Even further, that that permission is responsible for disabling of a program based on a modified DLL. And then finding that the OS even after reboot has locked you out of your own Local Settings folder; has denied you permission to move or delete the modified DLL; and refuses to allow the replacement of the Local Settings folder after it is unlocked with Unlocker to move it to the Desktop for examination (where it also denies you entry to your own folder). Setting permissions to 'allow everyone' was disabled!

Re - media: Under XP you could select 'Stereo Mix' or similar under audio recording inputs and nicely capture any program then playing. No longer.


Not looking good.

Wow. Microsoft is fucking retarded.