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5 ways Windows 7 could be another Vista

October 23, 2009

Windows 7Windows 7 hasn't been officially released for 24 hours yet, but there are those who think Win 7 is nothing more than Vista with a few extra bells and whistles.

To be honest, I like Windows 7 and believe it will be a phenomenal success for Microsoft. But, just to play devil's advocate, let's take a look at 5 ways Windows 7 could become another Vista.

1. UAC: still there

UAC - the bane of Windows Vista - hasn't gone away. Microsoft just altered its behaviour and added a configuration slider than enables the user to select what level of protection UAC will provide, thus controlling the volume of pop-up alerts generated by UAC.

However, after much debate with the security community during beta testing, the default setting is still set to what users experienced with Windows Vista. Frankly, UAC serves a purpose and it is better to leave it alone. But, those who dislike UAC are going to have to go into the control panel and modify the configuration to their liking or be faced with the same pop-ups that annoyed the world with Vista.

2. Hardware and drivers

Windows Vista stumbled and fell right out of the blocks as a result of lagging hardware and device driver support. The vendors just weren't ready when Vista was launched and Vista never really recovered from the damaged reputation even after most of those issues were resolved. The legal issues Microsoft faced with the 'Windows Vista Compatible' logo debacle didn't help either.

Users get upset when they get a new operating system and find out that their existing printer, wireless router, webcam or other peripheral hardware doesn't work with it. They are left with the choice of not having the hardware or coughing up for new hardware that's compatible, which doesn't make them happy campers.

Windows 7 review

Windows 7 PC reviews

Windows 7 forum

3. Performance improvement: minor

A lot of fuss has been made about performance tweaks that ostensibly make Windows 7 faster than Windows Vista or Windows XP. In my opinion, vendors in general and Microsoft specifically should make these improvements, but not market them.

The problem is that 'performance' is so subjective to the exact hardware the operating system is running on, or the types of applications being run, or the number of applications being run simultaneously. Citing performance as a selling point almost always backfires because A) the performance improvement is generally not enough to make a difference to normal users, and B) there are almost always just as many studies and reviews showing equal or even slower performance which turns into a sort of he-said/she-said marketing nightmare.

4. Expensive

Face it. Windows 7 is not cheap. For those who are purchasing a new computer system with Windows 7 pre-installed, Windows 7 is great. For those running Windows XP or Windows Vista and just wanting to upgrade the OS on their existing hardware, spending hundreds depending on the flavour of Windows 7 can be a tough pill to swallow.

5. No direct upgrade from XP

To me, this is the most obvious mis-step by Microsoft in developing Windows 7. Maybe it just couldn't be done, but I would have had all of my best developers working night and day to figure out how to make it happen. After the issues with Windows Vista, and knowing that the vast majority of users - both consumer and enterprise - are still relying on Windows XP, it seems like a direct upgrade path is a necessity.

Many users may be frustrated by the lack of upgrade path and having to do a fresh install, reinstall all of the other software and migrate user settings. Microsoft has provided tools to ease the pain, but this is still the biggest opportunity for negative PR or backlash related to Windows 7.

My take: Windows 7 will be a success and restore some lost faith in Microsoft. I also think that Windows XP users should upgrade to something... anything. The Windows XP operating system is a decade old. If you don't like Windows 7, by all means switch to Mac OS X or load Ubuntu Linux or something, but enough already with the Windows XP.

See also:

Windows 7 could slash energy costs

Top tips for new Windows 7 users

How to upgrade to Windows 7

Windows 7 coming to Mac by end of year

Windows 7 reviews, video guides and user forum

PC World

Posted by: Tony Bradley

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Comments

Posted by Will on October 23, 2009 :

I've just installed Windows 7 on my Mac because I need it to check Windows functionality of my Web site.
I find the interface horrendous; the 'see-through' parts of windows are, to me, the worst offenders. With their blurred rendering of elements beneath, they are a distraction and, because they provide absolutely no functionality, are completely gratuitous.

Posted by Skidz on October 23, 2009 :

I agree Will, i dont see the point of all this mirrored see through garbage either. What does it do ??? NOTHING !!

Posted by David on October 24, 2009 :

I hate to be critical myself of people's opinions but honestly Will & Skitz if that's all you can complain about then either one of two things.
1) you just don't like Microsoft full stop and complain no matter what or
2) instead of providing us with meanful critisms like performance and compatiblity and other things that plagued vista you want to judge the who system on what are really
frivilous objections.
Oh well its probably true what they say you know and that is once a critic always a critic

Posted by Skidz on October 24, 2009 :

Ok sorry David,
its lovely and theres nothing wrong with it at all. is that better ? lol.

Posted by Will on October 24, 2009 :

David,

I didn't criticise Microsoft in any way. What i did was to express MY opinion that I find the Windows 7 interface horrendous. Apart from this, I did not criticise this version on Windows itself. Actually, I find it, insofar as I have been able to poke it with the proverbial stick, the best version of Windows ever released by Microsoft.

Despite you avowed desire to allow others to express their opinions, you dare to attack my opinion as nothing but a dislike of Microsoft. I will have you know, sir, my criticism of the interface is a very genuine and meaningful criticism of this new OS.

Furthermore, that you failed to see this criticism as otherwise, places you firmly in the camp of those sheepish followers of Microsoft's creations which have exposed virtually the whole world to insecurity, scams and malware. That Microsoft is able to release THIS version of its OS bedecked merely with an array of needless graphic embellishments shows you up for what you are.

Posted by David on October 25, 2009 :

Will, While I will agree that the rendering blur really serves no purpose, I just thought that to judge the whole interface on that feature alone and to call it horrendus was a bit rich.
What about the other features like the updated taskbar, aero peek, aero shake, aero snap are they horrendous too.
And I certainly am not a Microsoft Appolist, I have critised Microsoft in the past and will continue to do so,but i would have thought that as i said in my last opinion I would have thought that more valid critisms like performance and usuablity & compatiblity would have drawn more critisms that just the blurred rendering that you and skitz referred to.

Posted by Skidz on October 25, 2009 :

Hi David,
when i finally get time to install my copy of Windows 7 Pro i'll be sure to report on its performance and compatibility. Having tried the Release candidate i havent too much to moan about yet and i can at least turn off the graphical fluff. lack of a good email client is a bummer though and importing into Thunderbird without O.E is tricky !! See ive started already. lol.
Cheers.

Posted by Will on October 25, 2009 :

David

I haven't commented on other aspects of 7 because I didn't feel qualified to do so.

At work, I use XP and this is the version of Windows with which I am familiar. My comment on the 7 interface is generated by this fact alone.

On my Mac, the first installation of Windows I used was Vista HB. I found it to be no different from XP, apart from a gratuitous interface hobbled by the HB Edition. 7 behaves like its predecessors, in the typical Windows-like fashion in which many elements are buried under oceans of patronising obfuscation and clicks. Although Windows 7 apparently is less demanding on resources, I have not had difficulties with Windows Vista.

Compatibility is poor. My 10 year old H-P printer is doesn't work in either Vista or 7. H-P say a driver is installed by default, but I haven't been able to find it. This old printer is fully supported in Snow Leopard, and still works as it did on the day I bought it. I have no other peripheral I need to use in Windows 7.

Posted by David on October 26, 2009 :

Sorry if I

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