Windows 7
 

Just FYI I have been so impressed with Windows 7 I decided to run RC1 on my new laptop. SoF worked flawlessly under Windows 7. Just an FYI for anyone thinking about running it.

I can't wait for Windows 7 to be released. I've been holding off on buying a new computer for it. I want no part of Vista.

I have used just about every operating system out there from the early days of Atari and DOS. I will have to say my day with 7 has been a nice one. I tried Vista last year. It literally stayed on my drive for around 10 minutes before I nuked the drive and went back with Suse.

Apparently, if you buy a new computer from an authorized retailer in the months coming up to the release (maybe starting now?) with vista, you'll get a free upgrade to windows 7 when it comes out.

I played that game with Dell on the gaming computer I got in late '06.

It took them six months past official release to get me the Vista upgrade, plus it was only Pro, when I had wanted Ultimate.

From now on, I'm planning to stick with going ahead and buying the full version of an OS when it comes out. Even upgrade versions can be a pain when you're fishing out your old CDs from a decade ago to install from before you can perform the upgrade to the new OS, leaving behind who knows what old files.

Better to wait and spend the extra and get the full non-upgrade version when it comes out, in my opinion.

From what I have heard Window 7 will not ask for your old OS disk.

Vista Upgrade didn't me for my old disc, either, but I had to run the disc from within my old Windows. So, I in order to get a fresh Vista install, I had to first install XP, then perform the upgrade to Vista. The Vista Upgrade CD wasn't bootable.

Me too!

I've had the Atari 400, 800 and ST as well as various Amiga computers.
Probably dating myself a bit here ;)

Good news:
MSDN, Technet and MS sites will have it available to download on July 24th.

The RTM is already on a handful of sites, but I'm going to wait on this one.


Bad news:
This is for the cheap $100 upgrade version, instead of the full-price one, of course. I sure as hell ain't paying them a few hundred for the OS.

The thing that gets me though, is the activation process. They royally screwed everyone over on this one. They made it so now you have to have a previously activated version installed every single time you install the OS. WHY?! Do they know how much of a pain that's going to be? Although Windows 7 Home Premium comes with disk imaging software that's included with it, it's still a freaking pain to have to go through a lenghty process just to install the damn thing.

Bottom line is that if you own a legit version of an OS you have previously bought, you have to install it, activate it online (or by phone yikes!), and then you can install Windows 7 once it's verified. So since they're ending support on Windows XP and eventually Vista, your legit cd key is going to be invalid once they stop supporting it. Then you have nothing left but to purchase the full-priced FULL version of the OS for a few hundred dollars.

See where this is going? :rolleyes:

Well the problem is as a technician I seriously need to know the OS, and know it well.

So far I have been running RC1 64bit for several months and never looked back.
Runs great on the Core I7 quad core and everything seems well polished for a beta.

I'll be buying 2 copies of home. Vista 32 was not worth it, and removed it from the laptop as well.

FYI - comodo (inexpensive) firewall and integrated virus checker has worked flawlessly. This is on a 64bit system.

Took a while to get mysql running on it, as well as PERL

GeorgeS

As far as I know the activation process MS uses doesn't really distinguish between an upgrade copy and a full version of windows it just checks for a valid cd key. That being said there is no reason why you can't install a full version of the OS using your legally obtained cd key. That should not violate any laws if you legally own the software. I am pretty sure that MS offers a trial version of windows on there website that you should be able to download and activate using your cd key. Just select the correct version during install and it should work fine.

I don't mean to sound crass, but...

You're saying you're a technician and have to "seriously" know Win7, but you never gave Vista a chance? Seriously? You nuked Vista after having it on your drive for 10 minutes? LOL.

Then you should have used Vista since it's using the same kernel. ;) There's nothing you can learn from Windows 7 that you couldn't have learned a few years ago with Vista. If you really need to know Windows 7, and you truly are a "tech" then there's a lot catching up to do since you skipped Vista all-together.

In all honestly, I seriously don't know why people say Vista is the crappiest OS. The ones who did say it is, usually didn't meet the hardware requirements, or their hardware manufacturers didn't fork out the necessary drivers to support it. It's not Microsoft's fault, it's the hardware and software companies. They've had more than enough time (more than 3 years) prior to Vista's release to get off their asses and support it, but they never did.

The Creative Labs company is the prefect example. They purposely crippled their hardware and flat out lied. They said that it didn't support Vista when all along it did, and made people shell out more money for a product that supposedly "supported" Vista. The community found out and were pissed off to say the least. And trust me, no company wants to pay an upwards of up to 400 dollars per WHQL license for drivers.

All Windows 7 is, is Vista 2.5, and it's what SP2 should have been. They didn't spend a whole lot on money in advertising Vista so it's their fault, really. But everyone has learned from Vista's kernel, and since pretty much all companies are using the same kernel to write their software now, they can finally get off their asses and support it, finally. Too bad Vista had to be the red headed step child for Windows 7 to succeed, though.



Anyways, in other news, Google's Chrome OS is coming out as well, and HP and Acer have already singed up to include the OS on their netbooks by the end of the year. The funny thing is that the CEO of Google is confident enough to leave Apple (where he current oversees the company) and return full-time to Google because of the pending OS release. HAHAHAHA.

Oh noes. What will the MAC zealots cry about now? :grin:

I am not getting into a pissing contest or explaining why I did not ever bother to learn Vista. I think it is self explanatory why I did not bother with it. There is no market to learn it. I also skipped learning Windows ME. Think I regret that ?

Try running the Windows 7 upgrade advisor.
http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/5770/w703u.jpg

Actually, it does. You need Windows 7 Ultimate Edition Upgrade in order to upgrade anyways, so you have to pay more for that version. And, it's checking a verified OS installation prior to it.

So you either shell out over 200 bucks for a version of the upgrade to Windows 7, or you pay full price. Either way, you have to validate it, is what I'm trying to say. ;)

This is all in the name of Piracy, but Microsoft is shooting themselves in the foot, I think.