New Computer

[praire_guy]

I used to build my own computers with well researched components. Always cutting edge, but windows xp (last ms os I used) did require a re instal every 6 months to a year.

5 years ago I bought a Mac pro. (had to because software I needed was Mac only). Never looked back. No problems, slowdowns, flakiness.

Mother in laws laptop is windows 7. Same garbage as xt. Don't know how ms is still in business.

What do ms servers run on? Linux. They don't even run their own software on their servers. Too flakey.

As for apple quality control, never had an issue with any of their products, from my Mac pro, iPhones, iPad, apple tv, iPods, etc.

They even exchanged my 6 year old iPod due to a defective battery.

[carverman]

I used to build my own computers with well researched components. Always cutting edge, but windows xp (last ms os I used) did require a re instal every 6 months to a year.

Yes, I agree with you fully. I have two (bought used) PC desktops. They are cheap to buy, even new,
but Windows 7 is not as good as XP, IMHO. I made the mistake this year of spending $129 to buy authentic Windows 7
Home Premium software to upgrade my PC from XP... and I am sorry now that I did. What a waste of money!
It is worse than XP in some things..and runs slower than XP.

5 years ago I bought a Mac pro. (had to because software I needed was Mac only). Never looked back. No problems, slowdowns, flakiness.

I looked at the Mac Pro in the store. Love it, but I don't like the feel of the keyboard..(too small for my fingers) and the price is more right
now than I can afford to spend, but the Macs are the way to go.

Mother in laws laptop is windows 7. Same garbage as xt. Don't know how ms is still in business.

Was that a typo..you meant XP maybe? I installed my own Windows OS on my computers.
I bought the OEM System Builder Pack CD and thought that it came with everything I needed
( This was this was the Windows 7 Home Premium edition, btw. )What a lot of hassle to install the add-ons!
The Microsoft website to download some of the necessary apps for the bare bones Windows 7 OS
is a frustrating to use. Definitely not user friendly and frustrating to find the apps you are looking for
in some cases and have cryptic names, like these KB954430 etc, packages and .Net Framework 4 etc..

As a user, I haven't a clue what MS app packages my computer needs, Ican't afford to take it a PC specialist,
so I do it myself and it takes a few long frustrating hours to find the apps that I really need from all the
"garbage" theyhave in their download website. MicroSoft has gotten too big, and their s/w is complicated now.

Windows Vista was a costly experiment for MS Most users that bought Vista had to go back to XP.
Their later release after Vista ( Windows 7) in some ways is better than XP but runs much slower..(IMHO) than XP.

I feel that if I pay over a $100 for a licensed version of their Windows 7 software, all the necessary apps required by that type of OS
(ie: Windows 7 Home Edition ) should be on the same CD...and not necessary to search for all the additional crap required on their
download website. It takes a few hours to download or install all the other applications I use, after Windows 7 install, so the last
thing I want to do to add to this already FRUSTRATING EXPERIENCE is to browse and flip around from one place to another in their
download website..searching for what I need and trying to understand the confusing description....of the various service packs
or whatever I need.

If they can't provide the actual app s/w on the Windows 7 CD that I bought for $129, they should at least given me a recommended
list of ones I should have! It was a very frustrating experience for me..and I am familiar with PCs and computer s/w to a certain degree.

What do ms servers run on? Linux. They don't even run their own software on their servers. Too flakey.

No, the MS OS is even older than Linux..I believe.

It's based on " MS-DOS, and goes way back to the days of the first Intel 286 processor.
The newer versions of Windows have been rewritten over the years, of course to run on the later processors, with more add-ons and more memory, but it's still MS-DOS
in the heart of the WINDOWS OS. ..and you can still get into MS-DOS (very basic commands) if you know how.

here is a Wiki link to the evolution over the years..if you care to read it..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_windows

[andrewf]

Windows 7 is just fine. It is definitely more resource intensive than XP, but it was released a decade later.

[carverman]

Windows 7 is just fine. It is definitely more resource intensive than XP, but it was released a decade later.

Yes, and on older processors (Pentium 4 and such) it seems to run very slow.
One of my HP media center consoles is a Pentium 4, with only 2GB of DDR2 and 32 bit OS, so it is definitely a lot slower running Windows 7 than it was with XP.
I keep it as a spare in case my other one I'm using now develops a problem. I'm disabled now and don't have a vehicle anymore to take these old
relics to a repair shop.
My other one is a used brandX" desktop with a dual processor AMD (Athalon?) running 64 bit with 3GB of DDR3, so Windows 7 seems to run a bit faster on it.

[Dopplegangerr]

So everyone reckons its fine to just go for Win7 and not bother waiting for Win8? The computer I am looking at is a Intel 7, I have to say I pretty excited. Come on pay day get here already!

[brad]

So everyone reckons its fine to just go for Win7 and not bother waiting for Win8?

What if Win8 turns out to be another Vista? It's been getting decent reviews, but until it's out in the real world you won't really know for sure. Win 7 has been around for a while and many of the initial bugs have been fixed in updates. Plus the user interface in Win8 is radically different from what you're used to. Why punish yourself with an extra learning curve if you don't have to?

[Dibs]

Go for Win 7. Also, what are the specs and price of the computer that you want to buy?

[GoldStone]

Another vote for Win7. Most of your computing experience will be on the web anyway. Browser matters a lot more than OS. All you need from the OS is to be rock solid stable. Win7 will give you that. Win8? Who knows?

[carverman]

I think that MS learned a valuable lesson with Vista which backfired on them because when it was released,
most users had all kinds of problems with it and MS was slow to fix them.
Win 7 is an improvement over Vista and if you register with them and setup automatic updates, you will get them.

There is a Win7 version called ULTIMATE, which has more in it that Win 7 Home edition.
The Kijiji re-seller that I bought this used desktop from, installed it, but never warned me when he delivered the it
to my place, that MS would discover that it is not a genuine licensed version within the month and this was just a
trial copy to make sure that the motherboard worked. MS started to nag after 30 days, each time I repowered
it or went through a restart and they blacked out my screen background image (icons I use are still there though).

When I called him and sent emails..at first he told me he would send me a "fix" by email, but he never did,
and subsequent emails and phone calls to his voice mail went unanswered, so I concluded he was a
"shyster" out there to make a fast buck! The desktop works, but now I have to go through a complete install
from scratch for Win 7 Home Premium.

The MS sticker on the case with the MS product key is for Win XP and that is no good.
When I tried to submit my product key for Win 7 Home Premium...it came back and told me that that key
is for the wrong product, so they are pretty smart.

Now it constantly blacks out my screen background and keeps giving me warning popups that the Win 7 Ultimate version
on my computer isn't genuine..and of course, they can make it "genuine"...for the cost of $199 US on my credit card.

I'm not going to spend another $199 on this cr*p, as I already recently bought Win 7 Home Premium,
which I can re-install with the proper license key, but it's a lot of hassles and downloading of applications all over again.

I certainly plan to do that when my current version of other other licensed softare (such as Norton 360 and PC Tuneup expire.

At that point I will go back to my own licensed version..but in the meantime, I'll put up with the MS warning popups.

Lesson learned..never buy a used computer from a Kijji computer "reseller".

To sell these used desktops at the low prices they are advertising (with no tax),they just pirate one licensed version into
all the desktops they offer for sale to unsuspecting buyers.
MS allows 30 days and then they start to nag you to buy the official licensed version..and you don't get any updates either,
until you do. Thankfully I have a spare HP desktop that is loaded with my own licenced version of Win 7 Home Premium.

The reason I went to Kijji in the first place is that I had some difficulty with WIND data stick antenna which plugs into
the USB port on the back of my HP desktop, and I needed a second desktop to troubleshoot the internet dropout issue,
so at the time, I didn't want to go to Staples and spend $400 on a new desktop.

I bought a used one for $150 from this Kijji resellerm he delivered it to my door, because I am disabled, can't drive,
and have no vehicle anymore...but maybe after the hassles from MS, I should have spent more money,
bought a new one at Staples with licensed s/w installed...live and learn.

[andrewf]

Windows 8 is essentially Windows 7 with the start menu replaced with a phone OS. I've seen some demos and I'm not too impressed with it. Windows 7 will serve most average users well--don't fret about not getting 8.