Windows 7 - Is it really worth upgrading your computer?

by Rick Castellini Special to PRIME? Although I've been testing, using and writing about Windows 7 since last year, it has only been on the market one month. In this past month, I have set up 20 or so new machines with Windows 7 pre-installed. I have yet to do an upgrade from Vista or XP. The out-of-the-box setup is much faster than Vista, but I'm already getting that same 'ol, same 'ol feeling about it as I did with Windows Vista and Office 2007. I don't doubt that Microsoft went back to the drawing board and tweaked and improved Windows, but overall it really is just Vista, done correctly. Plus, the machines Windows 7 are being released on are monsters: dual and quad core processors, four, six, and eight gigabytes (GB) of RAM and fast, capable video processors as well. Will you really use it well? I really think the improvements in usability will be completely lost by the majority of average computer users. Pinning programs to the taskbar, jump lists, using the integrated search, file libraries, Home Groups, shaking and pushing Windows to screen edges will go largely unused. As for security improvements, we will have to wait and see how that works out in the upcoming months. Many of the new systems coming off the shelves include the 64-bit version of Windows 7. Sixty-four-bit computing (new hardware and software that can process more instructions simultaneously ... faster computing) has been a promise for years and is finally making its way into the majority of new computers. Make sure it's compatible Already, however, we are seeing incompatibilities with this version and existing software. Some of the problems can be rectified by downloading patches or upgrades from vendor web sites. Others don't have solutions yet. If you use any kind of specialized software or rely on any specific software package, check to see if it is compatible with both 32 and 64-bit Windows 7. If not, check when your software will be compatible, or what steps you must take to make it compatible. You should be able to find all this information by visiting the software publisher's Web site. Re: security issues Regarding security software, my current plan is to install Microsoft Security Essentials (http://tinyurl.com/hmr-mse) for all new installations. It runs fast, and from all indications protects as well as any other security product . and it's free. There isn't any reason to buy a new computer with XP or Vista (both of which are possible if your really want them) since Windows 7 works well overall. However, if you are not attached to or specifically require a particular piece of Windows software, I continue to encourage folks to think about Ubuntu or Mac as viable options when buying a new computer. Rick Castellini is an author, computer consultant, and hosts a nationally syndicated computer radio show from Colorado. Visit his web site at www.HelpMeRick.com for new tips every week and sign up for his free weekly email newsletter. You can also follow Rick on Twitter @HelpMeRick