Going by the press releases, it seems that Microsoft will never succeed in pleasing anyone when it comes to the launch date of a new operating system. But with Windows 7, Redmond may just have struck the right chord. Tony Crowhurst, senior FSN writer looks at the new offering.
To paraphrase Computer Weekly - “There seems little doubt among UK users that there are some valuable technical enhancements. But these may not be enough to convince them of the need to upgrade their desktops”. Other commentators stated that “many organisations only see the need to upgrade when the applications that they run are replaced” and a spokesperson at the IT standards Unit at Staffordshire Council said he could not see a "compelling business reason" to upgrade.
Sounds familiar?
Well yes, except these comments were made in 2001 and are in relation to Windows XP. As users we have a vision of windows XP not dissimilar to that of an idyllic childhood yet XP did not come without its own problems and only time and three service packs have dulled our memories.
So has Microsoft got it right and should we take the plunge? The answer is broadly “yes certainly” if you are buying a new PC or laptop then you would be foolish not to go with Windows 7 if only because of the cost saving when bundled. It’s more robust, user friendly; it runs faster and has some clever features.
Microsoft has also done a much better job helping people upgrade and although it’s not possible to do an upgrade from XP at least the compatibility tools help you with the process. We tested a Dell XPS M1330 laptop running Vista with Office 2007, Microsoft SQL Server 2005 and Visual Studio 2008. The upgrade took approximately 2 hours - all the drivers were found and it reconnected to BT Broadband automatically. The only failure was Kaspersky which did not update properly and required a reinstall.
Unfortunately Microsoft does not do itself any favours when it comes to versions. Unlike Apple or any of the open source providers, there is not just one version of Windows 7 – from Starter to Enterprise there is - in Microsoft marketing speak - “a version to meet the needs of every organisation” or alternatively there are so many versions that you’ll end up being confused. In practice what that means is that if you have applications that need to be run in XP mode you need the Professional version, if you want to connect to a corporate network then you need the Professional or Ultimate versions. If you want to use BitLocker functionality – to securely encrypt information, that’s available with Ultimate but not Professional or below. It can get confusing and frustrating and in monetary terms, if you don’t have a volume licensing agreement with Microsoft the costs can add up fast.
Also, in general terms, moving from Vista to 7 does not mean a huge leap forward in interface – in fact many pundits see 7 as being a service pack for Vista rather than a new operating system. For users of XP it’s like driving a car with automatic wipers and a DAB radio for the first time. It’s lovely to have the features and certainly it’s a wrench when you go back to you old saloon but it’s not necessarily life enhancing.
So what are some of the features that make Windows 7 worthwhile?
The Taskbar. If you’re still running XP then this is a revelation. In 7 the taskbar is larger and Windows highlights which applications are running. Hovering over the application enables Live View which previews the open windows for you. It’s a great feature if you have multiple spreadsheets open.
Windows Snap. If you’ve ever been frustrated but tabbing between two applications to copy and paste data then this is great. Drag one window to the left and the other to the right of the screen and they automatically resize to fit the screen equally.
The action centre. If the continual requests for confirmation for Vista drove you mad – such as reminding you to run a back-up - this is for you. It queues up items that need attention in the task bar so that you can deal with them when you are ready.
Homegroups. A lovely feature especially if you are a small business or a home user with a desktop and a couple of laptops and don’t have a “proper” network. Homegroup allows you to easily share documents, stream music and it means that you can print from one pc to a printer installed on another pc – without the need to install printer drivers. Just a shame all pc’s have to be running 7.
Search. This is much more intelligent. Search for “recovery” for instance brings up the recovery application, recovery tips and relevant emails all grouped intuitively.
Libraries. This feature will be a boon for those who have data in multiple locations. Windows Explorer allows you to add network folders, SharePoint documents, and just about any folder you choose to your Documents Library which can be accessed within only a couple of clicks.
BitLocker To Go. BitLocker enables the encryption of data on drives and USB sticks and the next release of Windows Server allows companies to set group policies. That means users are forced to encrypt a drive before copying data...this alone should be mandatory for all government departments.
Where am I? Another “neat” feature - if you shuttle between the office and home, 7 remembers where you are and selects the correct printer.
All these features come together to make 7 a good operating system that is certainly not buggy and one that will get better and better.
For Microsoft especially, operating system releases are fraught with complexity – the need to add new and exciting functionality whilst ensuring backwards compatibility and at the same time keeping the EU regulators happy is a tough balancing act and in this instance I do believe Microsoft has done well.
If you are in the market for a new pc then 7 is the way to go especially if you use Microsoft Office and connect to a corporate network. If all you wish to do is surf the web and write a few documents then a netbook running Ubuntu will probably do all that you require. You could even load Ubuntu onto your old XP machine to breathe new life into the old lady.
