Windows 7 is an all-ages show
My great aunt is 92 and, as of Friday, she's a Windows 7 PC.
Now, Hilda is already not your typical nonagenarian. She is frequently online, does her finances in Quicken and recently abandoned AOL for Gmail (something I still haven't gotten my parents to do).
Unfortunately, while her mind is quick as ever, her Windows XP PC had slowed dramatically over the past few years, becoming nearly unusable. It's one of those things that many find so irksome about Windows PCs.
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In any case, Hilda (I'm sparing her some spam by not including her last name) decided she needed a new computer and I offered to help. It was just a day after Windows 7 had made its debut and we headed to a local computer store. I found her a basic PC, monitor, and printer for $450 after rebate. She didn't really need the monitor, but it helped me a great deal as I transferred all of her files from her old PC to the new one.
If it were still the Windows Vista days, I might have been tempted to downgrade her new computer to Windows XP, so she wouldn't have to adjust to the new operating system.
But, with Windows 7 working so well, I actually felt comfortable she could make the switch, even though she's at the other end of the age spectrum from Kylie.
It took me almost no time to set up the new computer, but several hours to transfer over her settings and documents and then re-install Quicken and her other programs.
Amazing techie that she is, it took her almost no time to adjust to Windows 7's new look and feel. It's a few days in and I'm glad to report that things have continued to be smooth.
"It really is not very different from the XP I used before," she told me in an e-mail this week.
During her years at CNET News, Ina Fried has changed beats several times, changed genders once, and covered both of the Pirates of Silicon Valley. These days, most of her attention is focused on Microsoft. E-mail Ina. 
Think you wanted to say "almost NO time"
:)
Cody
"Never to old to upgrade"?
Really guys, basic spelling here... Get your "to" vs. "too" figured out. How about:
"Never too old to upgrade"
It is a compound sentence.
Cheers!
That was an incomplete sentence. Come on man! =P
Because, of course, it's totally unreasonable to set any sort of professional expectation for someone paid to write.
Maybe if Hilda had gone with a Mac she'd be trying new things rather than doing the same stuff because her XP machine needed a re-build - who knows! Then again most of the upgrade decisions aren't made by users evaluating their options, they're made by their close associates' pre-conceptions.
I guess it just shows you're never too old to learn!
McD
Grammar mechanics do not make you a better human, in fact, the way many of you rub it, make you guys seem as pedants, seriously. I know he was using windows 7 when he typed that and there was no suggestions as to what he is trying to type, giving him the possibility to be wrong. Computers can spell, but they do not check syntax, get it....?
Dayam ;)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-10383702-71.html?tag=commProfileMain;profileBot#8547399
And if we think that you are blinded by hate, and your comments are without merit, then that is our right.
I feel your hate isn't open enough to accept other possibilities.
M.A.C. is the makeup line, MAC is Media Access Control and even a "Pc" has one. Maybe there is an easier way under Windows 7, but to find it on a PC under the various versions of Windows follow the steps here http://wintelguy.com/2009/20090215_find_mac.html
Should one trust this comment as valid?
It took me less than half hour last night to install the New 64 bit OS. By the way, I bought the family pack (3) license upgrade but want to move to 64 bit. This is not possible upgrading XP (the 32 bit version would have started but not 64) I reconfigured the boot drives as DVD first and that's all it needed. No problems with drivers, even my old Canon CanoScan 90 was installed by downloading the WIN 7 64 bit drivers from Canon. Piece of cake!
And now Ubuntu 9.10 releases on the 29th october 2009.
What does Ubuntu mean?
Ubuntu is an African word meaning 'Humanity to others', or 'I am what I am because of who we all are'. The Ubuntu distribution brings the spirit of Ubuntu to the software world.
But spare me the "humanity to others" crap. That's no different from Google's "do no evil" and Microsoft's "your potential, our passion" mantras. Don't buy into that crap from **any** company. (Yes, Ubuntu is run by Canonical Ltd which is another profit-driven company.)
I strongly agree that everyone should choose the right OS, car and toothpaste that fits their preferences. Nothing wrong with that. But don't fall for the idealistic "we want to save the world" marketing speak from *any* of these companies.
i'm doing both Win7 and Ubuntu :P
But from this article it seems your Grandma is quite familiar with Windows and parents not as much.
What is your parent's experience with Windows 7? In my opinion they might be representing an average Joe of United States.
It would be interesting to see an average Joe's acceptance to Win 7.
--John (long time Mac user who uses Win 7 for non-financial personal stuff--work and financial still Mac)
Should have really been "Never TOO old to upgrade"
No spell checker can catch that one...
Just had a thought to throw out there...
Could not Google be the one that finally makes Linux on the desktop a resounding success.
Has anyone else thought of this ?
Just look at what Android has accomplished in short order. It is based on Linux.
If Chrome and Android are indicators of their potential , I think they could pull it off. I`m serious.
Google has the brains/money to do it , and PC`s would be cheaper to purchase.
Comments ?
Other than that, Linux is great!
why would anyone switch to gmail?
I think Hilda should have kept her old PC, re-installed Windows XP (a common occurrence to most hapless windoze users) and have Linux Mint installed in a partition so that she could get acquainted with a decent OS that actually works
- by play7 October 28, 2009 6:15 AM PDT
- Apple people just need to learn that people "THINK DIFFERENT" and for themselves unlike themselves. I really don`t care if you use Apple , Open Source OS..........To each their own....... Whats the point trying to brain wash other to believe like you? Live and let live
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