Comments on: Windows 7 beta: First impressions

A new version of Microsoft's operating system, bringing back that nebulous "Windows XP feel," won't wow anyone but will satisfy them on a much deeper level, ZDNet Australia writes.

[menehune9]

I have a Mac, I love OS X and its Unix roots. But in my opinion, everyone who is comfortable with their MS Windows, be loyal to it. Seems like whenever Intel introduces some new processor, MS follows suit to introduce a new OS that compliments Intel ( or hopes too in some cases). I don't know the specifics of Windows 7, but the 200 MB partition seems like MS is trying to create their own EFI ( Extensible Firmware Interface), following the path of Apple. Maybe Windows 7 allows you to multi-boot, maybe even having a MS variation of Apples BootCamp. I wouldn't be suprise.

[cottonrohrscheib]

I am actually anxious to see Windows 7, I might download the beta release and load it on a demo machine tonight!

[johnknappcc]

Do it . . . its slick, only took 2 hours to download off torrent.

[johnknappcc]

I downloaded the beta of 7 off of a torrent. I have to say I was very impressed. Using Visa Ultimate on my heavily-upgraded Quad Core, 4GB RAM desktop runs great, but on my also heavily-upgraded Latitude D630 it seems slow. After installing 7 on an older Satellite Core2 Duo at 1.73 with 1 GB of RAM, wow, crazy fast. Seems to run everything quickly (as fast as XP) but with the "pretty" aspects of Vista. Look, apple is solid (my wife has a macbook), and Microsoft will always loose users to apple (inevitable with the number of Windows users vs apple users), but at least Microsoft is actually back to developing and not just marketing. Hopefully the actual release will surpass the beta (and they usually do).

[WintyB]

I have Vista 64 bit and really have no problem with it. My only complaint, MS tried to simplify networking, but really made it much more difficult.

Between my ring of death Xbox and my Window Millenium PC back in college, MS really better not F this up! I want a stable operating system that looks decent, that isn't buggy and slow. (Aero anyone) With 4gigs of Ram I shouldn't be have anything running slow... besides ITunes on Windows... I think Apple does that on purpose!

[alkolkin]

Downloaded it, tried to install 7 x64 as an upgrade to Vista x64 SP2 Beta.
No go. I will try to uninstall the SP2 Beta and hope for better results.

[st430]

I know some people root for apple but the real situation is not as rosy as you think.
Apple is at a higher price point. At the end of the day, there is always more dell, hp , acer, gateway
laptop or PC out there compares to apple due to pricing and just sheer number of vendors.
As for super low end machine...linux and xp still holds the market.
The school login is flawed. yes, there are students using mac, but when I was in college, it's not just mac. There are plenty of PC (way more than macs) and then solaris and main frame system also...it's a mix...what I use in school does not mean that's what I will use forever...it's just one of the many machines I learn to use.. at school, you don't install your o/s, you don't have to pay for the 2000-3000$ a computer and you don't install your software....you use the schools... so in a way you don't make the decision. Once you graduate, you have to work for a living and most work place use windows PC...
so eventually, they will know both O/S....with PC with so much more choice of games, applications and hardware and hardware vendors..it's really hard to just buy apple with a hafty price tag from your own pocket.

[vernonrj]

I can't wait for Windows 7. I've given Vista a beating on my laptop for about a year, and it has actually taken it pretty well. It seems like you either have a good experience with Vista, or a dismal experience with Vista, and there's no in-between. It's fun to read the flame comments left by some people. So, just for the record:
For the mac lovers: I haven't really used mac, so I'm not going to bash it. Please give me the same courtesy.
For the Vista haters: before you flame me, think of this: Vista is more graphics-heavy. Of course it's going to take more power, cpu and ram to run. If you get a decent system, it should run fine.
For the XP lovers: yeah, XP is a good system. I used it for a long time. It's your choice to use it if you wish.
To the linux lovers: I'm still waiting for a tarball installer. As in one you don't have to use terminal with.

[tm_anon]

Ubuntu isn't exactly terminal dependent for most of the uses. Haven't opened a terminal in the past 6 days, opened it once a week ago, didn't open it for several days before that, opened it to install an Antivirus program necessary to protect my friends using Windows. To be fair, I only had to use the terminal for the antivirus program because most Linux users don't use them and I was using one that hadn't made a .deb package. I installed Avast with no trouble from a .deb package before that, I just prefer Avira. Mostly when I use terminal, it's because the instructions for what I'm doing online are written for the terminal. It's not necessary to use it for almost anything I've done, it's just easier to write instructions for.

[Palmetto_72]

Its called a "swap partition". Now you can stop wondering.

[ywkhgqo]

I don't think Apple will ever overtake microsoft and here's why.
There is no cheap apple computer. The only thing below $999 s the mac mini, which is a pathetic excuse for a computer. Microsoft still has all the people that can only afford sub $1000 computers. Until Apple decides to get into that market, it will not overtake MSFT. Some people don't have $2700 to spend on a macbook pro or mac pro. Even the iMac is $1200.

And whoever said you can get a similarly equipped PC for around the same price as a mac is simply wrong.
As i write this on my six month old Asus laptop which i bought for 1300,
15.4 inch 1430x900 screen, 2.5 Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo, 3 GB DDR2 Ram, 9500m Gs 512 Mb, 250 GB 5400 Rpm HD, dvd supermulti burner, i look at the the current 13 macbook:
i get a smaller screen, less ram (2GB, though its DDR3), a smaller HD(160GB), a way slower processor (2.0 Ghz) a nvidia 8400m gs (a joke). All for a one year warranty, while i got two with asus and a year of free accidental protection. Oh wait, the macbook has a backlit keyboard though, thats pretty i guess.
Apple has a long way to go.

[topgunb2]

agreed there are hundred of thousands of users (specially in developing countries) who can't afford $2000 mac. In India for example you can get a PC for Rs 15000, which is like $300, and very few users can afford $2000 mac.

[vdlf9b]

Are you impressed by Windows 7?
http://www.pollfest.com/default.aspx?g=posts&t=97

[dankdweiss]

I run OS X on my MSI Wind. 350$ for wind, 30$ for BCM94xxx series mini pxi wifi card, 20$ for additional gig of ram. 400$ macbook. The same system runs vista fine too. And it runs unbuntu...

Do yourself a favor, give everything an unbiased honest try and you come out knowing more. No one ever learned anything being a zealot.

Personally, I believe MS and Apple operate on different paradigms. You people can argue all your life about this cr*p and never be right or wrong.

Its a like watching a couple or retards yell at each other about which lollipop tastes better to them, blueberry or strawberry.

They are both good for different reasons, be thankful there is market competition pushing both of these companies to new and improved areas.

that's my .02, you may need change.

[ahalemano]

"Its a like watching a couple or retards yell at each other about which lollipop tastes better to them, blueberry or strawberry." - dankdweiss

You da man Dan! Why can't everyone just get off their damn soap boxes and give it a rest. Unless you have vested interest in either company, who the heck cares which one has greater market share? As far as I'm concerned, I happen to like both blueberry and strawberry. In all sincerity, I hope that Microsoft does well with 7. As some of you have already pointed out, Apple computers aren't cheap. I coughed up some cash and bought a MacBook. Despite the cost factor and minimal learning curve (if you want to call it one), I still love it. The same can be said about Vista. While it lacks a number of "Mac-centric" features that makes the whole computing experience veritably fun and highly intuitive, there are a number of new and old Windows features that makes me really appreciate this OS for what it is and not what it should be.

Competition is good. Without a company like Apple to keep Microsoft on their toes, there would be little need to innovate. IE6 is a perfect case in point. When Netscape Navigator was finally laid down with a final stake through it's proverbial heart, what did Microsoft do? Nothing, really. Why should they? They were now the dominant browser on the market. It wasn't until Firefox came along and stirred the pot up. Because of this, we have what amounts to be a more secure IE7. While Firefox, Chrome, Opera, and Safari are pretty slick in their own unique ways, I've taken a few steps back and put aside my bias and have actually come to like IE7. Mind you, Chrome is currently my browser of choice, but I believe that it is always a good idea to keep an open mind in spite of the myopic contentious rhetoric that goes on within these litigious Windows and OSX debates.

'nuff said.

[Seaspray0]

I haven't seen a mac/pc commercial in ages now. Once windows 7 is released, I doubt I will again. Hastalavista is fine by me because I am already drooling over windows 7 after reading real reviews (and not snide remarks from fanboys who haven't even seen it, since the beta was just released today and not even to the public).

[D3vildog699]

I feel ya man, i can't wait for the new OS, i just home its good and they continue to build off from it like with XP.

[ferretboy88]

I will buy windows 7. I buy every OS that comes out and try every LInux distro. After what Apple pulled with Itunes(making you pay 30 cents per song to reconfig them) I think they are becoming more and more greedy every day. I priced the new 17" model they had and I will pass on the $5,200 price tag. $1200 for extra ram. Is that Korean ram gold plated? You can't even take out the battery.

[tm_anon]

Surprised you have time to type. I mean, there's a new Linux distro forming as I finish this sentence. That's the beauty of it, choice.

[Karthik_Nair]

i dont care about which os is better, i use both windows and mac os x on my mac, and both work amazingly

[ywkhgqo]

I don't think Apple will ever overtake microsoft and here's why.
There is no cheap apple computer. The only thing below $999 s the mac mini, which is a pathetic excuse for a computer. Microsoft still has all the people that can only afford sub $1000 computers. Until Apple decides to get into that market, it will not overtake MSFT. Some people don't have $2700 to spend on a macbook pro or mac pro. Even the iMac is $1200.

And whoever said you can get a similarly equipped PC for around the same price as a mac is simply wrong.
As i write this on my six month old Asus laptop which i bought for 1300,
15.4 inch 1430x900 screen, 2.5 Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo, 3 GB DDR2 Ram, 9500m Gs 512 Mb, 250 GB 5400 Rpm HD, dvd supermulti burner, i look at the the current 13 macbook:
i get a smaller screen, less ram (2GB, though its DDR3), a smaller HD(160GB), a way slower processor (2.0 Ghz) a nvidia 8400m gs (a joke). All for a one year warranty, while i got two with asus and a year of free accidental protection. Oh wait, the macbook has a backlit keyboard though, thats pretty i guess.
Apple has a long way to go.

[nutso101]

With windows 7 being a touch screen capable operating system, can we still use our same monitors or will we have to buy new ones?

[tm_anon]

In order to use the touch screen aspect, you'll have to have a touch screen monitor, otherwise, you should be fine with the one you have for mouse and keyboard.

[blindtwelve]

Um... wow guys. First of all... the "scanning for viruses" that appeared in your Firefox downloads is in fact a new feature of Firefox 3, not some under the hood antivirus solution from Microsoft. Get your facts straight... it brings down the professionalism of this site.

Secondly, Adobe Creative Suite 3 installed perfectly fine for me in this Beta, so I'm not particularly sure what issue you ran into there.

Other than that, I agree on most of your points. It seems sleeker, faster, and more streamlined and the new simplistic... well... everything makes it easier to navigate the OS.

[Arlondiluthel]

I believe that Firefox 3 has a limited virus detection protocol in it whenever it downloads anything. I wouldn't be too quick to assume that Windows 7 has one built-in "under the hood", but if it does, then that's great.

[alexatherby]

I really hope Windows 7 is as good as you suspect it may be. All the horror stories I've heard about Vista has kept me tied to my trusty XP on a 2 gig Pentium 4 I bought about seven years ago. It's still working (fingers crossed) but I'm way overdue for a shiny new computer and Win 7 might be the new replacement OS to give me the warm fuzzies all over again just like when I got my first ever Windows 98 disk and 500 gig Athlon with a Soundblaster 64 soundcard, 20 gig Seagate 75.000 rpm harddrive and Voodoo 3 card, all of which I might add worked perfectly for Unreal, Unreal Tournament, Quake, Quake 2, Jedi Knight 2..............yeah, I was real happy. I guess all I'm really trying to say is that I'm hopeful Bill will thrill me again with Win 7. Starcraft 2 and Diablo 3 are on my wish list and hopefully Windows 7 will deliver. I guess we'll have to wait and see how well it does that when the final product comes out.

[chengfeng171]

agree

[chengfeng171]

Great write up