So,

I'm an XP person, hated Vista (well Ilike aspects of the interface but hated so much else that I switched back to XP) but now I'm trying Windows 7. Figured I'd post my thoughts up here and any like minded people can do the same ... can't stop you (actually I suppose I can as a mod, shrug) but please, please, please don't make this a "my OS is better than your OS" thread, it's meant to inform not flame.

First impressions, W7 is slick ... much slicker than Vista but still has many of its better features. Seems to have borrowed aspects of its look 'n feel from OS-X & Linux (OK by me, I think they all do it to some degree).

I've managed to reach my favourite forum from within Windows 7 ... it goes without saying that I'm using Firefox. 'Spose I should see what IE8 is like, but it can wait ... not been much of a fan of IE for quite a while, really only use it for the odd site that really can't handle Firefox.

Some issues but it's a beta so OK (also I believe you can't bow to legacy programs forever, sometimes progress means sorting the wheat from the chaff).

More later.

Kyu

Interesting. Thanks for informing me. I may have vaguely heard of windows 7 actually. If that's the case I certainly forgot.

Cheers,

EvF

I've heard some good things about Windows 7, but apparently the UAC is even worse than Vista. There is a security hole in it that allows viruses to write to system files easily. Microsoft needs to take a long hard look at the way Linux and Mac do system security and implement it. There are very good reasons why there are lower number of viruses on both those operating systems (and it has nothing to do with usage, it's to do with the permissions systems used).

That said, I think the speed of Windows 7 will be better than Vista which is always good. I'm still gonna stick with Linux for stability and productivity though.

(March 8, 2009 at 3:19 pm)Tiberius Wrote: I've heard some good things about Windows 7, but apparently the UAC is even worse than Vista. There is a security hole in it that allows viruses to write to system files easily. Microsoft needs to take a long hard look at the way Linux and Mac do system security and implement it. There are very good reasons why there are lower number of viruses on both those operating systems (and it has nothing to do with usage, it's to do with the permissions systems used).

It is a beta though

(March 8, 2009 at 3:19 pm)Tiberius Wrote: That said, I think the speed of Windows 7 will be better than Vista which is always good. I'm still gonna stick with Linux for stability and productivity though.

You and I see things from different sides of the same same fence so I wouldn't expect anything else ... it's a trade off between usability and security, and usability is why I choose Windows (and for the foreseeable will continue to do so I guess). It is also, of course, my job so with the best will in the world Windows is all I can do.

Kyu

Yeah, and understandably as a Computer Science student who does Information Security I value security over usability, although I think that if you are intelligent enough the usability of Linux outdoes that of Windows (especially from the position of the command line). I'm told Windows Powershell is a good additional feature that almost makes up for that in Windows.

(March 8, 2009 at 6:31 pm)Tiberius Wrote: Yeah, and understandably as a Computer Science student who does Information Security I value security over usability, although I think that if you are intelligent enough the usability of Linux outdoes that of Windows (especially from the position of the command line). I'm told Windows Powershell is a good additional feature that almost makes up for that in Windows.

I had genuinely hoped this wouldn't devolve into a MyOS vs Your OS style argument but there you go.

You and I have different perspectives on this ... we already know that (one of the reasons I said what I said in my first post). I like Linux, it's a good OS but I've never been able to do anythng truly useful with it for various reasons and, for my money, Windows outdoes Linux in just about every key respect any day of the week, month, year or decade. What's more I tend to disagree about the security of Linux over more recent versions of Windows but I don't want to argue about it

You see things differently and I'm pleased for you ... it's not for me and it's not what this thread was meant to be about.

Kyu

To be completely honest I haven’t been following the release dates for Windows 7 because I haven’t been very excited about a new Windows version. With the last release, Vista, being delayed so many times and rumours about this date and that date, I just couldn't be bothered looking into new versions of whatever, I will look at them when they release.

As an MCSE (that needs renewal I just realized) I get to use all the cool betas to test out. I am not going into the whole Linux/MS debate which is useless anyway. I just have 1 question: What viable Linux alternative is there for Active Directory?

As for Windows 7, it is nice eye candy although that is the first thing I turn off at any GUI. I have Vista running on this very machine (and Ubuntu at home) at work and it performs very well, and System 7 is running equally well in my test environment. The way I look at it it makes up for most mistakes made in Vista, which for the most parts are corrected now in Vista anyway but should have been addressed in day one. The biggest annoyance in the first Vista is basically that what Linux proponents are throwing at MS operating systems, the enhanced security.

The thing is, in Vista you got a question for practically everything you wanted to do, which actually makes a security feature less effective because it only aggravates the user and he/she will much sooner turn that feature off because it reduces productivity. This matter has to a very large extent been resolved in Windows 7.

Windows 7 comes with IE 8, which for some will be confusing. The new web browser has been out in beta for a little while now. It definitely is not the fastest browser by a long shot but I think that overall people will enjoy it.

If Adrian and Kyu really ARE going to get into a 'MY OS vs YOUR OS' battle - then I'm getting the popcorn lol.

EvF

How is it that you have a copy of Windows 7 and where can I get one?

(March 9, 2009 at 5:50 am)leo-rcc Wrote: To be completely honest I haven’t been following the release dates for Windows 7 because I haven’t been very excited about a new Windows version. With the last release, Vista, being delayed so many times and rumours about this date and that date, I just couldn't be bothered looking into new versions of whatever, I will look at them when they release.

I have to say I rather like the look and feel of it, a vast improvement on Vista.

(March 9, 2009 at 5:50 am)leo-rcc Wrote: As an MCSE (that needs renewal I just realized) I get to use all the cool betas to test out. I am not going into the whole Linux/MS debate which is useless anyway. I just have 1 question: What viable Linux alternative is there for Active Directory?

Yeah, mine's still back at NT4 level ... I hate studying for IT exams.

There's a hint here that Samba 4 will act as a complete replacement for AD:
http://www.informationweek.com/blog/main...ive_d.html

(March 9, 2009 at 5:50 am)leo-rcc Wrote: The thing is, in Vista you got a question for practically everything you wanted to do, which actually makes a security feature less effective because it only aggravates the user and he/she will much sooner turn that feature off because it reduces productivity. This matter has to a very large extent been resolved in Windows 7.

Yeah the way it gets in the way ... like a true Windows Techy I just turn it off

(March 9, 2009 at 5:50 am)leo-rcc Wrote: Windows 7 comes with IE 8, which for some will be confusing. The new web browser has been out in beta for a little while now. It definitely is not the fastest browser by a long shot but I think that overall people will enjoy it.

Probably although I still prefer FireFox.

Kyu

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(March 9, 2009 at 7:27 am)EvidenceVsFaith Wrote: If Adrian and Kyu really ARE going to get into a 'MY OS vs YOUR OS' battle - then I'm getting the popcorn lol.

No, we're not ... I'm ducking out rather than get into that it's pointless and it proves nothing.

Kyu

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(March 9, 2009 at 7:43 am)Darwinian Wrote: How is it that you have a copy of Windows 7 and where can I get one?

I got mine from MS, signed up for the beta ... the copy will run until August.

I don't know if you can still get it (you need a key too) but I got it from here:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows...nload.aspx

Kyu