Windows 7 Is Finally Here!

Probably the biggest software release of the year happened just a few weeks ago with the release of Microsoft’s newest version of Windows. Windows 7 is now in full release, available on most new PC’s as well as for upgrading existing units.

The pundits, and most of our testing, have confirmed that Microsoft got it right this time. Windows 7 is fast, stable and chock full of small improvements over Windows Vista and XP.
Windows 7 is fast. Its speed is comparable to or better than most Windows XP installs so you get both the security that Vista offered, plus the speed of Windows XP.

Security is dramatically improved over Windows XP. It is nearly impossible to infect a Windows 7 PC, and very easy to lock them down so that a user cannot make changes to their desktop in a network environment.

Stability is perhaps the biggest improvement of all. Not only does Windows 7 run smoothly, but it adds compatibility features to allow you to run older Windows programs in the new operating system.

Probably the most valuable feature of all is the ability to run in 64Bit mode. Windows XP and Vista both offered 64bit versions but for the first time, you can truly realize the value of this operating mode with Windows 7. With Windows XP, even if you installed 4GB of RAM, the computer could see only 3GB. This changed with Windows Vista, and we could see all 4GB, however, this was still not enough for many users who multi-task all day long. With Windows 7 in 64bit mode, you can see up to 32GB of RAM in your PC! Additionally Windows 7 in 64bit mode finally takes full advantage of your Core 2 Duo, or Core 2 Quad processor.

The single drawback, which exists for every new operating system is certification by software vendors. So early adopters of Windows 7 may find that tech support for their application software is not available because the manufacturer does not yet support the new Windows version. Our experiences with Windows Vista have taught us that this can take a very long time. Often the software can work fine, but without certification, if something does come up, you are out of luck.

For a complete list of Windows 7's features, visit Microsoft's website at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/what-is-windows-7.aspx.

Considering Windows 7’s compatibility features and the fact that it is so similar to Vista, we don’t anticipate the same long wait for certification we had with Windows Vista, however certification should be an essential to your decision process on when to start with Windows 7.