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General discussion (archive)Windows 7 - Beta 1 (Public Release)(145 posts)(145 posts)
(145 posts)
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This is my favourite topic
Posted February 02, 2009
7's design draws a lot on Vista; if you are more familiar with XP it will be quite a learning curve because you are now two versions behind. A lot of features are grouped together logically (especially in the Control Panel), but these groupings are based on Vista and differ greatly from XP's groupings. As with XP you can configure the Start Menu items for the Control Panel and so forth to be menus rather than buttons; this way they will list all their contents in a single list rather than in grouped sections. It will take some time to get used to things; I moved from XP to 7 on the day the public beta first launched and I found it a bit strange at first, but now I feel right at home.
An easy way to quickly find the feature you want is to search for it in the Start Menu's search box; the search system indexes system programs and Control Panel applets in addition to your files and software, and some are listed under several names. In most cases you only need to enter a few letters to get what you want to show up. The search system learns from how you use the results, so your common choices will show up quicker. You can also enter certain file names directly and hit enter just as you would with the Run dialog in XP. Run has been removed from the Start Menu, but you can still access it with Win+R.
As for networking I haven't experimented much in that department, but the new Homegroups feature does not work with XP (this is by design); you need to create a classic network to get things going. You also need to make sure you have correctly configured your connection and firewall to allow sharing; if Windows thinks your internet connection isn't in a home environment it will block some types of access by default.
Posted February 02, 2009
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Arkose: 7's design draws a lot on Vista; if you are more familiar with XP it will be quite a learning curve because you are now two versions behind. A lot of features are grouped together logically (especially in the Control Panel), but these groupings are based on Vista and differ greatly from XP's groupings. As with XP you can configure the Start Menu items for the Control Panel and so forth to be menus rather than buttons; this way they will list all their contents in a single list rather than in grouped sections. It will take some time to get used to things; I moved from XP to 7 on the day the public beta first launched and I found it a bit strange at first, but now I feel right at home.
An easy way to quickly find the feature you want is to search for it in the Start Menu's search box; the search system indexes system programs and Control Panel applets in addition to your files and software, and some are listed under several names. In most cases you only need to enter a few letters to get what you want to show up. The search system learns from how you use the results, so your common choices will show up quicker. You can also enter certain file names directly and hit enter just as you would with the Run dialog in XP. Run has been removed from the Start Menu, but you can still access it with Win+R.
As for networking I haven't experimented much in that department, but the new Homegroups feature does not work with XP (this is by design); you need to create a classic network to get things going. You also need to make sure you have correctly configured your connection and firewall to allow sharing; if Windows thinks your internet connection isn't in a home environment it will block some types of access by default.

Vista newer took of where is used to work, we newer implemented it.
and, yes, its the classic network, to get it set up that was a battle. ive gotten it for most parts up right.
i like the search bar instead of run, as it seems to function as run too. ;) now, I yust pray they dont release 15 different versions of Win7.. ;)
Posted February 02, 2009
here's my results:
Using a 2.4ghz dual core Macbook with 2 gigs of ram, and an intel 965gma chipset, I did some tests in the two operating systems to prove which was better.
I used fraps to determine my FPS.
on default settings
Program XP Win7
Bioshock fps 4 2
UT3 fps 5 *
L4D fps unplayable 5
one thing worth of note, is that you cannot change the screen resolution lower than 1024x768 in bioshock. although, after lowering the settings to the bottom most level, I got it in widescreen somehow (1200x800).
on reduced settings (lowest)
Program XP Win7
Bioshock fps 14 5
UT3 fps 20 15*
L4D fps 10 20
results incoming...
I also am actually able to get l4d running about 25 fps on xp, however that requires hacks that the general user may not be aware of, for more info check out the tweak guide on hl2 (google it holmes).
surprisingly, left 4 dead actually runs better on 7, but that could be because of direct X, and because I used some diferent features that I hadn't used before (turning up film grain, disabling multicore rendering). This probably would have mean a better score for L4D on XP with reduced settings, but it is still unplayable on normal settings via xp.
It's interesting to note that Unreal Tournament 3 automatically changed my settings to something that would run faster in win7, but this could have been because recently UT3 was updated via steam and my intial test was done prior to the update on XP.
Anyway, I heartily recommend trying out vista for yourself, now I'm going to see how far I can get with tweaking the hell out of it.
All of my tests on win7 were on the base installation, and what was necessary for the game. XP was tweaked, and probably isn't a pure test either. I'm going to do the same benchmarks in windows 7 after tweaking it appropriately.

Pretty cool, eh?
Posted February 03, 2009
*sigh*: Microsoft has announced the different Windows versions and, you guessed it: There's still too many. Why is there home basic and home premium? Why is there ultimate AND professional? It's bad enough being called to fix a XP PC and realizing that this is Home, which has no security rules, so why do we need two different home versions? I can see the need for "starter editon", which is was Microsoft calls the demo version and a seperate Entereprise(server edition), along with the main version. But everything else is just plain unnecessary and annoying.
Ars Technica article
Posted February 03, 2009
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hansschmucker: *sigh*: Microsoft has announced the different Windows versions and, you guessed it: There's still too many. Why is there home basic and home premium? Why is there ultimate AND professional? It's bad enough being called to fix a XP PC and realizing that this is Home, which has no security rules, so why do we need two different home versions? I can see the need for "starter editon", which is was Microsoft calls the demo version and a seperate Entereprise(server edition), along with the main version. But everything else is just plain unnecessary and annoying.
Ars Technica article
you could have figured it out easily from the install it says "Windows 7 Ultimate"
Posted February 03, 2009
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hansschmucker: Why is there home basic and home premium?

Home Basic is for "emerging markets"; with Vista, this term was used for a special, simplified edition available in poorer countries. You won't see this on shelves in "western" nations.
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hansschmucker: Why is there ultimate AND professional?

Professional is sort of the business version of 7. Unlike Vista Business, it seems it does not omit entertainment-oriented Home Premium features. Ultimate has everything Professional does, plus some nice extras such as BitLocker. These omissions make these versions significantly cheaper, even for businesses buying licenses in bulk.
The Ars article is misleading because most of these versions are restricted; if you walked into a store wanting to buy Windows 7 you would see only two versions: Home Premium and Professional. As with Vista, other editions are only available to OEM manufacturers or through other special means.
EDIT: Paul Thurrott's coverage goes into greater detail of what each version contains.
Post edited February 03, 2009 by Arkose
Posted February 03, 2009
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hansschmucker: Why is there home basic and home premium?
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Arkose: Home Basic is for "emerging markets"; with Vista, this term was used for a special, simplified edition available in poorer countries. You won't see this on shelves in "western" nations.
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hansschmucker: Why is there ultimate AND professional?

Professional is sort of the business version of 7. Unlike Vista Business, it seems it does not omit entertainment-oriented Home Premium features. Ultimate has everything Professional does, plus some nice extras such as BitLocker. These omissions make these versions significantly cheaper, even for businesses buying licenses in bulk.
The Ars article is misleading because most of these versions are restricted; if you walked into a store wanting to buy Windows 7 you would see only two versions: Home Premium and Professional. As with Vista, other editions are only available to OEM manufacturers or through other special means.
EDIT: Paul Thurrott's coverage goes into greater detail of what each version contains.
as far as I understood, home basic was for laptops that didn't support aero, and home premium was for desktop computers that did.. or at least that's how it was with Vista...
Anyway, it's a miracle because windows 7 says I'm offline.
Posted April 19, 2009
Windows 7 - RC is will be available to the public on May 5.
http://www.neowin.net/news/main/09/04/18/windows-7-rc-coming-to-msdntechnet-soon-public-may-5
Posted April 20, 2009
It looks like Windows 7 is still on track for shipping later this year. I can't wait for the RC. I've been using the public beta as my main OS since its release and I've had hardly any problems worth noting; the leaked builds are said to have resolved many of these issues as well as being even faster (which is almost hard to believe considering how snappy this build is).
Because 7 shares Vista's backwards compatibility and driver model the issues that plagued Vista's launch won't be repeated, and major vendors like Nvidia and ATI have already begun releasing mature, non-beta drivers that support 7. Not only that, Windows 7 runs faster than Vista and almost as fast as XP on the same hardware. It looks like 7 really is going to be a lucky number for Microsoft.
Posted April 20, 2009
I maintain I will NOT use a beta OS for my main computer... for all the obvious reasons. Sure, Vista isn't bad, but really, does it suck THAT much?
Posted April 20, 2009
Sure, Vista isn't bad, but really, does it suck THAT much?

It really does. 7 is working faster than XP without any bugs on my "backup" old PC. VIsta doesn't work at all there.
Also I had a preinstalled Vista on laptop - 2 days of nightmare.
Post edited April 20, 2009 by aleks.nt
Posted April 20, 2009
Sure, Vista isn't bad, but really, does it suck THAT much?

It really does. 7 is working faster than XP without any bugs on my "backup" old PC. VIsta doesn't work at all there.
Also I had a preinstalled Vista on laptop - 2 days of nightmare.#Q&_^Q&Q#LINK:131#Q&_^Q&Q#

I haven't had any noticable problem with Vista, other than the odd copy protection scheme not working because it requires a 32-bit driver (usually remedied with no-cd cracks, or a new purchase as in the case of BGaE), but that's not Vista specific, it's the 64-bit variant (64-bit XP would probably have the same problem).
I'll jump on the Windows 7 bandwagon soon after it's released as I like what I've seen (especially the font management and the joined quick launch/taskbar/OS X dock copy), but I'm hesitant to run a pre-release as my main OS.
Posted April 20, 2009
Sure, Vista isn't bad, but really, does it suck THAT much?

It really does. 7 is working faster than XP without any bugs on my "backup" old PC. VIsta doesn't work at all there.
Also I had a preinstalled Vista on laptop - 2 days of nightmare.#Q&_^Q&Q#LINK:131#Q&_^Q&Q#
I've bench marked it, and 7 is slower, maybe it "runs faster" because you had a dirty PC prior.
Also, uninstalling vista from a laptop shouldn't take more than ten minutes, what are you doing wrong!?
Posted April 20, 2009
Sure, Vista isn't bad, but really, does it suck THAT much?

It really does. 7 is working faster than XP without any bugs on my "backup" old PC. VIsta doesn't work at all there.
Also I had a preinstalled Vista on laptop - 2 days of nightmare.#Q&_^Q&Q#LINK:131#Q&_^Q&Q#
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Weclock: I've bench marked it, and 7 is slower, maybe it "runs faster" because you had a dirty PC prior.
Also, uninstalling vista from a laptop shouldn't take more than ten minutes, what are you doing wrong!?

Strange. Try to compare VIsta and 7 on netbook and on a very old PC. I think there will be difference.
And about preinstalled Vista.
And when XP is not officially supported?
1st day tried to get used to it.
2nd day - found drivers, integrated HDD drivers into XP build and then installed it.
Posted April 20, 2009
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Weclock: I've bench marked it, and 7 is slower, maybe it "runs faster" because you had a dirty PC prior.
Also, uninstalling vista from a laptop shouldn't take more than ten minutes, what are you doing wrong!?
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aleks.nt: Strange. Try to compare VIsta and 7 on netbook and on a very old PC. I think there will be difference.
And about preinstalled Vista.
And when XP is not officially supported?
1st day tried to get used to it.
2nd day - found drivers, integrated HDD drivers into XP build and then installed it.

XP end of Support life is 2014.
I compared 7 and XP on the same computer, I never used Vista on that computer, but I'm confident is7 faster than Vista, because I had vista on a different computer. But, XP is still faster than 7, what do you expect from a 8 year old operating system?
Anyway, I wouldn't have counted "trying to get used to it" as a day of actually working on putting a different operating system on the computer.
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This is my favourite topic
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General discussion (archive)Windows 7 - Beta 1 (Public Release)(145 posts)(145 posts)
(145 posts)