TECHNOLOGY TIPS - WINDOWS 7, IS IT LUCKY?
In the interest of full disclosure, I have not yet moved over to Windows 7. I've used both Mac and Windows, finding both have different pros and cons. Windows 7 was released to the public on October 22nd.
The commercials are telling it like it is. Windows created a more comprehenisve interface for users by listening to their customers. After taking all the feedback into consideration and listening to beta users, Microsoft designed an operating system and retained many of the features Microsoft fans have adored while removing many major annoyances.
One completely unsolicited review from a friend was this: "It's so much better and you're gonna love it when you upgrade. I find it better than any other Windows system with better speed, easier usability and smart changes."
After reading the reviews, I especially liked what Wired Magazine had to say. The reviewer is a Mac user with previous Windows experience. Here are a couple quotes from his article that I found particularly helpful and useful when making a determination on the upgrade.
Microsoft's trademark "Start" taskbar gains a cleaner, more modern aesthetic along with a convenient systemwide search tool at the very bottom.
Brand new to Win 7, Aero introduces a major change to the user interface, which should accommodate an ever-growing generation of digital multitaskers.
Another great change in design is the way the taskbar is arranged, somewhat borrowing from the functionality of Apple's Mac OS X Dock.
The factor making a dramatic difference is how Windows manages memory. In older versions of Windows, every application you have open sucks up video memory, even if the windows are minimized. This isn't the case in Windows 7: The only windows and apps using video memory are those visible on your screen. Indeed, that big tweak amounts to a faster, snappier computing experience. It's one of those improvements that can't be articulated by numbers; you have to put Windows 7 on your machine to believe it.
There's more, but you just have to read the rest of the article. All in all, Windows 7 is an extreme improvement over earlier upgrades.
CATHY MALLERS & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO
