Introduction

Let’s face it; Windows 7 is to Windows Vista, what Windows XP was to Windows Millennium, a replacement for a very bad operating system.

Windows Vista was such an annoyance to use, that almost anything (even switching to Mac OS or Linux) would have been better.

After 3 years of hearing people complain about Windows Vista, Microsoft was well aware that people absolutely hated Vista. In fact, I disliked Vista so much that I eventually switched back to using Windows XP. But now it is Windows 7 to the rescue.

What’s New

• It Looks Better- Okay enough with the Windows Vista venting; what makes Windows 7 different or even better? Well the most obvious difference is its looks. Although it’s not dramatically different from Windows Vista, Microsoft has made a few tweaks and changes to Windows 7 desktop, which give it an improved, look over Vista.
• It’s Easier to Use- This is the area that Microsoft really got right; where they took the time to really listen to the customer about the changes that would make Windows a more user friendly operating system.
• It Works Better – Windows 7 is much improved over previous versions of Windows. Microsoft has done a great job of developing Windows 7 so that it installs faster and with less human involvement.
  The Windows installation process continues to get better. You just insert the Windows 7 DVD, answer a few questions about preferences and click the “Install Now” button.
  This process takes about 30 to 45 minutes; this is usually for clean install, not upgrades. For upgrades the total time will be a little longer. I heard a rumor where the upgrade process for one user took more than 3 hours.
  Also, Upgrading to Windows 7 in most case does not require you to buy a new computer. If your computer is already running Windows Vista, it can easily run Windows 7. However, I highly would encourage you to download Microsoft Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor and run it before you attempt to upgrade.
• It’s Safer – Windows 7 is more secure. It uses BitLocker, a new file encryption system. Encryption is a way of protecting your data from being tampered with.

My Final thoughts

While, I think Windows 7 is an improvement over previous versions of Windows it is far from perfect. For the first 3 months of use, I thought Windows 7 might possibly be the perfect operating system. But I’m sure Apple computer and Linux users would strongly disagree.

One of my kids has a Mac book Pro running Leopard and on those occasions when I have used it, I liked it a lot. I have also been using Linux Mint on another computer the past 6 months and I liked it as well; plus it’s free.

It is clear however, that Microsoft put a lot of thought into Windows 7 and for a change; it appears that they were really listening to their customers.

Johnny Rogers is a business technologist with more than ten years of personal computing experience. For more on Windows 7 or other Microsoft Windows Operating Systems, visit his Windows Tips website http://www.microsoft-and-windows.com.