Windows 7 continues to impress. A real unexpected bonus is improved performance on this Acer laptop of mine. Even though I had dressed Vista down, using tips to make it more like XP, it was still quite slow. It now has new life, thanks to Windows 7, and is performing much better. I did not expect this at all, and have been pleasantly surprised.
If you are thinking of getting a new PC for Christmas, don't hesitate because of Windows 7. I am quite sure you will not be disappointed.
Like any new PC, it will need some customization, but this is not the fault of Windows 7 as much as it is the manufacturer's desire to generate a little more income by loading up your new PC with trialware and unnecessary programs.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Christmas Dreaming
I have to say, after only 2 days, that I still like Windows 7 a lot. Microsoft has done some good things with this new product. I just hope it's stable and I hope that its Security Essentials is high quality and keeps the Windows 7 machines well-protected. It would be nice to have a stable Windows environment, pretty much free of worry about being attacked by the bad guys out there. It does get a little tiring having to worry about installing and maintaining a plethora of programs just to keep my Windows XP machines clean and running smoothly. What say you, Microsoft? More on this as I gain experience with Windows 7.
I can't get my mind, however, off of that 27 inch iMac! While it wouldn't quite fit into a Christmas stocking, it sure would look nice under the tree! But, as indicated earlier, the way I configured "mine", it came in at $3200, so I guess it will remain a dream!
I can't get my mind, however, off of that 27 inch iMac! While it wouldn't quite fit into a Christmas stocking, it sure would look nice under the tree! But, as indicated earlier, the way I configured "mine", it came in at $3200, so I guess it will remain a dream!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Windows 7 - at last!
I finally have Windows 7 installed. Instead of building up an old desktop to use for this, I sacrificed my Vista laptop. I ran out of patience, and using the Vista laptop was the easiest way to get the job done. Besides, I don't foresee a need to have a working Vista system anymore. I have worked on enough Vista systems to know that I can handle Vista problems without having my own system.
So, on to Windows 7. I never was able to use the first DVD that Amazon sent me, and they sent me a replacement set. Windows 7 comes with a 32 bit version DVD and a 64 bit version DVD. My laptop had the 32 bit version of Vista installed, and everything I have read told me that the 64 bit version is unnecessary at this time because there are so few programs that will take advantage of the technology. The 32 bit version is recommended.
So I tried, but failed. The installation did not at all go the way it was supposed to go. I could not get the 32 bit version installed, and mind you, all I wanted was a CLEAN install, meaning all I wanted to do was lay the new system down on the drive overwriting my old system and destroying all of the data. I did not want tp upgrade my Vista to Windows 7. This latter install is the toughest, I have read, and a CLEAN install is recommended whenever possible.
I then decided to try the 64 bit DVD, and, to my surprise, I was able to get through the install, although not terribly smoothly. There were problems along the way, but I somehow managed to get through it.
Then, and this comes as no surprise, I had to sit through hours of Windows Updates. The DVD set was dated, as I recall, July 2009. Microsoft has been very busy patching Windows 7 since then, and there were tens, maybe even a hundred, updates to apply. Then I had to install Microsoft Office 2007, and it too had many, many updates, some quite time-consuming.
This is the Microsoft way, isn't it? It always has been and probably always will be.
Eventually I had all of the fixes applied, and thought I would try the new Microsoft Security Essentials. I had promised in an earlier blog post that I would give it a try. Supposedly, this one free package will do it all, anti-virus and spyware. The download and install of this package went very smoothly and quickly. Can it be that Microsoft has done this one thing right? I sure hope so.
So there you have it. I have to admit that I LIKE Windows 7. This may surprise some of you after what I have written above. I can and will recommend Windows 7. Microsoft has done a very good job at improving what they had in Vista. They may even have listened to users!
I can recommend Windows 7 to you now mostly because I know you will most likely be buying a new computer that already has Windows 7 installed on it. It is a very nice and user-friendlier interface. I simply can't recommend the upgrade from Vista to Windows 7. I am glad I have gone through it, but I had so many problems that it was painful, and to be honest, I don't even know if the 64 bit version I had to install will run well with the software I want to run. Time will tell.
Bottom line: Windows 7 is a very good product. Make sure your next computer has it. I think you will like it a lot, especially when compared to Vista.
So, on to Windows 7. I never was able to use the first DVD that Amazon sent me, and they sent me a replacement set. Windows 7 comes with a 32 bit version DVD and a 64 bit version DVD. My laptop had the 32 bit version of Vista installed, and everything I have read told me that the 64 bit version is unnecessary at this time because there are so few programs that will take advantage of the technology. The 32 bit version is recommended.
So I tried, but failed. The installation did not at all go the way it was supposed to go. I could not get the 32 bit version installed, and mind you, all I wanted was a CLEAN install, meaning all I wanted to do was lay the new system down on the drive overwriting my old system and destroying all of the data. I did not want tp upgrade my Vista to Windows 7. This latter install is the toughest, I have read, and a CLEAN install is recommended whenever possible.
I then decided to try the 64 bit DVD, and, to my surprise, I was able to get through the install, although not terribly smoothly. There were problems along the way, but I somehow managed to get through it.
Then, and this comes as no surprise, I had to sit through hours of Windows Updates. The DVD set was dated, as I recall, July 2009. Microsoft has been very busy patching Windows 7 since then, and there were tens, maybe even a hundred, updates to apply. Then I had to install Microsoft Office 2007, and it too had many, many updates, some quite time-consuming.
This is the Microsoft way, isn't it? It always has been and probably always will be.
Eventually I had all of the fixes applied, and thought I would try the new Microsoft Security Essentials. I had promised in an earlier blog post that I would give it a try. Supposedly, this one free package will do it all, anti-virus and spyware. The download and install of this package went very smoothly and quickly. Can it be that Microsoft has done this one thing right? I sure hope so.
So there you have it. I have to admit that I LIKE Windows 7. This may surprise some of you after what I have written above. I can and will recommend Windows 7. Microsoft has done a very good job at improving what they had in Vista. They may even have listened to users!
I can recommend Windows 7 to you now mostly because I know you will most likely be buying a new computer that already has Windows 7 installed on it. It is a very nice and user-friendlier interface. I simply can't recommend the upgrade from Vista to Windows 7. I am glad I have gone through it, but I had so many problems that it was painful, and to be honest, I don't even know if the 64 bit version I had to install will run well with the software I want to run. Time will tell.
Bottom line: Windows 7 is a very good product. Make sure your next computer has it. I think you will like it a lot, especially when compared to Vista.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Micro Center
Have you ever heard of the Micro Center? Living a sheltered life as we do in Northern New England, we don't get much exposure to places like this. Micro Center is a chain of 22 stores, and the nearest one to us is in Cambridge, MA. Spending some time in the Boston area as I have lately, one of my sons put me on to this store.
If you are into PCs or Macs (they sell both, and supplies and accessories for both), you may love this store. It is really amazing. Limited as we are up here to Staples and Best Buy plus some other outlets like Radio Shack and maybe BJs or Costco or Sam's Club, this was like entering candyland for me!
I recommend you check it out online and if in the Cambridge area, stop in to see it. It's right on Memorial Drive along the Charles.
If you are into PCs or Macs (they sell both, and supplies and accessories for both), you may love this store. It is really amazing. Limited as we are up here to Staples and Best Buy plus some other outlets like Radio Shack and maybe BJs or Costco or Sam's Club, this was like entering candyland for me!
I recommend you check it out online and if in the Cambridge area, stop in to see it. It's right on Memorial Drive along the Charles.
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