Will Windows 7 make you switch back?

[bruinsrme]

Next time you are visiting the Dell or Sony website, configure one of their PC's and notice how they charge you extra to get the "Mac Like" experience, example, a clean desktop with no crapware.

Dell? Hmmm Just bought 2 XPS dells and wasn't charged extra not to get software.
The dells were pretty clean. Dell's dock is extremely handy but still rely on the quick launch on the task bar.
I had 5 icons on the desktop out of box. Not sure how much cleaner it could be out of the box. My son's had 6, the extra one was for nvidia sli
You can run a dell with windows only, no special OEM drivers or software required. sony and HP I don't think that is possible

In the past I used to reformat all my dells and perform a fresh install to rid all the crap. this time around I am still running on the factory HDD load

[NoSmokingBandit]

OS X still needs a Windows Media Center like backend for TV tuner support. I don't have to worry about EyeTV or the expense because of it.

WMC is freaking awesome. I've never used it until the W7 beta so idk if the dressed it up in W7 or not, but it is just amazing. On OSX i cant even use Front Row because i dont use iTunes. I like to have control over my music instead of some goofy app with some pretty terrible missing features. In W7 i can sync WMP with my music folder and it wont completely take over, then WMC sees it and joins the party. I dont even need wmp, W7 finds all the music that i've added to the music library in Explorer. If i want to use WMC all i need is explorer.exe, in osx i need to import all my songs into itunes if i want to use them. Software tie-in ftl.

[Thomasthetug]

I tried it out on my PC. Within 20 minutes, I was reinstalling XP. The way Explorer has changed really doesn't sit well with me. It's too cluttered and way too bloated compared to XP's simple interface which I really enjoy. Plus my wireless USB dongle software wouldn't install. And they made it harder to pick tools in Paint.

I like the look of it though, might download a theme for XP.

Themes for XP kinda mess up your computer, espically if you have the min spec for the theme thing. It pretty much slows the computer down alot my friend had one and after his computer was a slug. And it was a Vista theme with gadgets and all that fun stuff.

[HLdan]

WMC is freaking awesome. I've never used it until the W7 beta so idk if the dressed it up in W7 or not, but it is just amazing. On OSX i cant even use Front Row because i dont use iTunes. I like to have control over my music instead of some goofy app with some pretty terrible missing features. In W7 i can sync WMP with my music folder and it wont completely take over, then WMC sees it and joins the party. I dont even need wmp, W7 finds all the music that i've added to the music library in Explorer. If i want to use WMC all i need is explorer.exe, in osx i need to import all my songs into itunes if i want to use them. Software tie-in ftl.

Great! Well, now you have a reason to switch from Mac back to Windows and get a nice PC. Unless you've never had a Macintosh then you'll never have a reason to go to Mac since Windows Media Center in W7 is so great. :p

[NoSmokingBandit]

Great! Well, now you have a reason to switch from Mac back to Windows and get a nice PC. Unless you've never had a Macintosh then you'll never have a reason to go to Mac since Windows Media Center in W7 is so great. :p

I really hope the " :P " means you were kidding. Its hard to tell with the obnoxious fanboys here who have a hard time admitting windows has a better feature and get all pissy when someone points it out.
That being said, i've never used wmc or front row anyway, i honestly dont see the point of them when i can just use something like vlc to play my movies or wmp/cog to play music.

[wrldwzrd89]

That being said, i've never used wmc or front row anyway, i honestly dont see the point of them when i can just use something like vlc to play my movies or wmp/cog to play music.
You are totally correct - for that kind of use Windows Media Center is pointless. However, its real utility comes when you have so-called Media Center Extender compatible devices... then, you see its true utility. This is one of those areas Apple's either chosen not to mimic or can't seem to implement right... not that there aren't other areas Apple's lacking in. For example... compared to Microsoft, Apple's enterprise support is terrible. Then again, even Windows 7 can't seem to get some things right Apple's gotten right too.

I honestly think Apple and Microsoft would benefit hugely if they learned from their own and each other's mistakes.

[NoSmokingBandit]

I honestly think Apple and Microsoft would benefit hugely if they learned from their own and each other's mistakes.

Word.
Imo, MS is too stupid to get it right and Apple is too arrogant to admit they arent right to begin with.

Ms should bite the bullet, look like *******s for a while, and build windows 8 on unix. Yeah, legacy support will suck, but they could team up with Crossover and get some things working. Heck, it would still be better than Apple's legacy support though :P

Apple needs to stop playing the elitist card. If they marketed and priced for the average joe the only reason MS would exist is for businesses.

[Eidorian]

Word.
Imo, MS is too stupid to get it right and Apple is too arrogant to admit they arent right to begin with.

Ms should bite the bullet, look like *******s for a while, and build windows 8 on unix. Yeah, legacy support will suck, but they could team up with Crossover and get some things working. Heck, it would still be better than Apple's legacy support though :P

Apple needs to stop playing the elitist card. If they marketed and priced for the average joe the only reason MS would exist is for businesses.Which is why I usually end up with some heterogeneous amalgamation of computer hardware. I can't get everything that I want from Apple or Microsoft.

I'm still terribly fond of Windows Media Center when you can get ATSC tuners for $60 and not have to worry about the software.

[econoline06]

I've been trying the beta for a little bit now. CRAP. Exact same nonsense as Vista.

[econoline06]

See, children, this is what happens when you desperately come up with a bullcrap theory to prove how smart you are and are proven wrong.

That being said, theres no hard feeling from me, MacHappytjg. If you want to get all pissy you go right ahead, but when you are willing to debate this like a mature adult i will welcome you back, no problem. Until then, enjoy bashing windows on baseless claims ;)

Mature adults wouldn't be arguing which OS is better to begin with.

[econoline06]

I have a MacMini running Leopard and a HP laptop running Windows 7, and I like that setup. So I will use both ;)

Now about Windows 7 I must say that it is absolutely awesome. The new taskbar is so good it makes me cry (it is better than the dock; much better window management). That alone is worth the price.

The library feature is great as well.

Overall Windows 7 is really good. Just as good as OS X.

I'm not a "Windows guy", nor an "Apple guy". I'm a "computer guy" and I like to toy, play and work with both OSs.

Besides, for the hard-core Apple fanatics: you should only be glad Windows 7 is so good; it'll make Apple work harder at Snow Leopard.

What...are...you...smoking?? The new taskbar is useless!

[Eidorian]

What...are...you...smoking?? The new taskbar is useless!Please do tell how it's useless. I'm already missing Aero Peek and a Show Desktop feature that's worth writing home about. Not to mention intelligent window scaling/resizing when you hit a side of the screen.

[conshok26]

while i am liking this way more then vista os x is just too nice.

[Stevamundo]

Why switch? Don't you think that Boot Camp, VMware Fusion and Parallels will be Windows 7 compatible too? :rolleyes:

Also, by the time Windows 7 actually comes out, probably all of those three programs will be much improved.

[Stevamundo]

I've been testing it and i don't like it at all.. :p

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3104/3195018684_5fde1f2b01_b.jpg

Are you serious, this is what Windows 7 looks like???? It's LEOPARD!

Who says that Microsoft doesn't copy Apple? :eek:

[Cassie]

Themes for XP kinda mess up your computer, espically if you have the min spec for the theme thing. It pretty much slows the computer down alot my friend had one and after his computer was a slug. And it was a Vista theme with gadgets and all that fun stuff.

Well, if there is a way to get a "classic" theme where the applications look like XP or 2000 or something like that, but keeps the new taskbar, I may reinstall Windows 7. Assuming I can get drivers and software for my wireless dongle, or get a wired router for my room, that is.

[KevinN206]

Are you serious, this is what Windows 7 looks like???? It's LEOPARD!

Who says that Microsoft doesn't copy Apple? :eek:

That's Windows Classic theme existed since Windows 95. You can go back to that theme if you prefer it over the default new Aero theme.

Here's a site with various screenshots of the the DEFAULT Aero theme:

http://w7.netraworks.com/

[Stridder44]

I've been trying the beta for a little bit now. CRAP. Exact same nonsense as Vista.

What...are...you...smoking?? The new taskbar is useless!


http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/1382/facepalm2ly3.jpg

[NoSmokingBandit]

Are you serious, this is what Windows 7 looks like???? It's LEOPARD!

Who says that Microsoft doesn't copy Apple? :eek:

I am really hoping that is sarcasm. If not i really dont know how to respond to it...

[almostinsane]

I've been using WIN7 for the past 6 months or more (Alpha code before the beta) and it just keeps getting better and better.

Last week I sold my Mac Pro and used the money to build a kick-ass Core i7 system and bought a new monitor. Gotta like the resale value of the Mac hardware.

[macintouch]

I won't be switching back anytime.

However, I think us Mac users sometimes take our beloved OSX for granted sometimes.

I know people have a lot of biases towards Windows---and most of those biases are spot on. However, it certainly is not impossible that Windows could get better than OSX.

Competition is good. It will keep Apple on their toes and they can make sure they always have that edge.

To me, it's more exciting to watch a basketball game that is neck and neck rather than a slaughter. ;) :p

[iObama]

I've always been very fair to both sides of the spectrum when it comes to Windows vs. OS X. With Windows 7, I think we have a winner over Leopard.

Sure, it doesn't come with the iLife suite, but it is a VERY nice OS. In fact, I replaced my main Vista Installation yesterday with it, and am loving every minute of having this beta as my main OS! :D

[Quillz]

I've always been very fair to both sides of the spectrum when it comes to Windows vs. OS X. With Windows 7, I think we have a winner over Leopard.

Sure, it doesn't come with the iLife suite, but it is a VERY nice OS. In fact, I replaced my main Vista Installation yesterday with it, and am loving every minute of having this beta as my main OS! :D
I think to be most fair to both Apple and Microsoft, though, a real comparison should be between the final release of Snow Leopard and the final release of Windows 7.

[drichards]

I can't go back to Windows, I'm too committed, and no PC manufacturer will take care of me as a customer better than Apple has. Windows 7 looks like the os which Vista should have been, but when it was still Longhorn, that beta looked great too. We'll see how this whole thing turns out.

[iObama]

I think to be most fair to both Apple and Microsoft, though, a real comparison should be between the final release of Snow Leopard and the final release of Windows 7.

Correct. But it won't make much of a difference. Leopard already runs fast, so the improvements in SnowLeo are just really thick icing on the cake. Vista ran horribly slow, so W7 is a huge improvement.

Other than speed, SnowLeo won't have very many new features, and that's according to Apple themselves.

[Quillz]

I can't go back to Windows, I'm too committed, and no PC manufacturer will take care of me as a customer better than Apple has. Windows 7 looks like the os which Vista should have been, but when it was still Longhorn, that beta looked great too. We'll see how this whole thing turns out.
Actually, the first beta of Longhorn looked promising, but it ran terribly. The difference is that Windows 7 Beta 1 runs extremely well and we know for sure what features will and won't be in it. Longhorn, in its first beta release, was still clearly far too ambitious. And that's why I feel that Windows 7 will not suffer from the same issues that Vista suffered from. (That is, too much initial ambition, and a new code base that broke a lot of existing setups.)

[HLdan]

Correct. But it won't make much of a difference. Leopard already runs fast, so the improvements in SnowLeo are just really thick icing on the cake. Vista ran horribly slow, so W7 is a huge improvement.

Other than speed, SnowLeo won't have very many new features, and that's according to Apple themselves.

Dude, don't be that naive. If you think for one minute that we (Mac users) will only get under the hood fixes in Snow Leopard you are sadly misguided. When has Apple EVER released full information about what they were doing? Yes, Snow Leopard will have many under the hood fixes and a lot of necessary trimming but there will be some MORE than subtle differences visually to the end user. Leopard could certainly use some visual fixes. The Finder could use some fine tuning as well and I'll bet it will get it.

[dotdotdot]

Those last few posts made me start to think Apple's being overly ambiguous about Snow Leopard (It's coming out soon, yet no real announcement? We know of about 3 features, none of which are exciting or really new to make old users upgrade?) because they are waiting to see what Microsoft does, and then try to improve on it.

I wouldn't be surprised if the dock got a new upgrade and the overall look became more like Windows 7. It seems like Apple's waiting for Microsoft to make a move.

That's not a bad thing, but it does warrant some introspection by some posters here... Microsoft's not the only one "copying."

With that said, Windows 7 is on every computer I own, including my MacBook. I hardly miss OS X. In fact, the only things I miss are Adium and iChat. Everything else I find to be the same or even better on 7.

[iObama]

Dude, don't be that naive. If you think for one minute that we (Mac users) will only get under the hood fixes in Snow Leopard you are sadly misguided. When has Apple EVER released full information about what they were doing? Yes, Snow Leopard will have many under the hood fixes and a lot of necessary trimming but there will be some MORE than subtle differences visually to the end user. Leopard could certainly use some visual fixes. The Finder could use some fine tuning as well and I'll bet it will get it.

Woohoo! Visual FIXES and fine tuning!

Cause Leopard has a totally crappy GUI...

[tubbymac]

The best thing about Apple fanboys is the PASSION with which they speak. Makes for good entertainment at least. It's as if Microsoft Windows ran over their pet dog or something.

[HLdan]

The best thing about Apple fanboys is the PASSION with which they speak. Makes for good entertainment at least. It's as if Microsoft Windows ran over their pet dog or something.

Riiiiiight! And the best thing about PC fanboys is that they stick up for Microsoft and Windows and constantly defend what Windows does best...BUT..... these same people will buy a Mac.:p

[FX120]

He sounds like this idiot:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfeQeDNH5Cs&feature=channel_page

[MacsRgr8]

I am not going to red through this whole thread...

Answer is: of course not.
:apple:

[mercedes]

The best thing about Apple fanboys is the PASSION with which they speak. Makes for good entertainment at least. It's as if Microsoft Windows ran over their pet dog or something.


Hahaha...Yea that's right. I love my mac and I'm having the discussion " Mac Vs. PC" everyday in school. But the thing is, that mac is just better. I mean snow leopard is definitely going to be better than windows 7, no doubt.

So no, I'm never ever going to switch to windows 7.

[tubbymac]

He sounds like this idiot:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfeQeDNH5Cs&feature=channel_page

That was incredibly painful to watch. It made me cringe. He's not the only one like that out there though. That's borderline fanatical.

[SimonMW]

I'm downloading the W7 beta now.

But I do not think I will ever go back to Windows, or consider it until they ditch the stupid registry thing, all those scattered DLL files, installing and uninstalling programs (ie you can't just drag programs to the trash). I have a feeling that W7 will slow down just as much over time as all previous versions of Windows with the hard drive gradually becoming clogged up with useless files here, there and everywhere.

[elgrecomac]

Boy, is it fast...and I'm not comparing it to Vista or XP but to OSX. Stability is an issue with this beta but the Office products, Visio, and Project which are my bread and butter scream under Win7. The apps load fast, they calc and save fast. Impressive.

I am still struggling with the UI after using OSX for 12 months. Not as 'thought out" as OSX. And not as intuitive as OSX BUT this is a real good OS....and I was a skeptic. I will be loading Autocad and Photoshop to continue my testing but at first blush, not bad.

[chewietobbacca]

The media center capabilities is a killer for me. I love my HTPC, and having it connect to my XBOX 360 over the network for example is amazing. That and being able to add the tuner without worrying about the software (which is often buggy and crappy) is really nice.