XP To Windows 7 – Upgrade Or Not?

There are many reasons for upgrading to Windows Windows 7; new features, improved security and better overall experience. Some of the features are:

Windows Aero, Windows Sidebar, Media Player 12, Windows Search, and Libraries. Let’s look at the practicalities of these new features.

Windows Aero: This interface offers a "cleaner, transparent look with impressive graphic quality". But Aero requires a higher-end video graphics card. If your computer doesn’t have a higher-end graphics card, Windows Windows 7 is displayed using Windows Basic. In other words, without the "right" graphics card, you are paying for a feature in Windows 7 that you can’t even see or use. Plus the aero feature requires more memory in order for Windows 7 to function.

Windows Sidebar: This is a window usually on the right hand side of your display that shows a selection of what Microsoft terms "gadgets". These are mini-applications such as a clock, a calendar, currency exchange, etc. However, using this feature uses 20% of the computer’s resources slowing down the computer considerably.

Windows Media Player 12: Uses a new graphics-oriented interface rather than the text-oriented look and feel of the previous versions.

Windows Search: One of the most useful features of Windows 7 is the new search that is capable of searching for files or applications simply by typing in a few letters in the start search box in the start-up menu.

Better Security is offered through:

Parental controls which allow you to set rules of access for each family member, (but since most teenagers are more computer proficient than their parents, one wonders how effective this actually is)!

Windows Windows 7 User Account Control (UAC) which protects many features and processes such as renaming a file, deleting files, and accessing certain control functions. In Vista it required the user to have the "proper permissions" in order to accomplish that task. This means that the user will have to click through a few popup windows every time they try and accomplish a task. "Are you sure?" and "Do you really want to?" are just a few of the clicks that will have to be made. This feature was the cause of numerous complaints in Vista as, in many cases, the computer owner is prohibited from doing his work in a fast, efficient manner. In Windows 7 the User Account Control has more settings and is much easier to put up with!

Better overall performance is what Microsoft envisioned back when Windows 7 was first rolled out. Many users are finding this true. One feature that is supposed to result in an improved user experience is the start menu. This new start menu displays everything within one single menu thus saving on screen real estate, that is, when it is working. A large portion of my start-up menu is blank as the "most frequently used" program icons just stopped appearing. The search function does make finding files and applications fast and easy however, which is a good addition. The start-up menu now also includes the new and improved folders, Documents, Music, Pictures, etc. Microsoft has improved the My Documents, My Music, My Videos of XP by simplifying them to appear as Documents, Music, Videos, etc.

Libraries: Windows 7 now has what it calls libraries for it’s documents, pictures, music, and videos. Windows 7 libraries are a vast improvement or XP’s and Vista’s Documents, etc. You can now add your own folders to the libraries, rearrange them in the proper display order, and even remove Windows 7 default libraries. I really love the new libraries features.

Microsoft claims that Windows 7 is "a much faster operating system." Many forum and blog posts say this is true. In fact my Windows 7 boots up in half the time that my XP machine takes to boot up. At least 2 gigs of ram is needed in order for Windows 7 to perform at top speeds. If you are a home users with only 512 mg ram or even 1 gig, Windows 7 requires at least 1 gig of RAM but really runs better with 2 gigs of RAM or more.

Should you upgrade to Windows 7? To answer that let’s remunerate the benefits that you will get for your $300 to $500.

Aero- if you have a higher-end graphics card.

Windows Sidebar- which slows your computer but does have a nice clock.

Windows search- is easy and fast.

Media Player 12- graphics instead of text. Now you have to look at an icon and figure out what it means.

A new start menu- uses less space on your display.

Improved folders- eliminated the "My" and libraries.

Increased security – Parental control – if you can’t figure out how to set it, ask your teenager.

User Account Control- puts the computer in charge as it continually checks to see that you have permission to do what you want to do and continually asks you with popups if you know what you’re doing. Can be toned down or even turned off.

Slower computer speed unless you add enough memory to your computer- 2 gig is the minimum and 4 gigs for any serious computer user.

If you feel that those benefits are worth $300, then upgrade. Just make sure that your hardware exceeds the Microsoft’s basic requirements or you can expect stalls, black screens, crashes and basic slow operation from the "upgrade" to Windows 7.

Jerry J. Jansen
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