Win7 vs. WinXP

This is my personal log, about my experience of Windows 7, vs Windows XP.

Toshiba Satellite A215-S5829

Windows XP: Driver support for the laptop hardware itself is mediocre, hotkeys don't function, limited control over power settings, no brightness adjustment. Windows XP x64 sucks. So with WinXP x86, I feel like I'm missing out on the full potential processing power.

Win7 x64 addresses all of these issues, and the laptop hardware itself seems to run better. Also, better battery life.

Windows 7, being Vista re-built from the ground up, but still based on the same concept, has a lot of backwards compatibility with Vista compatible drivers and software. So even if it doesn't say '7', most Vista stuff runs on 7 without a single hitch. I did have some issues though with Windows XP stuff. However I think I have yet to master the true XP compatibility mode, or maybe most of my issues were just driver related and drivers can't be emulated.

Perhaps it's all in my head, but I feel as though since my laptop was meant for Vista and not XP, it runs better with 7 vs XP. I really do.

Windows 7 also has a lot of new built in programs and features that kind of catch up with today's tech and software. One of these additions to my surprise, is an image/ISO burner feature. Which seems to work rather well. Also some of the new accessories are nice. More advanced calculator, built in screen cap tool and the recorded help thing, is pretty neat. Also gadgets have some potential.

I guess some of this stuff was probably in Vista, but I never used Vista. Hard to believe Vista has been around 3 years already. I'm 3 years behind on this concept. Windows 7 is a huge leap from XP.
At the moment I am using Windows XP x64 and I'm really hating it. I plan to hit up Win7ENT in a day or so and give that a spin.

Do I recommend Win7? That depends. If your computer is new within the last 3 years and you currently have Vista, then yes. And I recommend a CLEAN INSTALL. Dear please for the love of god, Updating from one Windows OS to another is problematic at best.

However if you're humming along with Windows XP just fine and are happy with it, if it isn't broken, don't fix it. If you really want to try Windows 7 to see if you like it, mess with someones computer who already has it, or install it on a test machine if you are geek enough to have one. Or a virtual machine? If that's even possible with 7, don't know for sure but probably is. Honestly, above all else, if this is your scenario, just wait until Windows 7 SP1 comes out. That's when they've REALLY worked most of the bugs out. Then SP2 is golden if you actually wait long enough for that.

That's just my two cents on the matter.
But always consider Linux. Ubuntu is the most user friendly version of Linux and is widely supported. Google has answers to most questions.