Windows 7 RC Beta open to public!

[Diamond45]

I tried the first Windows 7 beta on an old computer at work. It worked pretty well (we haven't upgraded to Vista at work, one computer does run Windows Server 2008 though). I'll try the RC and see if I like it or not.

I haven't used Vista myself, just because I don't like the interface. I know Windows 7 has the new interface, but there doesn't seem any way around it.

Same goes for Office 2007. I still like Office 2003 just because I can navigate better in it. (however, I've installed OpenOffice on a couple of computers at work in our computer lab - I like it as an "Office alternative")

 

[shaq]

It boggles my mind when people complain about the Vista "interface". Fundamentally it's pretty much the same thing as XP. Sure things have been shifted around, sometimes in a way that I don't think is that great, but for the most part I think the changes can be called improvements. People, "change" is not the same thing as "bad".

I totally understand the complaint for Office 2007 being different so you don't know where things are. That said, I give MS a ton of credit for finally changing the UI that has been used for years in favor of something a little more innovative, which actually works if you give it a chance. You don't have to dig through menus to find the obvious things you need - they're often right in front of you.

I hate these arguments because I always feel like I end up campaigning for Microsoft, but really I think they get a lot more flack than they deserve. I'm a tech enthusiast (and professional) and give credit where it's due, regardless of the vendor behind it.

 

[J-Dubya 777]

It boggles my mind when people complain about the Vista "interface". Fundamentally it's pretty much the same thing as XP. Sure things have been shifted around, sometimes in a way that I don't think is that great, but for the most part I think the changes can be called improvements. People, "change" is not the same thing as "bad".

I totally understand the complaint for Office 2007 being different so you don't know where things are. That said, I give MS a ton of credit for finally changing the UI that has been used for years in favor of something a little more innovative, which actually works if you give it a chance. You don't have to dig through menus to find the obvious things you need - they're often right in front of you.

I hate these arguments because I always feel like I end up campaigning for Microsoft, but really I think they get a lot more flack than they deserve. I'm a tech enthusiast (and professional) and give credit where it's due, regardless of the vendor behind it.

I agree with you 100%.
Also, I hated Office 2007 just because I couldn't find anything where I was used to looking. A couple of weeks of getting used to it, and it's my MSO version of choice now. We still use 2003 where I work, but 2007 isn't leaving either of my computers any time soon....

 

[Jax]

I hope they've fixed that clusterf*ck user account control nonsense that Vista has going. I'm SO not a fan of going to install a program only to be told that I'm not authorized to do so..when I'm the only admin AND user on the computer. Screw that.

And yes, I know there are ways around it, my point is that I shouldn't have to jump through hoops just to install a damn program when I'm the only one using the computer. Other than that, I don't have too many gripes with Vista.

 

[nailz]

I hope they've fixed that clusterf*ck user account control nonsense that Vista has going. I'm SO not a fan of going to install a program only to be told that I'm not authorized to do so..when I'm the only admin AND user on the computer. Screw that

Yes, it's much less in your face now. I actually have left it on, though to one notch lower than the original setting. I turn it off completely every time I install vista.

 

[shaq]

I must be one of the few who think the UAC features in Vista were a good idea. The one annoying part is that they made you have to dig in order to turn them off, but I can understand why they did that too. For power users it is a nuisance (which is why I have it turned off), but for most users (note: these will be the less vocal users about it), that is who it is aimed at. In summary, it could have been done better but I give them credit for making changes to try and secure things for normal users. Really, Microsoft always seems to be in a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation. They need to work on that.

 

[Magius]

I have never, EVER had a problem with a program in windows Vista that was written after 1997. I don't understand this, as I've never actually SEEN this happen. What programs, specifically, could you not get working?

Roxio Creator 7 will not run on Vista. Apparently Vista changed the write to disc format. My Vista PC came with Creator 10, but 7 is a much nicer version. That's Roxio's fault not Microsoft's, but it would have been nice to be able to install 7.

Adobe Acrobat Pro 6 will not run on Vista.

Some older Virtual CD programs (Win 2000 SE era) won't run on Vista. Not really an issue as there are newer, better, and free programs available.

Some peripherals like Logitech mice, trackballs, and keyboards, which used native XP drivers, don't work properly with Vista. Multifunctional buttons on mice can't be customized. The buttons on media keyboards don't work properly, although the standard 104 button keyboard keys work fine.

Microsoft released a driver patch for their own Trackball Optical, but native XP driver peripheral users are screwed.

Nevertheless, I've never had a problem with the functionality of Vista. I set it up to run like Windows Classic and turned off all of the fluff and aggravating functions.

One game I've owned since about 1998, Revenant, has always run like crap on every OS I've tried it on. Vista runs it very well, whereas 98, 98SE, Me, and XP didn't.

BTW, Windows 7 has a Virtual XP mode.

Cool. I wonder if that will make programs backwards compatable.

How do you go about installing SATA Raid drivers? I considered downgrading to XP on this PC. XP only looked for them on a 3.5 Floppy, which my new PC doesn't have. Alternatively I could have nLite'd a custom install disc, but decided Vista was actually fine before I did.