Should You Upgrade to Windows 7?

Microsoft is launching a new operating system, Windows 7. After the experience of Windows Vista which was not well received, the computer world waits with some trepidation. Should you switch to the new operating system (OS)? Will your existing software work on 7?

If your PC or laptop is currently running on Vista then you should certainly consider moving to the new OS. Windows 7 has been described as ‘Everything Vista should have been’. Laptop owners in particular will appreciate the new OS. Vista is very memory intensive and many people found their laptops run very slowly, and many new notebooks can’t even run on Vista.

Windows 7 has slimmed down somewhat with some of the free programs in Vista being dropped – examples being Windows Mail, Photo Gallery, Calendar and Movie Maker. Some of those functions have been replaced and it is easy enough to download freebies like mail programs from the Internet. However, Microsoft still recommend that your computer has 1GB RAM so you may need to increase your computer’s memory – easy to do on a PC but not a laptop.

Upgrading from Vista is simply a matter of loading a DVD and clicking on a button. Note that the upgrade is available only on a DVD, so if your machine only has a CD player then your hands are tied.

What about upgrading from Windows XP? Not so easy I am afraid, be prepared to wipe everything off your hard-drive and install 7 from scratch. That isn’t as daunting as it sounds; however, if your computer is running XP then it must be nearly 6 years old so you may wish to consider buying a new computer with the latest operating system already fitted.

Future articles will look at what is new in Windows 7.