Poll: Wait for Windows 7 or buy XP for new computer?

[buggy65]

I'm looking to buy a new laptop in the next 6 months and was wondering if those of you who have used both OS can help me decide. I definitely do not like using Vista. I'm not an ignorant consumer who hates things for no reason. I just feel that Vista missed the point of a "Work computer" (If I want play time I'll buy a Mac). Also, Vista is really stupid when it comes to my wireless but I blame my ISP for that really.
Anyway, I've heard good things about Windows 7 and am asking if it's worth the wait. I plan on buying a buisness model for longjevity, so I want an OS that I can use smoothly with as little hickups as possible. I have no experience with Linux and very little with Macs.
So what do you suggest, buy XP or hold out?

For those of you who say other please specify

 

[buggy65]

bump

 

[TheDoctor455]

Given Microsoft's recent track record with new operating systems, it's probably best to stick with XP.

 

[Cortheya]

I regularly use 7 and I LOVE it so you should go with that

 

[microhive]

I'm looking to buy a new laptop in the next 6 months and was wondering if those of you who have used both OS can help me decide. I definitely do not like using Vista. I'm not an ignorant consumer who hates things for no reason. I just feel that Vista missed the point of a "Work computer" (If I want play time I'll buy a Mac). Also, Vista is really stupid when it comes to my wireless but I blame my ISP for that really.
Anyway, I've heard good things about Windows 7 and am asking if it's worth the wait. I plan on buying a buisness model for longjevity, so I want an OS that I can use smoothly with as little hickups as possible. I have no experience with Linux and very little with Macs.
So what do you suggest, buy XP or hold out?

For those of you who say other please specify

Seriously, you would be crazy not to download the Windows 7 RC. It's fantastic! It's FREE DOWNLOAD IT NOW! A key is included as well.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/download.aspx

Enjoy the RC.

 

[CIA]

Well...if you don't want to get Linux...

I suppose windows 7...

 

[balimuzz]

XP. Windows 7 is another memory-whore.

 

[microhive]

Well...if you don't want to get Linux...

I suppose windows 7...

Windows 7 RC will be free for an entire year? It got a lot more application compatible with it?
I say get it.

Linux is free forever but there you're fucked if you want techy support.

 

[a stranger]

currtly i have vista which is ok i guess but i perfore xp maybe becuase i know it better

 

[azadiscool]

I'm looking to buy a new laptop in the next 6 months and was wondering if those of you who have used both OS can help me decide. I definitely do not like using Vista. I'm not an ignorant consumer who hates things for no reason. I just feel that Vista missed the point of a "Work computer" (If I want play time I'll buy a Mac). Also, Vista is really stupid when it comes to my wireless but I blame my ISP for that really.
Anyway, I've heard good things about Windows 7 and am asking if it's worth the wait. I plan on buying a buisness model for longjevity, so I want an OS that I can use smoothly with as little hickups as possible. I have no experience with Linux and very little with Macs.
So what do you suggest, buy XP or hold out?

For those of you who say other please specify

NEVER buy an OS at release, mostly considering Microsoft's reputation.

If I were you, I would choose Vista. In a year or so XP will become what 98 is now (Compatible, but old and not aesthetically pleasing), and Vista is a very nice OS, despite common opinion (common being the opinion of those mac commercials which evoke violent urges in me that involve hedge clippers and severed heads).

 

[SimuLord]

XP is tried, true, and tested, but it's got limitations as far as being able to work with the newest, shiniest hardware and large amounts of RAM are concerned. If your time frame is far enough out that you can wait for Windows 7, I think you should do that, if only because you can build a stronger machine to work with it---the memory usage of 7 is more than offset by the amount of RAM (which is dirt cheap) that it supports.

But if you're building a computer for the here and now, XP beats the hell out of Vista by a very large margin.

 

[CIA]

Well...if you don't want to get Linux...

I suppose windows 7...

Windows 7 RC will be free for an entire year? It got a lot more application compatible with it?
I say get it.

Linux is free forever but there you're fucked if you want techy support.

Oh I don't know. The Ubuntu forums can be really helpful.

 

[CoziestPigeon]

just get a crack of the windows 7 beta.

 

[Virgil]

It's pretty simple. If you want to play games without having to constantly jump through hoops and tinker with stuff, then you need to be running a Windows OS right now. This might change in the future, but that's how it works right now.

There's nothing wrong with Vista these days if you modern hardware. Any new machine will handle it just fine. Other than 'change is bad' there's really no good reason to downgrade to XP on a new machine. The performance difference between the two is so negligible that you're far better off spending the extra money the downgrade would run you on a hardware bump instead (especially if it gets you a SSD over a mechanical HDD, by far the biggest bottleneck on a modern machine).

Windows 7, as redmarine mentioned, is currently available to anyone [http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/download.aspx] as a beta version. It will be usable for almost a year (it will become annoying in March if you haven't switched/upgraded by then). If you get the business or better versions, it will also include Virtual PC and a license to run XP in a virtual machine, just in case you have older software that won't run - you can read more about that here: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/download.aspx

I'm running the beta version on my home machine, and it's working very well. The new taskbar takes some getting used to, but it definitely has a lot more power and potential than the XP/Vista model.

 

[Virgil]

just get a crack of the windows 7 beta.

That's ridiculously stupid. Why would you want a cracked version of a beta OS that's freely available for anyone for download?

Also, why would you think suggesting even grey-area piracy is a good idea here? Don't do it again.

 

[CoziestPigeon]

just get a crack of the windows 7 beta.

That's ridiculously stupid. Why would you want a cracked version of a beta OS that's freely available for anyone for download?

Also, why would you think suggesting even grey-area piracy is a good idea here? Don't do it again.

You can't get the beta unless you signed up for it a long time ago, and you can't steal something that's free. You just need to find a cracked key if you missed the beta.

 

[microhive]

just get a crack of the windows 7 beta.

That's ridiculously stupid. Why would you want a cracked version of a beta OS that's freely available for anyone for download?

Also, why would you think suggesting even grey-area piracy is a good idea here? Don't do it again.

You can't get the beta unless you signed up for it a long time ago, and you can't steal something that's free. You just need to find a cracked key if you missed the beta.

Dude, the new version Windows 7 RC Build 7100 was released like 3 days ago... Get your facts straight.

 

[Sanaj]

Stick with XP for a few more years. I'm for sure planning to keep using XP for at least another 2 years.

Same here, Gormourn. I'm sticking with XP.
I personally can't stand using Vista or even Internet Explorer for that matter. Go FireFox!

Microsoft doesn't have a very good track record for OS and most downloaded Windows Updates
seem to cause more problems then they fix.

Vista, an OS that takes up very large portions of the hard disk to install and it
monopolizes RAM usage so you have a shiny, lavish looking desktop...
with no real functionality added...No thank you.

Windows 7 doesn't earn my ire...just general disinterest.

 

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

You haven't really said what you want to use the new PC for, so it's not a very easy question to answer. However, without knowing specifics, there are pros and cons for each that can help you decide which you'd prefer. Either OS should be fine for movies, music, Internet browsing and Email, word processing and office-type apps, there's little to choose from between them. In terms of gaming, XP will generally perform better for DX9 games and has the benefit of being able to use EAX effects and so on. However you cannot enjoy DX10 effects on XP at all.

So if you're talking just gaming performance, you have to decide whether you want performance for older games up to this point, or better graphics for games from this point on. In honesty, there's no reason not to download Windows 7 from Microsoft and try it for yourself. It's out of beta now, up to RC1, so it's getting closer to release...we'll prob see RC2 by Autumn-Winter. It's time-bombed for 1 year so you have plenty of time to use it and see for yourself.

I've been in the same boat as you are now, having upgraded my hardware recently from 2gb to 4gb, thus needing to get a 64-bit OS. I've tried XP, Vista and Win 7 RC1 x64. XP Pro x64 scored the highest in 3DMark06 (13186), followed by Vista (12353) and lastly Win 7 (11156), running same batch of tests with same settings & drivers (182.50) on each. But XP has been around 8 years compared with Vista's 2-3, and the driver architecture is totally reworked. Newer OSs always take a performance hit on the same hardware as last-gen ones. In the end, I went with Win7. It's gonna be the way to go eventually and Crysis - Warhead is worth DX10. ALchemy means you can still enjoy environmental audio from EAX games and hopefully GFX drivers will eventually catch up to near-XP levels.

As much as I love XP, getting a new system now with an 8 year old OS seems a little like clutching on to the past. Regarding the talk above of a cracked beta...he didn't mean cracked as in 'illegal' or 'stolen' when it's obviously free to download from MS themselves. By cracked he was referring to the time-bomb...in the beta I think it expires this August 31st. A 'crack' would allow it to continue working past that point (anyone remember the cracked Windows Whistler RC2?). Win7 Beta is till August this year, RC1 till June next year.