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Product:
Windows 7 operating system
Features:
Several new features, including libraries, taskbar icons
instead of tabs, jump lists instead of recent documents,
and XP Mode, which allows users to run a virtual version
of Windows XP in the background. If you have other
Windows 7 computers, you can set up Homegroups to share
whatever documents you want between computers without
having to move files into public folders.
Price:
Upgrades start at
$119.99
; hits stores Thursday.
Ups: With
7, you can turn on the XP Mode, and it loads an XP
desktop environment inside Windows 7. This is ideal for
workplaces that use programs not designed to run on
Vista or Windows 7. I'm a sucker for the nice visual
effects. There's an easy way to customize desktop themes
and have the backgrounds change automatically. You can
hover over thumbnails and get a larger preview to help
you choose what window you want. Jump lists are the new
way of accessing your recent documents. For example, if
you opened Microsoft Word recently, right-click the icon
of Word on the bottom bar to see a list of recent Word
documents. Jump lists also appear for the recently
accessed programs in your Start Menu.
Libraries
are a new term, but basically it's an easier way to find
your documents. A photo library can show your photos
saved in several different locations, but compiled in
one list for quick access.
Downs: I
experienced no real problems, other than some difficulty
connecting to a
Netgear
wireless router in my home. (You can read more details
about this in my blog, but it was resolved after
Comcast
provided us with a newer model.) If anything, there's a
bit of a learning curve when trying to maneuver through
7 if you're coming from XP.
When I
tried to install a printer I've owned for several years,
Windows 7 couldn't read the installation CD. But when I
plugged the printer into the computer, it recognized it,
but I had to go through a few steps outlined in the help
menu to find the driver to make it work. It worked
perfectly, but be aware that you might have to take an
extra step or two when trying to install something built
a few years ago.
Bottom
line: If you've ever had issues with Vista, go ahead and
upgrade. I installed a bunch of stuff on 7 — various
hardware and software, old and new -- and I was able to
get everything to work without a hitch. Even software
that was glitchy with Vista seemed to work well on
Windows 7.
But if
you are an XP user, it's not worth the upgrade — at
least not now. You're better off buying a new machine
with 7 already on it than putting yourself through the
hassle of upgrading.
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