Windows 7 !

[wildjim]

Is anyone using Windows 7 yet? How is it?

[Noss]

I'm not using it yet but I may upgrade my new computer to it. It has vista and I don't really like it. I prefer XP over Vista and windows 7 is supposed to me more like XP so I may upgrade here soon.

[culpeper]

I'm still using XP aka Windows 5.1

[kiah]

Still using XP as well. Vista and 7's system requirements are ridiculous IMO for no gain over XP other than flashiness and a gamble. If I want pretty, Linux is a better alternative.

I run BlackBox as the shell and window manager on XP. Simplistic, non-flashy, perfection.

[Noss]

My new PC has the power to run Vista fine. It runs well I just think it's over made. I don't like how it deals with networks either It's been a real pain in the ass. XP is easy. I have 5 computers networked in my house and the Vista machine is the only one that gives me problems. The settings are annoying as hell in Vista. :thumbdwn:

[kiah]

My new PC has the power to run Vista fine. It runs well I just think it's over made. I don't like how it deals with networks either It's been a real pain in the ass. XP is easy. I have 5 computers networked in my house and the Vista machine is the only one that gives me problems. The settings are annoying as hell in Vista. :thumbdwn:

My system meets Vista's requirements (just barely), but I've usually got PS, Illustrator, Foobar, and a bunch of other crap open which I can't imagine would work out without a hardware upgrade. One of the other things that kept me away is the constant nagging I've heard about. May be possible to disable though?

Honestly, I imagine Vista, 7, and XP would all look the same to me other than system requirements. I don't use the Windows shell, title bars, taskbar, Explorer, IE, WMP, or any other addons so a basic, fast, stable core is all I'm after. If MS would focus on making a faster OS instead of adding flashy title bars and pretty buttons, I'd be all over it. Unfortunately, all OS's are going that route, so I'll probably keep XP until software stops running on it. Heck, I'd still be using 98 if it wasn't such a piece of crap. :D

[Noss]

Vista does nag the hell out you. Something always pops up when do many things asking for this or that. I guess since they couldn't make it run well they made it look good instead. :D I haven't been using it to long and I'm still trying to figure some of the stuff out. It does seem to be fairly stable as I haven't had it crash yet doing high power apps like HD video editing. At this point though I don't have much to loose upgrading Vista to 7 and I hope it's an improvement. I want to keep at least one of my computers up to date with the latest software and the new one is the only one that can handle the new stuff. My other 4 pc's are way behind the times.

[kiah]

My other 4 pc's are way behind the times.

I have a 486 running 3.1 sitting next to the desk. I swear I'll find a use for it someday. :D

[jankerson]

Haven't tried it yet. :)

I have 2 XP Pro machines and one Running Vista Ultimate.

[wildjim]

I was out of HD space so I had to upgrade. I went from Vista to Windows 7.

Its a lot like Vista no great difference I see just yet.

I am also running another copy of W7 within VMWare to play with (make changes) It installed in a VM with 512k memory and 8 GB of HD space. I plan to re-install next week and increase the HD space. I am running XP, Vista and Windows 7 within VMWare. . .

[culpeper]

What is VMware?

[wildjim]

What is VMware?

VMWare runs within another OS like XP, VISTA, Windows 7 or Linux, then its able to create a Virtual Machine (VM) in which you can install any other OS. That is VMWare shares the resources of the host computer where its installed.

[Noss]

I have a 486 running 3.1 sitting next to the desk. I swear I'll find a use for it someday. :D

Well if you keep it for the next 70 years it may be worth 300 bucks to someone who collects antiques. :D About 5 years ago. I gave away a 8088 IBM. It was the first IBM pc to come out. It didn't even have a hard drive just 2 5.1/4 floppies and runs dos only. It was a computer my parents bought almost 3 decades ago and they gave it to me about 2 decades ago. I gave it to a friend who wanted it. Not sure why ? :confused: Last time I was over at his house it was sitting in the his garage. :D As a matter of fact he has all my old computer crap. He has my VIC 20 also. :eek: I still have the modem to the vic.

[kiah]

Well if you keep it for the next 70 years it may be worth 300 bucks to someone who collects antiques. :D About 5 years ago. I gave away a 8088 IBM. It was the first IBM pc to come out. It didn't even have a hard drive just 2 5.1/4 floppies and runs dos only. It was a computer my parents bought almost 3 decades ago and they gave it to me about 2 decades ago. I gave it to a friend who wanted it. Not sure why ? :confused: Last time I was over at his house it was sitting in the his garage. :D As a matter of fact he has all my old computer crap. He has my VIC 20 also. :eek: I still have the modem to the vic.

Sounds like me. I keep everything and take in other peoples' junk. I'll find a use for it someday. :D

Needed some sheet steel for my kydex oven a bit back. Pulled out an old PC and 2 minutes with an angle grinder, I've got it. Needed an extension to heat a sheath for a Busse AK, pulled the cover off a dead microwave and beat it to shape.

Duct tape and a junk pile will solve most of life's problems. :thumb:

[culpeper]

I recently gave away a Tandy with an 8088. No HD. Just two floppy drives. I used that thing for a long time. It had a huge dot matrix printer to go with it. Way back when, when I went to application training, it was Lotus 123, IBM Display Write, and Dbase III. This was before the mouse and you needed to memorize a ton of alternate keys. Then I moved up to Lotus Symphony, which is still around and part of the OpenOffice project. It had everything and even more keys to memorize. I wish I had a nickle for every hour I have spent in front of a monitor since 1985. I used to to laugh at the geeks in high school during the seventies. They didn't even have a monitor. All their output was via printing. During the sixties my dad's paycheck was a punch card.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/58/FortranCardPROJ039.agr.jpg/800px-FortranCardPROJ039.agr.jpg

[G. Scott H.]

I still have a functioning Atari 1040ST that I used to use for musical applications with my keyboards (ST had built-in MIDI). My programming and sequencing software (on floppies) went bad a year or so ago, but if I can find replacements I'll still use it. The old computers are great for certain tasks. :rockon:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_ST

On the original subject, I'm still using XP Pro. I wanna try 7 out, but I don't know if I'll make the switch or not.

[Noss]

I actually miss the old game systems like Atari and Intelevision. I can still play the old arcade classics for a few hours at a time.

[miro44one]

I don' t know about 7...I' m still using XP and it' s perfectly fine, don' t think there is anything I really need in 7.

[wildjim]

I am usiing several operating systems, Windows 2003 Server, XP, Vista, Windows 7 and Linux.

I have no problems with Vista using it at home; although in the beginning drivers weren't available.

It seems by all reports Windows 7 has much more support and everyone I know isn't having any problems getting or using drivers, myself included.

Its all good so far with Windows 7 ; )

[Noss]

Good to hear. I'll more than likely upgrade in the next month or so.

[G. Scott H.]

I actually miss the old game systems like Atari and Intelevision. I can still play the old arcade classics for a few hours at a time. Hell yeah! FOnd memories for me too. :rockon:

[kiah]

I have an Odyssey II in the shed. I remember playing with it for hours.

TURKEY!!! :D

[Noss]

http://oldcomputers.net/pics.html

[G. Scott H.]

I used to play my game consoles (xbox, N64, etc.) through a Commodore 64 monitor, since it had regular RCA inputs on the back (in addition to other connections). We found it in my dad's storage room, though neither of us owned a C64. :confused::D I loved that thing. :rockon:

[Noss]

How did you wind up with the monitor only ? :D I got my Vic 20 for free from one of those deals where you came out to hear the sales pitch and you got the free gift. They were selling land in a lake community if I remember right. I made my parents go so I could get the computer. :D They always went to that stuff anyways back in the day.

[G. Scott H.]

How did you wind up with the monitor only ? :D

That's what we could never figure out. :D As best we can guess, he must have agreed to store it at some point for a business associate or friend and the guy never came back to get it. I wish I could find another one in good shape. :rockon:

[Noss]

What was so good about it compared to a regular TV ?

[G. Scott H.]

Two things I liked over a regular tv. It was a lot higher resolution (no "lines" just a smooth picture), and it had a lot more adjustments for color, brightness, horizontal/vertical position, etc. Like I said, the other really cool thing is it had the standard rca inputs in the back, so you could plug into it just like a regular tv set without any converter boxes or special cables. :rockon:

[wildjim]

I had a Vic20 and a C64. I began using the IBM PC and XT rather than the C128. I remember the Clone Wars between IBM and Asian PCs now its US verses China knives : (

Anyway I know its still early but Windows 7 seems to be a good OS?

[Noss]

Two things I liked over a regular tv. It was a lot higher resolution (no "lines" just a smooth picture), and it had a lot more adjustments for color, brightness, horizontal/vertical position, etc. Like I said, the other really cool thing is it had the standard rca inputs in the back, so you could plug into it just like a regular tv set without any converter boxes or special cables. :rockon:

I see. :thumb:

[wildjim]

I noticed on three PCs where a driver wasn't available by using Windows 7 from the device manager driver update option to search the internet or its resources it found and installed the driver. This device manager driver update feature never worked for me before in other MS OSs. It seems MS is really trying to provide necessary drivers with Windows 7.

I upgraded my laptop HDD and memory and installed W7 on it, everything went pretty smooth. I should've went with 4gb of memory a long time ago as the performance increase is significant on my desktop and laptop!

I got two service calls at home for driver updates with home users buying and updating Vista both were odd wireless drivers that weren't provided within Windows 7. Anyway I am making money with W7 upgrades! The trick is to download your drivers and copy them to a USB external drive or CD "before" you upgrade! Especially ethernet and wireless drivers which will provide access to the internet ; )

I only had one issue with a PC here at work after an overnight MS update the mouse busy icon was twirling endlessly in the center of a black screen. A re-start took care of the problem and it hasn't happened again, A friend said it happened to him also. My PC and Laptop at home hasn't had any problems.

Anyway I like Windows 7 so far.

[gak]

The wife has been running Windows 7 since it came out. No problems so far, and I didn't have any problems configuring it. The new free microsoft anti-virus runs great too.:thumb:

[Noss]

Cool :cool: Didn't know Microsoft had a free anti virus. I'll check it out.

[wildjim]

Cool :cool: Didn't know Microsoft had a free anti virus. I'll check it out.

I wouldn't put too much faith in MS anti virus (defender)

I use AVIRA and MalWareBytes together which have free versions. Also SpySweeper is pretty good. AVIRA seems to detect more than the others.

[gak]

It actually disabled defender when it installed, and handles spyware, viruses, etc. itself. Works well so far.

http://www.microsoft.com/Security_Essentials/

[itxploded]

fuck windows, linux ftw