The price is wrong for Windows 7

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Ubuntu is still $0! Anonymous -- 30/06/09

I was surprised recently because having been an Ubuntu user at home - my PC hasn't been replaced in the last 7 years. And it STILL out performed my brand new Dell+WinXP office PC. (Mostly due to the bloated Common Desktop we have inflicted upon us.)
I'm finding it easier and easier to convert friends to Ubuntu. Vista was a big help and I hope the pricing of Windows 7 will continue to encourage people to give Linux a go.

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Vista users shafted Anonymous -- 30/06/09

As a full paying Vista user, the service pack fix that is W7 should be free! I would even consider $20 - $50 fair for the upgrade.

But to slug Vista users again (who have persisted with pre-release software) - this is beyond the joke!

Vista users having to pay again for a fix. You just lost a customer MS.

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Windows 7 is overrated bloatware Anonymous -- 30/06/09

After conducting extensive beta testing on Windows 7 is very much like Vista. Those on xp should stick to XP otherwise look at a linux distribution. It is slow, the file system is over ten years old, the interface is tired lacking the liquidity. Compatibility requires a virtual machine which doesn't even run on all the current CPU's and you have to pay extra for it. The OS still requires a virus scanner. It can't run as a server out of the box. There is no live version ie boots in 3minutes from CD. An installed version of W7 can't be moved to another machine easily. ie unplug and put in another machine. It takes at least 45 minutes to install which ages considering a typical linux distro now takes 16 minutes on my equipment. You can only read ntfs, and fat partitions. Its always asking for verification. The licence is restrictive. You don't get a disk when you buy your computer or laptop. Upgrades cost as much as full retail versions. Malware is still a major problem. Once a machine is fully loaded with application, startups become slow if not to a crawl because of apps trying to do update checks on the net. If the W7 isn't run for a while, it runs slower, because of programs like defender doing system wide background checks. There are still bugs opening files on a windows network. The language support is limited, with little or no support for more obscure languages. Many developers use out of date tools that are not patched creating security vulnerabilities. Nearly every update still requires a reboot. Many types of DVD/CD accesses hang the system momentarily. W7 run poorly on lower end netbooks, and is dead on older hardware of P3 and P4 classes. It major update cycle of 6 years looks plainly slow and sluggish compared to Ubuntu's 6 month cycle.

Given Microsoft is one of the richest companies in the world, it latest OS really lacks when compared to free open source alternative such as linux. With its price increase and increased requirements for hardware upgrades, there is little point in spending money to play games on a slow system than XP.

It is unfortunate that Microsoft has significantly stopped publishing games on the PC platform causing the PC gaming industry to come to a grinding halt. This is a deliberate ploy to get gamers to buy consoles.

What Microsoft doesn't want you to know is that games compiled on linux using the ICC compiler run significantly faster than they do on windows on the same hardware.

In conclusion, W7 is an overpriced Operating system that fails to deliver on price and performance.

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It might be bloatware but... Anonymous -- 01/07/09 (in reply to #320146661)

It doesn't change the fact that the vast majority of games, commonly used applications and just software in general is created for Windows users. Having given Ubuntu a try, I found that it took significantly more research, manual work and effect to get the programs that I want installed than it did in Windows.

Don't get me wrong, Ubuntu has made great strides in making installation of packages a lot easier than past Linux distros, but as a gamer every time I wanted to install a new game I would be forced to trawl through pages and pages of howtos and wiki entries and endless hours of command line, compiling, trial and error just to get games that in Windows would merely require opening an installation file and clicking 'Next'. Have you tried getting Steam to run on Linux?

Maybe if I was a better Linux user it would not take so much effort on my behalf to get things running. However, until you can get games and programs that the general public are familiar with in Windows to install and run smoothly and simply, Linux will always remain the realm of niche power users.

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It's still bloatware... Big Al -- 01/07/09 (in reply to #320146789)

which is why I'll be using it in the office (because the government gets such a good pricing deal) but I'll still be using a Linux distro at home because it does everything that i need out of the box - including software development. But then, I'm not a gamer...

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Games or office / computing? Anonymous -- 02/07/09 (in reply to #320146789)

Surely games consoles are the most appropriate gaming environment?

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You can not be serious. Anonymous -- 02/07/09 (in reply to #320147159)

That is like saying a boat is the best way to travel overseas.

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Games / consoles Anonymous -- 17/07/09 (in reply to #320147159)

Consoles cant compete with gaming PCs. Not by a very long shot.

A system running Dual SLi or Tripple SLi or Crossfire (2 or 3 graphics cards in parallel) provid a far more intense gaming experience.

Game performance soars on mutli-gpu systems and being able to add 8 / 12/ 16 up to 64gb of Ram means they run faster and smoother on a purpiose built gaming PC.

Consoles are good for causal gamers and those who dont demand the full immersive games experience.

Just dont try and compare them as they are different beasts with different users.

Think of Consoles being south park kor simpons versus Gaming rigs being pixar movies. Thats essentially the difference.

And games run at faster FPS on Windows 7 Ultimate than they do on XP or Vista Ultimate.

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have you tried wine? 5349u11 -- 06/09/09 (in reply to #320146789)

wine (as far as i have seen), runs all my windows programs in Ubuntu woth no difficulties. my understanding is it's not even a virual machine so give it a try.

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Win7 Overrated Bloatware Miles Bradford -- 24/07/09 (in reply to #320146661)

But, unlike Compiz and the Linux kernel having the same mouse and video problems that Microsoft had with Windows back in early 1990's - hit the keyboard keys while moving the mouse and moving files -- you either loose the mouse for good and have to reload the entire OS, or you lose your files and mouse -- and still have to reload the entire OS...and Windows 7 doesn't do that so I'd say Ubuntu, openSUSE and Mandriva -- for all they are worthwhile in having to constantly reboot or reload because of the NON-integrated mouse drivers -- I think I'll just pay the $400 or $500 and be done with it. I'm sick and tired of reloading Ubuntu, Mandriva and openSUSE with their completely flawed technological advances in 3D...nope -- Linus is going to have to move the mouse into the kernel to escape these major flaws -- just like Billy Gates had to with Windows, Steve Jobs did with BSD in his MacIntosh OS's. Duh - is it going to take another 10 years to get Linux to the stage where Windows 7 is right now...???

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Check out all the Linux kiddie trolls Mel Sommersberg -- 29/07/09

/me notes the subject heading and nods...

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be honest Bob -- 22/09/09

many people have negative comments on W7 but truth be told it is a far superior OS than anything currently on the market!

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i am not sure about that, bob Anonymous -- 18/10/09 (in reply to #320324393)

i am running xp, and have no problem with it at all, last time i had major problem was when my system was attacked by virus when browsing some bizzare sites, and this was back in 2006.
xp runs smoothly, and safer than 7, which will soon be the target of all hackers
was thinking to upgrade to 7 if price is right, which i thought it will be in mid 300 for ultimate

$470? i stick to my xp, or maybe give it a go with linux, money isn't so much a problem, but why do i want to donate my hard learned cash, just to feed the greed of microsoft australia?

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