Microsoft’s new OS is the best Windows yet. Is that enough?
By Michael DeAgonia
October 28, 2009 (Computerworld) Last week’s release of Windows 7 had Microsoft Corp. executives from CEO Steve Ballmer on down confident that this version of Windows is everything Vista wasn’t.
The launch of Windows 7 followed by two months the release of Apple’s latest operating system, Mac OS X 10.6 “Snow Leopard.” The latter mainly focused on under-the-hood technologies, and Apple went out of its way to promise no major obvious changes. Snow Leopard, which looks just like its predecessor except for a few UI tweaks, is supposed to provide a solid foundation for future technologies and hardware.
Microsoft, in many ways, took a similar tack with Windows 7. Following on the heels of the much-unloved Vista, focusing on the basics made sense. Windows users, like Mac users, want an operating system that works.
Fair warning: I come to Windows as a Mac user by nature and background — I’ve worked with Macs for 17 years, although as an IT professional, I’ve had more than my fair share of time with Windows machines. Put simply: As an IT professional, I work on whatever hardware is in front of me.
In recent months, Windows 7 has been praised for righting many of Vista’s wrongs. Back in August, Computerworld’s Preston Gralla offered his own take on the two operating systems. Preston, who leans toward the Windows side of things, evaluated them both and declared a tie.
With that in mind, I took Windows 7 out for a spin recently, focusing on its updated user interface, general usability, stability and performance over several weeks.
To evaluate both operating systems side by side, I installed them on the same hardware: a MacBook Pro with a 2.53-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 4GB of RAM, a GeForce 9600M GT graphics card with 512MB of video RAM, and a 500GB, 7,200-rpm hard drive. Snow Leopard, of course, runs natively on Apple hardware; I used Apple’s Boot Camp software to run Windows 7 without virtualization but had to improvise when Boot Camp couldn’t format the target drive to NTFS. I was able to circumvent the issue by simply installing Windows 7 from the CD it shipped on. (Apple plans to update Boot Camp by the end of the year to address this issue.)
OS pricing
Microsoft offers several versions of Windows 7; I tested the Ultimate edition. Since Apple ships just one version of its operating system, the only version of Windows that matches it for full functionality is Ultimate. If you’re buying a new computer, upgrade pricing won’t be an issue; Windows 7 will come preinstalled (now with less craplets!) But if you’re moving from Vista or XP, Windows 7 Ultimate will set you back $219.99 for the upgrade or $319.99 if you buy the full version. Windows 7 comes in both 32- and 64-bit versions.
As it has in the past, Microsoft also offers less-expensive versions — Home Premium and Professional — with fewer features.
Not sure which version of Windows you should get? Microsoft released a convoluted upgrade chart to help you decide. Good luck; it’s not very helpful, given the various combinations of upgrade options.
In contrast, Mac users got a reprieve on Snow Leopard pricing this year: It costs just $29 if you’re upgrading from Mac OS X 10.5 (a.k.a. Leopard). (In the past, Apple charged $129 for its OS.) Apple also sells a $49 Family Pack that allows for five installations. Snow Leopard, which requires an Intel-based Mac, comes preinstalled on all new Macs, and it will run applications in 32- or 64-bit mode automatically, depending on your hardware. (If you’re upgrading from Tiger, you’re supposed to buy the Mac Box Set, which includes Snow Leopard, iWork 09 and iLife 09.)
Conclusion
In terms of pure interface, Microsoft has raised the bar for Windows users. Windows 7 is the best-looking OS out of Redmond, Wash., yet. But let’s not confuse that with “innovation.”
Many of these features aren’t new at all, and many have been available on Mac OS X for years. While Windows 7 closes the gap with Snow Leopard, it does so only at a superficial level. At first, I was impressed with the interface changes and got caught up in the beauty of the Aero themes and sleek look. But after a few weeks of use, reality began to set in. After a Registry issue prevented me from installing an app, I realized Windows 7 is still Windows. Prettier, a little snappier than Vista, perhaps more stable. But at some point, you still face many of the underlying issues that have made Windows a pain to use in the past.
Microsoft’s main enemies here aren’t really Mac OS X or Linux. What Microsoft needs to worry about are the users and sysadmins who think the hardware and OS already on their desks works just fine. If you’re still using XP after all these years, the slick interface and modest under-the-hood changes may not tempt you to spend money on Windows 7.
A friend of mine who works in IT for a major corporation explained it this way: The biggest problem Microsoft has is that after all these years, XP still works for many businesses. “What will force us to move [to Windows 7] is when Microsoft stops releasing security updates [for XP],” he told me. I believe that if Windows 7 appears to be solid right out of the gate, companies may move toward adoption quickly. XP is, after all, nearly a decade old.
If you’re still using XP or are finally fed up with Vista, by all means check out Windows 7. It’s certainly the best version of Windows yet — just as it’s equally true that Snow Leopard is the best version of Mac OS X. That’s why you’d be well advised to check out Snow Leopard before shelling out money for Microsoft’s latest.
As an IT professional, I support both operating systems at work. But I have Macs at home; after all, who wants to troubleshoot computer problems on their own time?
My final verdict in this smackdown? It’s not even close: Snow Leopard is the better OS.
