I'm using Win XP on my LT's & Home Pc's...I'm used to it and never have any problems how much better is Win 7 or 8? I'm a bit weary that if I up grade to a new Laptop running Win 8 things that I'm used to doing will be radically different & have a difficult learning curve and will some of my programs actually still work on Win 7 or 8 like Vanbasco, EMC styleworks 2000, Mixcraft 5, etc, etc,?

I look after the computers at a few different locations at business premesis as well as personal computers belonging to family and friends so i am careful to install only the best Operating Systems which have been Windows 3.11, last versions of 95 (with USB support), Windows 98SE (not the first version), XP, Windows 7 in that order. Each version of windows takes a little more control away from the user but Microsoft are getting better at taking over those tasks and each OS becomes easier to use as a result.

Windows 7 is my favourite OS so far. its easy to install, boots fast, recovers well from the occasioanal crash (you hardly notice a crash actually), Driver support is not too bad at all and so far have found it to be fairly backward compatible with XP/Vista drivers if it has to be. (MIDI and sound can be a problem with older hardware so check before upgrading the OS - oh any you will need at leas 2gb RAM)

I have had some problems with legacy software, generally limited to SAVE problems. This started with XP sp3 and has continued on, even with some Microsoft programs...you cant use SAVE AS or SAVE a NEW document in many older programs. However there is a work around; just make a copy of a file you are going to 'save as'..and place it in a different location and rename it. Then open the newly copied file, make your changes and then SAVE.

With the exception of that issue I find everything works much better, in fact some older programs are more stable running in Windows 7 using XP compatibility. I would not want to go back to XP which now feels fat and old due to the HUGE ammount of service packs and security updates required to make it useable in a modern envoirenment.

The only thing I don't like is that the Icons are childlike and too large which makes the task bar take up quite a bit of screen space (autohide solvs that). You get used to it though.

I agree with all of that.
I have a main pc - a laptop with W7, which allows me to virtualise a copy of XP which I run on my second PC.
When I want to use an exe not compatible with W7 (very few actually in my case)I go to the vmplayer and call up the wanted
app.Easy and useful.

Hi Tonewheeldude

Windows 7

1. Right click the taskbar and un-tick the Lock the Taskbar setting
2. Right Click the taskbar and chose properties
3, Tick the Box marked Use small icons and then click apply

Personally I prefer the larger icons.

Hi DNJ
Tonewheeldude is pretty much on the mark about the OS mentioned, however if you have the Professional or Ultimate versions of Win 7, you can download virtual XP from Microsoft to give you both at the same time.

Win 8 is still in Beta (Although they now call it Customer Preview) so there are still a few things to sort out, however for those that use a keyboard and mouse it’s not currently worthwhile, if however you have a computer with a touch screen then you can use it like a smart phone, so may be worth getting.

Hope this helps

Bill

Donny

There was no real learning curve with me when I switched to win7 from XP. Vanbasco and EMC are win7 optimized. No problem.

I have win7 on a touch tablet that works fine, but heard that win8 is much better.

Bernie

Thanx Bernie.... That's what I want to hear simple is simple ...appreciate the info & feedback. One of my older Compaq LT's running Xp pro only has 960mb ram runs choppy & stuttered depending on the application...videos etc.....compared to my desktop and stage Lt which have 2G's with Xp pro and I have no problems they are pretty fast. So I guess when I'm ready to upgrade for another laptop for my wife soon I'll be looking for win 7...although many of my friends are pushing me to get a MAC of which I never had..

If you buy a new windows based laptop, you can only get windows 7, and that's not a bad thing. Microsoft will soon stop support and updates for XP, so sooner or later....

BTW, I have installed older XP programs, that were made before 7, and all that is needed is to run those oldies in XP Mode.

There is no downside to movin' on up