Windows 7 is an improvement and replacement version of Windows Vista. Since 2 year ago, Windows Vista was just released. However, the customers were mad and upset because the Windows Vista was difficult to be used for them. Now they are still operating Windows XP, not Windows Vista.
Microsoft has released Windows 7 to manufacturing (RTM) in the end of July 2009 and to be on sale in the end of October 2009. Windows 7 is integrated with performance of Windows XP and handsome of Windows Vista. After the failure of funding Windows Vista, Microsoft has learned the lesson in Windows 7.
The features of Windows 7
The new and improved features of Windows 7[1] are:
| Windows 7 Features | New or Improvement of Windows Vista or XP |
| Internet Explorer 8 | Improvement |
| Pin and Jump List | New |
| Aero Peek, Aero Shake, Aero Snap | New |
| Home Group | New |
| Device Management[2] | Improvement |
| Taskbar | Improvement |
| Libraries | New |
| Windows Live Essentials | Free for Windows XP, Vista or 7 users |
| View Available Networks | New |
| Desktop | Improvement |
| Domain Join | Improvement |
| Windows Defender[3] | Improvement |
| BitLocker | Improvement |
| Performance Improvement | Improvement |
| Power Management[4] | New |
| Play To | New |
| Remote Media Streaming | New |
| Windows Touch | New |
6 Editions
Microsoft has released six editions of Windows 7, which are called “Starter”, “Home Basic”, “Home Premium”, “Professional”, “Enterprise”, and “Ultimate”.
|
| Starter | Home Basic | Home Premium | Professional | Enterprise | Ultimate |
| Licensing | OEM | Emerging Market | OEM or Retail | OEM or Retail | Volume Licensing | OEM or Retail |
| 64bit? | 32bit only | Both | Both | Both | Both | Both |
| RAM in 64bit | N/A | 8GB | 16GB | 192GB | 192GB | 192GB |
| CPU Supported | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Other features of Windows 7 Ultimate, Enterprise, Professional, Home Premium, Home Basic and Starter are in the Wikipedia[5].
The features of Windows 7 Ultimate and Enterprise are the same, but the Enterprise Edition is for volume licensing and Ultimate Edition is for OEM or Retail. Home Basic Edition is for emerging market only, such as China, India, Mexico, and Thailand.
The cons of Windows 7[6]:
Although there are many pro and new features in Windows 7, it is still not a perfect operation system.
If you are using Windows XP, it is not an easy way because you must upgrade the Windows 7 with clean install. However, you can reinstall the software manually or transfer your data to Windows 7 by using Windows Easy Transfer[7].
Upgrading to Windows 7 is expensive and cost your time, because upgrading the Windows 7 needs to cost $120 in one machine and is not a good way for Business or IT manager, because all Computers needs to upgrade.
The security of Windows 7 is not automatically better, because Windows 7 won’t change anything from a security perspective. Because Windows 7 is still Windows, you are at risk of attacking from hackers or viruses. However, you can install the patch and antivirus software to keep the OS as secure as possible.
Mac Snow Leopard arrived this September and you can buy it if you have Apple PC or if you want to use different OS from Windows. Snow Leopard has the same feature as Windows 7, like the 64-bit support, improved efficiency with task management on multiple processors.
The Hardware requirements and estimate price with Windows XP, Vista, 7
|
| Windows XP Professional | Windows Vista Business | Windows 7 Professional |
| Estimate Price | USD 259.99 | USD 199.99 | USD 299.99 |
| Hardware requirements | Processor: 300MHz or better Memory: 128MB or higher Video adapter and monitor: Super VGA (800 x 600) or higher resolution Hard drive: 1.5 GB or higher Drives: CDROM or DVDROM Input device: Keyboard and Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing device Sound: Sound card. Speakers or headphones | Vista Capable: Processor: 800 MHz Memory: 512 MB Graphics card: DirectX 9.0 capable Graphics memory: 32 MB HDD capacity: 20GB Vista Premium Ready: Processor: 1 GHz Memory: 1 GB Graphics card: DirectX 9.0 capable and WDDM 1.0 driver support Graphics memory: 128 MB HDD capacity: 40 GB Vista Capable and Premium Ready: HDD free space: 15GB Other drives: DVD-ROM | Architecture 32-bit: Processor : 1 GHz 32-bit processor Memory : 1 GB Hard Drive: 16 GB Architecture 64-bit: Processor : 1 GHz 64-bit processor Memory: 2 GB Hard Drive: 20 GB 32-bit and 64-bit: Graphics Card: DirectX 9 graphics processor with WDDM driver model 1.0 (For Aero) Optical drive: DVDROM |
Argon’s thought if we should upgrade all RCD computer to Windows 7
Windows XP users must install Windows 7 with clean install, but it is still worth to upgrade because Windows 7 is integrated with performance of XP and handsome of Windows Vista.
RCD can use the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor[8] to determine if they can upgrade Windows 7. If the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor finds the computer has compability problem with Windows 7, it will tell you the solution or something.
In conclusion:
Microsoft hopes Windows 7 can make the people to change their computer life, such as accessibility, performance, and stability. Also, Windows 7 can wipe off the shame for failure of Windows Vista.
The screenshots of Windows 7[9]:
SWOT analysis of Windows 7
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
| Add new features Better performance | Windows 7 is still windows $ for upgrading is expensive |
| Opportunity | Threats |
| change their computer life swipe the shame of windows vista off | Other OS compete with windows 7
|
[2] in Windows XP and Vista, there is called Device Manager, but too difficult for the user who are not good at computer
[3] Microsoft has released the antivirus software which called “Microsoft Security Essentials” for free downloading, and it is an improvement version of Windows Defender.
[4] Power Management of Windows 7 is better than Windows XP and Windows Vista.
[7] http://windowsteamblog.com/blogs/windowsexperience/archive/2009/05/05/a-look-at-improvements-to-windows-easy-transfer-for-windows-7.aspx
[8] http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=1B544E90-7659-4BD9-9E51-2497C146AF15&displaylang=en
[9] This website has more screenshots of windows 7: http://windows7news.com/windows-7-screenshots/?album=1&gallery=45
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