Windows 7 mini-review

[Tokyo Slim]

So I might be getting a cheap laptop with no OS. I'm thinking of running Win7 RC on it as the primary OS until something else comes along. Any warnings or anything? I'm mostly going to be using it for mobile writing (already have Windows writing software) But occasional web surfing/media playing and etc...

 

[GQgeek]

Originally Posted by Tokyo Slim

So I might be getting a cheap laptop with no OS. I'm thinking of running Win7 RC on it as the primary OS until something else comes along. Any warnings or anything? I'm mostly going to be using it for mobile writing (already have Windows writing software) But occasional web surfing/media playing and etc...

Media player works fine (and actually comes with most codecs you will need). Media Center is buggy. There's something wrong with the MC playlists in RC1 (they're tied to the new library functionality). I've been running it as my primary OS since my first post in this thread. My only complaint is the MC issue just mentionned. Haven't had any other problems. You can get a trial version of kaspersky for windows 7 that will last you until release in october. You'll need to get that too because your old AV won't work.

 

[Rambo]

Originally Posted by Tokyo Slim

So I might be getting a cheap laptop with no OS. I'm thinking of running Win7 RC on it as the primary OS until something else comes along. Any warnings or anything? I'm mostly going to be using it for mobile writing (already have Windows writing software) But occasional web surfing/media playing and etc...
I know you're anti-Mac but you could make a nice Hackintosh out of that.

 

[Tokyo Slim]

Originally Posted by Rambo

I know you're anti-Mac but you could make a nice Hackintosh out of that.
My software wouldn't work. The laptop I'm looking at looks WAY too much like a MBP already anyways. Damn Sony.

 

[javyn]

Tokyo:

Try Ubuntu. It will not only run faster but you'll get far more battery life.

 

[Tokyo Slim]

Originally Posted by javyn

Tokyo:

Try Ubuntu. It will not only run faster but you'll get far more battery life.

Does it run Windows software?

 

[javyn]

Originally Posted by Tokyo Slim

Does it run Windows software?

Some apps and many games run via Wine, or if you have enough ram, you can virtualize a Windows partition.

Or best option I've found is to dual boot. I have small 10-15 gig partitions dedicated to XP on each of my boxes to run the few Windows apps that I can't live without like AnyDVD, Access, Outlook, and NitroPDF.

Anyway, you should at least download the latest version of Ubuntu and run it off the CD, to see if you like it or not without destroying your existing partitions.

 

[Tokyo Slim]

Originally Posted by javyn

Some apps and many games run via Wine, or if you have enough ram, you can virtualize a Windows partition.

Or best option I've found is to dual boot. I have small 10-15 gig partitions dedicated to XP on each of my boxes to run the few Windows apps that I can't live without like AnyDVD, Access, Outlook, and NitroPDF.

Anyway, you should at least download the latest version of Ubuntu and run it off the CD, to see if you like it or not without destroying your existing partitions.

Probably just going to stick with either XP SP2 or Win7. Anything else seems like asking for problems. Probably not going to be getting that laptop now anyways, People are really close to bidding it out of my $200 price range and it has 21 hours left. Maybe wishful thinking on my part.

Either way, with a C2D and 3GB of RAM and three and a half hour battery life running video (five or six with what I'd be using it for) the only real drawbacks are the crap Mac keyboard and where the price looks like its headed.

The keyboard I could probably live with. The price is the kicker though.

 

[otc]

Go with 7...it is pretty nifty.

You could leave XP on another partition just in case 7 dies

 

[javyn]

Nah. Shouldn't have many problems other than the usual Windows to Linux growing pains. I initially installed Ubuntu for the sole purpose of using it to browse the web and check email w/o having to worry about catching a virus. Turns out I liked it so much I use it for everything I can now.

Again, just run Linux as a live disk, you can check it out without having to install anything at all.

My Ubuntu install took about 20 minutes, and automatically detected all drivers. Takes about 30 seconds to boot up. Good stuff man.

 

[milosh]

Unfortunately linux distributions still need to catch up to windows in terms of battery life on laptops.

 

[Tokyo Slim]

Originally Posted by javyn

Nah. Shouldn't have many problems other than the usual Windows to Linux growing pains. I initially installed Ubuntu for the sole purpose of using it to browse the web and check email w/o having to worry about catching a virus. Turns out I liked it so much I use it for everything I can now.

Again, just run Linux as a live disk, you can check it out without having to install anything at all.

My Ubuntu install took about 20 minutes, and automatically detected all drivers. Takes about 30 seconds to boot up. Good stuff man.

Yeah, but again, this laptop's main purpose is going to be running Windows script writing software I currently already own, and to sync and compile my drafts between the laptop and two other windows computers. I think having an Ubuntu link in that chain, regardless of how cool the OS might be, is overcomplicating things. Especially if Win7 will play friendly with Vista. Running another OS and emulating a Windows environment so that my software will run doesn't seem like it will give me any added benefit. Maybe I'll look into it if I decide to get a netbook or something...

 

[javyn]

Originally Posted by milosh

Unfortunately linux distributions still need to catch up to windows in terms of battery life on laptops.

That's so far from the truth. My laptop gets about an hour of battery life with XP and 3 hours with Ubuntu 9.04

 

[Tokyo Slim]

Originally Posted by javyn

That's so far from the truth. My laptop gets about an hour of battery life with XP and 3 hours with Ubuntu 9.04

I'd be really curious how that stacks up to Win7 though. From what I hear, it will be much less power intensive, especially with the newer C2D and Atom processors.

 

[javyn]

Couldn't tell ya. None of my computers have the system requirements to run 7.