Our advice to most of our business clients regarding Vista upgrades was to sit tight. XP was a mature and stable product. Vista, in most cases, required hardware upgrades, had compatibility issues and took longer to deploy mutliple units in a network environment.  The last is no small matter when businesses are looking to cut technology costs in a tight economy.  Our take on Windows 7 is different. We’ve had opportunity to review the operating system in both lab and real-world scenarios.  Our advice now?  Upgrade.  Here is why:

1. Windows XP – End of Life & Vista is too resource hungry

Windows XP is 10 years old and has reached its end of life. Microsoft will no longer offer support unless you pony up some $$$$ for the paid support and there will be only security fixes released. Vista is way too resource  intensive and sluggish.  The beauty and one of the most compelling reasons to upgrade to Windows 7;  it can run on just about any system newer than 3 years.  It is NOT a resource hog.  In fact, you can even run XP in a “window” in Windows 7.  The best of all worlds!

2. Problem Step Recorder – The next best thing to sliced bread

Ok. So this is where the IT guy’s prejudice comes in to play. Why? Well when you handle support calls and tickets on an hourly, daily, yearly basis the best tool we have is watching/repeating what was done in order to determine the root cause of the problem. With this, the user can repeat their steps, Windows 7 will record the screen shots automatically and then when done, zip them up for email for the user. No longer will the user get the typical repsonse from the IT guy, What did you do EXACTLY? and no longer will the IT guy get the response ” I don’t remember, I did this, I think.” In the end both the user and IT guy avoid confusion, frustration and most importantly, wasting time chasing that pesky problem rabit down the wrong hole.

3. Libraries – Yup just when you though you were done with the Dewey Decimal System

Ok, so it’s not that bad or complicated (How many of you actually have been back inside a library and looked something up – without GOOGLE? huh?) Libraries takes files of similar type and organizes by that type. Now you no longer have to remember where you stored that quick business note taken during a conference call or that photo of your kid doing something you really wanted to share with your co-workers (ok not the best use of company resources, but morale is important in the workplace). Gone our those days and it makes sense to organize information by like type. Of course you can still organize data with folders (old habits are hard to die, especially for us IT guys.)

4) Search – Windows 7 finds Waldo before he’s done hiding

Yup, Windows 7 Search is that fast. Results start appearing as soon as you start typing your search parameters. Of course the results will vary on what your parameters are, so the old addage, GIGO still plays.

5) Gadgets – Wait didn’t Vista have gadgets

Yes and No. Gadgets are in Vista, although most people I know would call them annoyances or @&^%#@. With Windows 7 Gadgets are freed, no longer shackled to the Gadget bar. If you want a clock in the dead center of your desktop, do it. If you want XX gadget in XX location, do it. Now maybe some people will take the time to create some useful gadgets beside the typical countdown clocks, stock tickets, etc.

6) Faster boot, better battery life, greener – We have the capability to build the world’s first bionic Operating System. Windows 7 will be that OS. We can make it better than it was before. Better, stronger, faster.”

Ok so Windows 7 isn’t the equivellent of the Bionic Man, but who can argue with faster boot times and better battery life; especially as the Green IT initive is taking off faster than a scramjet. With mobile pc’s (laptops, netbooks, etc) offering better power/performance ratios for most of all everyday office tasks performmed on a desktop, plus the ability to become a mobile workplace, wouldn’t you want faster boot times (let me send that email real quick before I board my plane) or better battery life (come on the movie is almost over; again morale is key to a happy worker, especially a mobile worker)?

7) Aero – No longer a silver saddle on a mule

The new Aero interface introduced with Vista added a great visualizations. The interface was clean and that old XP interface needed an upgrade (just think 70’s Pea Green Appliances with new cherry cabinets). Unfortunately, they put the interface on a mule. Vista was too resource intense. Well, no we have our stainless steal appliances with our newly remodeled kitcken; Windows 7 not only looks good, but runs good too. We have new themes, wallpapers as well as the new Aero line – Areo Peek, Glass & Shake to help us feel better about our choice to upgrade to Windows 7

Stay tuned for more of our Windows 7 series.  We will have pre-release systems available in the next two weeks.  If you would like a proposal for upgrading existing systems, contact our sales team X202 or your Client Solutions Manager.

Kevin Davis
Client Solutions Manager