Re:"With Windows 7, PC users will at last have a..."
by barrkel on Thursday October 08, 2009 @03:34PM
(#869761)
Windows XP hasn't stayed still for all that time. When XP came out, minimum specs were 64MB and a 233MHz processor, 128MB / 300MHz recommended. Try running an XP SP3 machine on those recommended specs today and you'll quickly see how limited it is, especially with browsing the modern web, or running any "big" productivity app, like a photo or video editor, or an IDE.
The fact is, XP has been quite scalable as hardware has moved on; it hasn't been a significant factor in limiting the amount of hardware juice getting through to applications running on top of it, which is one half of what you want out of an OS; and in terms of virtualization of hardware resources across multiple apps, the other half, for the majority of desktop usage it's been fine.
Windows 7 for me primarily means an improved kernel with more API functionality; a very confusing shuffle of configuration locations; a space-inefficient shell UI; and a start menu / task bar combination that I dislike compared XP's start menu and task bar. Oh, and less menus, for increased user frustration. (I'm not a fan of whizz-bang GUI gloss, it's generally the first thing I disable.) Win7 for me is a very mixed bag, but a necessary "upgrade", simply to track what end users and customers are experiencing.
The fact is, XP has been quite scalable as hardware has moved on; it hasn't been a significant factor in limiting the amount of hardware juice getting through to applications running on top of it, which is one half of what you want out of an OS; and in terms of virtualization of hardware resources across multiple apps, the other half, for the majority of desktop usage it's been fine.
Windows 7 for me primarily means an improved kernel with more API functionality; a very confusing shuffle of configuration locations; a space-inefficient shell UI; and a start menu / task bar combination that I dislike compared XP's start menu and task bar. Oh, and less menus, for increased user frustration. (I'm not a fan of whizz-bang GUI gloss, it's generally the first thing I disable.) Win7 for me is a very mixed bag, but a necessary "upgrade", simply to track what end users and customers are experiencing.