Wesley Posted July 28, 2009 Posted July 28, 2009 Well... kind of, because usually Microsoft's OS has a few months of teething problems. A lot of people really depend on their system being up and running without any problems. A certain program, for instance, not working with the OS straight away is a huge hassel.
fex Posted July 28, 2009 Author Posted July 28, 2009 Well... kind of, because usually Microsoft's OS has a few months of teething problems. A lot of people really depend on their system being up and running without any problems. A certain program, for instance, not working with the OS straight away is a huge hassel. Well in that case pre-order for £45. Wait for a few months for everything to be ironed out then install the OS. And you've still saved £45.... still a no brainer unless ppl have money to throw away
Wesley Posted July 28, 2009 Posted July 28, 2009 So is there any better support for multiple monitors? I can't extend my task bar across more than one, or assign different wallpapers or more than one, without installing 3rd party utilities.
Shorty Posted July 28, 2009 Posted July 28, 2009 Ultramon does that job really well, but like you said thats a third party solution. Currently Windows 7 doesn't give you the option to extend your taskbar across both screens.
Jimbob Posted July 28, 2009 Posted July 28, 2009 So is the cheap offer over then? I think it may be, i'm not 100% sure though.
fex Posted July 29, 2009 Author Posted July 29, 2009 I'm sure its still running until early August.... if you can find a copy
Mr_Odwin Posted July 29, 2009 Posted July 29, 2009 If your going to buy Windows 7 anyway why not pre-order it and save £45? Surely it's not that mental? I've never bought Windows, just had it come free with hardware, and that'll happen again. In a year or so I'll need a new laptop, and that'll have it, no doubt, no diggity.
Ten10 Posted July 29, 2009 Posted July 29, 2009 (edited) It seems MS has finally sorted out the ballot system. Although it follows current market share principles so Opera will still be dead last regardless. But hopefully this will shut them up and stop them crying. Was at work so couldn't spend too long goofing off but here is the scope of the story Upon closer inspection, Microsoft's browser ballot proposal for the EU is much more drastic than one would expect. Users will choose from up to 10 different browsers. And it won't be limited to Windows 7 users; the ballot screen will be pushed as an update to current Windows XP and Windows Vista users. PC manufacturers will also have the option of shipping one or more third-party browsers in place of IE8 without fear of retaliation from Microsoft. It's a big change for a company that just last month wanted Windows 7 to be shipped in Europe without Internet Explorer 8 so as to avoid a ballot screen in the first place. The balloting process will last for five years from the date the European Commission agrees to it, which pushes it into Windows 8 territory. So let's look at the nitty gritty of the browser ballot announced late last week. As you can see above (the final design may change), the ballot screen will give users who have IE set as the default the opportunity to choose an additional browser to install. Windows users will also be informed that they can turn IE off altogether. The ballot screen will reside on a Microsoft-maintained website which will be updated monthly. Each column will show the browser's icon, description, and a URL. For each browser, there will be an "Install" link that will download it from the vendor's server. A "Tell me more" link will also send the user offsite to a product page. Downloading and installing a browser from the ballot screen will work the same as any other manual download. Microsoft says it will distribute the ballot screen software via Windows Update to XP and Vista users within the EU. Those with Windows Update switched off won't encounter the ballot screen. Conversely, the update will be installed automatically for users who have opted into Automatic Updates. It will be rated as "High Priority" for Windows XP users and as "Important" for Windows Vista and Windows 7 users. After the update is downloaded, users who have IE set as the default browser will see the ballot screen the next time they log in. They'll have the option of downloading and switching immediately, sticking with IE, or postponing the decision indefinitely. According to Microsoft, the update will be sent out three to six months after the adoption of the European Commission's decision. Windows 7 users will get the ballot screen update by October 22, the day of Windows 7's General Availability, or within two weeks of the EC's decision, whichever comes later. In the proposal, Microsoft said it may offer tools to volume license users that prevent the ballot screen update from being installed on all computers covered by the license. Users will still be able to manually install browsers in the same way that other software is installed on Windows. What browsers will be included? The ballot screen will include the most widely used Windows browsers with a usage share of at least 0.5 percent in the European Economic Area (EEA), based on average monthly browser usage share data updated. In order to appear on the ballot screen, Microsoft will require that vendors not install any additional software with the browsers. Software that keeps the browser up-to-date is the only exception. No more than one browser can be listed per vendor, no more than 10 individual browsers will be included, and only browsers actively offered by their vendor will be included. The ballot screen won't contain any third-party browser using Internet Explorer's rendering engine (sorry Maxthon users) or that is funded at least in some form by Microsoft. Beyond the ballot screen Users will also be able to remove IE8 in the final version of Windows 7 (the beta did not allow this but the RC did), along with many other Windows components. In its proposal, Microsoft points out that this feature is available within the EEA for OEMs to use. Microsoft also promises that if Internet Explorer is turned off, then its user interface cannot be called upon by applications. There will be no icons, links, or shortcuts left, nor will there be any other way to start an installation of Internet Explorer aside from downloading it. For Windows Vista and successors, Microsoft says it will ensure that the Windows Update online service is not dependent on the Internet Explorer user interface. Furthermore, the company notes it will not use Windows Update to offer any new version of a Microsoft browser to users within the EEA unless Internet Explorer is turned on. The exception to this rule, Microsoft outlined, was that it can use Windows Update to update those portions of Internet Explorer "other than the browser frame window and menus." This appears to apply primarily to security updates, but also allows for updates to the rendering engine. The software giant is quite clearly bending over backwards to please European regulators and avoid further billion-dollar antitrust fines. Windows 7 E, which is still on the table if the proposal doesn't go through, is likely to be a much more expensive endeavor than the ballot screen. Microsoft's browser-ballot proposal appears reasonable and thorough, so it's no wonder that the EU seems to be at least initially satisfied with it. Via: Ars Technica Edited July 29, 2009 by Ten10
Cube Posted July 29, 2009 Posted July 29, 2009 I'm slightly confused...does this mean that Internet Explorer is installed, and it just has that as the "first time" homepage?
Mr_Odwin Posted July 29, 2009 Posted July 29, 2009 As well as Windows 7, other Windows OSs (XP,etc) will be updated in the near future via Windows Update. The screenshot above is taken from the first time IE is opened just after the update on a non-7 OS.
blender Posted July 29, 2009 Posted July 29, 2009 (edited) also the ballot is horozontally scrolling. (like bansy's website but like no other) Hence, those at the end of the list will DIE DIE DIE. i did not know safari was available for the pc. if they rebrand it to apple or itune ish they could do very well from the random picker (also i assume firefox is 2nd on PC so this is done by all platform market share??? so if operah is on all wiis, they get a bigger market share than their pc only tool might have) - maybe incentive to give operah away Edited July 29, 2009 by blender Automerged Doublepost
Cube Posted August 5, 2009 Posted August 5, 2009 The past few days I've had to use Vista at work (before than, I've just used Windows 7 for a week)...it feels so clunky and old now (it's running on a very good laptop so it's not the computer).
Jimbob Posted August 5, 2009 Posted August 5, 2009 I've got myself the list of components needed to update my PC ready for 7. 1 gb DDR2 RAM 250gb SATA HDD 160gb External HDD (for back-ups). May as well get them in now whilst i still got some fundage to do so.
Noodleman Posted August 5, 2009 Posted August 5, 2009 I'm running Windows 7 on my new PC, and its fantastic such an improvement on XP. I can't comment about Vista as i've never really used it. Shame I missed out on the £50 pre order offer really.
Ten10 Posted August 5, 2009 Posted August 5, 2009 You can still get a relatively cheap pre order for about £69
Shino Posted August 6, 2009 Posted August 6, 2009 I've installed it last night. I'm quite enjoying the new taskbar, everything just seems more streamlined and optimized. Though it doesn't completely feels like a new OS, they don't even have a new logo for it.
Jimbob Posted August 6, 2009 Posted August 6, 2009 I've installed it last night. I'm quite enjoying the new taskbar, everything just seems more streamlined and optimized. Though it doesn't completely feels like a new OS, they don't even have a new logo for it. It is supposed to be what Vista should have been. Like what Windows ME was supposed to be like when Windows 2000 was bought out.
Blue_Ninja0 Posted August 8, 2009 Posted August 8, 2009 Even if you don't install IE8, it's rendering engine will be included in every OS. It's integral to Windows and required for many programs to run, like the Widgets bar, Windows Media Player, Steam, and a lot more. It's just that the IE8 executable won't be included.
Wesley Posted August 8, 2009 Posted August 8, 2009 Why couldn't they be arsed to think of a name? For ages I thought Windows 7 was just another codename that they'd been using. Or maybe just for marketing stages. But it's... actually the name.
Charlie Posted August 8, 2009 Posted August 8, 2009 '7' makes it sound much more solid and more of a final product than a name does. Vista was a flop so they're wanting to take it away from that to something more firm. Possibly not the best explanation in the world.....
RoadKill Posted August 9, 2009 Posted August 9, 2009 (edited) Why couldn't they be arsed to think of a name? For ages I thought Windows 7 was just another codename that they'd been using. Or maybe just for marketing stages. But it's... actually the name. The codename was Blackcomb before Vista (Longhorn) was released, and then Vienna around the time Vista was launched. I don't really have a problem with Windows 7, except for the fact it is infact Windows NT 6.1, so if they call NT7 Windows 8, it's going to get needlessly confusing Edited August 9, 2009 by RoadKill
Blue_Ninja0 Posted August 9, 2009 Posted August 9, 2009 (edited) The Windows 7 name is perfect. It goes back to the original naming of Windows 1, 2 and 3. And now I can go back to call it WinX as I used to do with Win98. Good times. And Vista's "flop" was in my point of view, almost on purpose to prepare driver and program compatibility makers for the NT6.X kernel. Now in Windows 7 no one will have drivers problems because 90% of the Vista drivers are compatible with Win7. Vista was like a transition. Vista and Win7 were originally planned to be the same OS, and for all intents and purposes, they are basically the same. I don't really have a problem with Windows 7, except for the fact it is infact Windows NT 6.1, so if they call NT7 Windows 8, it's going to get needlessly confusing They will probably stray away from the number nomenclature again. 7 is a mystic number, so they wanted to use it. Edited August 9, 2009 by Blue_Ninja0
CoolFunkMan Posted August 9, 2009 Posted August 9, 2009 I like the fact it's just called 'Windows 7'. It's simple and to the point, what an operating system should be. Plus, you know, it's "lucky 7" and all that...
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