Windows XP, great new look

[Quackers]

Well been working hard trying to get Windows 7 working as we want on the network for the last 2 weeks, almost there, so been using nothing but 7 for the last few weeks.

 

Returned to using Windows XP on my other laptop today and WOW, just WOW. Its such a pleasure to use, just as it says during install "A great new look"

 

Anybody else find Windows 7 is just too "busy". Windows 7 looks very very nice, but when it comes to actually using it, my head just hurts, too much going on, the screen is so cluttered and tasks are taking so much longer to do.

 

Control panel is just taking the p*ss now. I put it into classic mode and i get about 700 control panels! (Not actually 700, but feels like it).

 

Do not even get me started on Librarys!

 

Can see me keeping to XP on machines i have to use! I cannot be the only one who is trying to like 7, but it just hurts the head too much.

[Hightower]

I started playing with Server 2008 and I found it was a pain. Everything was not where I expected it to be, and to do something simple like assign a static IP seemed to take an age with browsing through a maze of menus.

 

I'm sure it will all make sense when I start getting used to where stuff is, but at the moment it seems like a completely foreign OS to me.

[TronXP]

Simple answer for me is No. XP is tired and dated and it has been an excellent OS for many years, but its time to look to the future and move on. Things change and we have to adapt. After using 7 now for so long I cringe when I go to an XP workstation. In no way is 7 perfect and I don't pretend it is but it is a good improvement over vista.

[sted]

I think the interface to Windows (in general) is awful.

 

For a start, program files should be grouped by function, rather than the manufacturers' name. I've got a ton of software installed on my XP and have to rack my little brain to try to remember the company that made an obscure utility I need.

 

I've got a Windows 7 machine at home but I don't like it. It exists just to run Publisher.

 

I much prefer Gnome on Linux. Yes, really. The program grouping is sensible, your stuff is in 'Home', not 'My Documents/Music/Little Pony"

 

I used to like KDE (the lean mean 3.5) but they ruined it with KDE 4+.

 

you can do that if you want most programs do ask where you want shortcuts made you dont have to accept the defaults. My networks start menus are set that way so i have so art/history/music/writing/other etc

[mjs_mjs]

i'm using 7 on alot of my devices... wont be moving back. i persoanally find it easy to use, as does the gf, brother, sister, 50 yr old dad who only reads e-mails... use it at work, no problems there.... XP was easy to use but so is 7, and it comes with better features.

[aerospacemango]

i'm using 7 on alot of my devices... wont be moving back. i persoanally find it easy to use, as does the gf, brother, sister, 50 yr old dad who only reads e-mails... use it at work, no problems there.... XP was easy to use but so is 7, and it comes with better features.

 

Same for me! As much as I liked XP, I changed to Vista almost as soon as that came out......then almost straight back again!!! Once I'd done some testing with W7, I found that I really enjoyed it....but still have only changed my work desktop to it in the last week or so. I won't be going back to XP now!

[techtopia]

I think the interface to Windows (in general) is awful.

 

For a start, program files should be grouped by function, rather than the manufacturers' name. I've got a ton of software installed on my XP and have to rack my little brain to try to remember the company that made an obscure utility I need.

 

I've got a Windows 7 machine at home but I don't like it. It exists just to run Publisher.

 

I much prefer Gnome on Linux. Yes, really. The program grouping is sensible (by function), your stuff is in 'Home', not 'My Documents/Music/Little Pony"

 

I used to like KDE (the lean mean 3.5) but they ruined it with KDE 4+.

 

A short post, but I've digressed already.

 

I've just come 'back' from Linux to Windows as I got fed up trying to make things work, in particular, the sound on a mainstream manufacturer laptop - it was either off, extremely low, or on at full blast! Despite my efforts over several weeks of putting up with it, I gave up as I really don't have time to faff around. Installing Windows 7 on the laptop, save for a Nvidia driver update, it just works.

 

I use Mac's a lot too, and whilst I 'enjoy' that OS, I think Windows 7 has a lot going for it. I wouldn't personally go back to XP now. The taskbar in 7 is absolutely brilliant for me.

[jamesfed]

I think the interface to Windows (in general) is awful.

 

For a start, program files should be grouped by function, rather than the manufacturers' name. I've got a ton of software installed on my XP and have to rack my little brain to try to remember the company that made an obscure utility I need.

 

Its not Microsoft that you want to blame for that - its the software designers who want to brand their name over everything.

As a later posted stated you can always change the shortcuts should you so wish

[soveryapt]

I'm so tempted to buy WebCams for every computer out of my own money for when the staff get back from the hols .. W7 is arriving .. so to capture their faces when they boot up .. first the excitement of a shiny new box .. then the bewilderment at the lack of XP .. lol .. I'll also be writing a crib sheet to go with each machine me thinks .. lol ..

[TronXP]

Or with 7/vista hit the start button and type the name of the application and it finds it for you

[soveryapt]

Or with 7/vista hit the start button and type the name of the application and it finds it for you

 

I wonder where they got that idea from *presses cmd + space on his MacBook Pro* .. lol ..

[3s-gtech]

I forced myself to break from my XP install and use my new copy of Windows 7 on my office PC I bought. That was January, haven't even booted XP on here since. Some annoying things, but as I've learned my way round them, so I can adapt the other new PCs in the school. I still like using XP though, doesn't feel dated to me, more 'classic'.

[soveryapt]

I know it's been posted before on EduGeek but ... michaelv.org .. now that's classic windows for you! lol ..

[LeMarchand]

I've got a ton of software installed on my XP and have to rack my little brain to try to remember the company that made an obscure utility I need.

 

In W7 and Vista just start typing the name of the program into the search box, or use Launchy or similar on XP.

 

(Or organise your start menu better!)

[Ace1742334984]

I know it's been posted before on EduGeek but ... michaelv.org .. now that's classic windows for you! lol ..

 

Ohhh, I remember 3.1 (and GEM, Windows 2.0, 3.0 [the first attempt at ME/Vista]) those were the days.......

 

A

[Dos_Box]

In W7 and Vista just start typing the name of the program into the search box, or use Launchy or similar on XP.

 

(Or organise your start menu better!)

 

I like that functionallity and use it a lot.

[mac_shinobi]

Simple answer for me is No. XP is tired and dated and it has been an excellent OS for many years, but its time to look to the future and move on. Things change and we have to adapt. After using 7 now for so long I cringe when I go to an XP workstation. In no way is 7 perfect and I don't pretend it is but it is a good improvement over vista.

 

no offence but anythings an improvement over vista, vista was one of those operating systems that microsoft really borked up just like windows Me, heck even linux is better then vista

[sted]

no offence but anythings an improvement over vista, vista was one of those operating systems that microsoft really borked up just like windows Me, heck even linux is better then vista

 

im sorry vista want that bad and isnt that different to win7 and tbf me wasnt as terrible as people make out

[mac_shinobi]

im sorry vista want that bad and isnt that different to win7 and tbf me wasnt as terrible as people make out

 

The amount of complaints I had about the recovery / system restore never working or failing along with a lot of other issues and the amount of resources it required just to run aero / special effects was silly - windows 7 is a big improvement but still a long way to go.

[sted]

The amount of complaints I had about the recovery / system restore never working or failing along with a lot of other issues and the amount of resources it required just to run aero / special effects was silly - windows 7 is a big improvement but still a long way to go.

 

tbh i never had any issues with vista and win7 runs at about the same speed on teh same hardware. System restore has never been and will never be 100%. As to aero yes but you can turn it off and win7 isnt that much better at it as far as i can see

[teejay]

Been using W7 for quite a while now as we prep for our deploy over summer. Yes, some things like the control panel are a pita, but you soon find the quickest route to things you need. What I do find though is as a productivity tool, rather than from a tech pov, I find it far better than XP. Cmd left and cmd right are amazingly useful, also the task bar with shortcuts and open programs together is really nice once you get over the initial change.

[Arthur]

the amount of resources it required just to run aero / special effects was silly

Isn't this mainly due to the spec of their computer though? I've seen lots of people using Vista on ultra slow laptops and desktops they bought from PC World with Celeron processors, 512MB-1GB RAM and naff Intel graphics cards. What do they expect?

Edited July 20, 2010 by Arthur

[Arthur]

I'm sorry Vista wasn't that bad and isn't that different to win7 and tbf me wasn't as terrible as people make out

I agree 100%. A lot of people I know seem to have fallen for the whole Vista is rubbish meme and they haven't even used it - they just repeat what they have heard even when it's not true.

[Arthur]

Its not Microsoft that you want to blame for that - its the software designers who want to brand their name over everything.

I noticed Microsoft even have a webpage on MSDN stating this.

 

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa511447.aspx#guidelines

[chazzy2501]

I've always had a huge problem with both vista and windows7. it's like the supermarket they know you just want bread and milk so every 6 months they rearrange the shelves hoping you buy something you don't need.

 

So with Vista and Win7 they've changed all whole gui to make it easier? easier for who? The people who've been using XP for the last 8 years and can navigate it at the speed of light? No... for new users who've never used a PC before... well fantastic, so you made them for the 0.0009% of users who've never use XP and want they're first PC to be Windows... my butt, those people buy MACs!

 

So everyone else.. you remember 99.9991% who use XP now have to relearn where everything is and start using the new OS at the same speed as their grannys!

 

p.s. The other day it took me 20 minutes (and I had to google it) to show hidden and system files on win 7. It took me 10 minutes to configure my wireless settings, I couldn't just click on the wireless icon anymore! I turned bright red and my shpincter ate the chair.

 

WIH