Windows 7

[aznboi3644]

Hey I just got this last month.  I love it.  Anyone else using it?

I have an ASUS U81A laptop with plenty of performance to spare. I don't use it for anything else but playing music...online games...and web browsing.  Before I had Windows Vista Home Premium.  It was "OK".  Not that bad.  I have 4G of ram and idling with no programs up on Vista there was 43% of ram being used.  Start up from off to home screen after logging in took 3-4 minutes.

NOW THOUGH!!  Windows 7 is the SHIIIZZZNIIIITTT.  I'm not joking it runs SOOOOOOO much smoother and faster.  I will admit I thought it was a load of crap after the Microsoft released the poop Vista.  But wow they really did their research here.
 
Total start up time from off to home screen after logging in is about 30-40 seconds...no joke.  Ram usage idles at 22%.  No lag.

I would recommend it to all.  Software comes with a program to even burn downloaded movies to play on any dvd player.

[Justin Snyder]

Windows 7 is so much better than Vista, but it is still windows.  Your Vista probably had trojans that were running at startup and using a lot of your ram. My Vista computer would start up in 30 seconds. Seriously, Vista was a big mistake and they admit it. That is why its shelf life was so short. Windows is an awesome OS if your major task is word processing. It isn't very secure and to keep it running at its peek you need a great spy ware remover and expect to do a re install every 6 months. You can't beat the price of windows and I like the fact that it is open source compatible.

FYI I can start my Mac and start Maya 3D modeling software (a very demanding program) in the time it takes to start my Windows 7.

[aznboi3644]

I plan on getting a mac after college...or within the year.  I'd like to have two lol.  But there are bills bills bills

[Justin Snyder]

Yes, all those pesky bills. To make it worse, a Mac is double the price of a PC because only Apple can make them. Honestly, I don't recommend the Mac unless you are into graphic arts or something of that nature. The Mac is a great machine, but for the average person a PC is just as good and the price is so much lower.

[BearG]

LOVE WINDOWS 7

[El Destructo]

Justin...why a total reload every 6 months...and how would one go about it without losing stuff every time? I know that   every time iI use my Backup Drive...there always seems to be something it don't back up....last time it was all of my email....and address book.

And what Spyware Program would you recommend?

[Justin Snyder]

Justin...why a total reload every 6 months...and how would one go about it without losing stuff every time? I know that   every time iI use my Backup Drive...there always seems to be something it don't back up....last time it was all of my email....and address book.

And what Spyware Program would you recommend?

Mike, it may not need done every 6 months by some, but if you spend a lot of time on the web it will slow down. Notice I said at peek performance. If a little slow down doesn't bother you, then every year is probably good. I don't have a good solution for not backing everything up. I have a couple of 8G flash drives that I save important stuff on. Before I do a system restore from the backup or disk I go through and save the entire documents folder along with photos and favorites.

Microsoft Security Essentials is pretty good program and it is FREE. 

[youngbowyer33]

Microsoft Security Essentials is pretty good program and it is FREE. 

Is it better than avast?

[Justin Snyder]

Avast is a great system. The only major advantage MSE (Microsoft Security Essentials) has over avast is the smaller space required. MSE scans more files than the others and scans faster in quick mode, but is slower for a whole system scan. If you are a gamer or P2P user avast is probably better because it won't slow down the game (because it doesn't scan it). This will leave the back door open so people can get in though. Avast will scan mail while MSE only scans the attachments.  Avast is rated about 53% at detection and prevention while MSE is rated 56%. To give you an idea, McAfee is rated about 47%.

[paganwannbe]

listening to your guys talk about your windows computers makes feel like an outcast but 30-40 seconds for windows 7 to start kind of slow if you don't mind me saying so

[Justin Snyder]

listening to your guys talk about your windows computers makes feel like an outcast but 30-40 seconds for windows 7 to start kind of slow if you don't mind me saying so

We aren't talking about waiting for the home screen to show, we are talking about full functionality. My computers aren't up and running until they have connected to my wireless networks and printers.

[paganwannbe]

I know but my Ubuntu's up to that in 15 seconds plugged in and 20 seconds on battery

[Justin Snyder]

I know but my Ubuntu's up to that in 15 seconds plugged in and 20 seconds on battery

You Ubuntu is command prompt, not something most people want to deal with. It doesn't need any virus protection though. It is awesome for programing and completely open source, what more could you ask for.

I run parallels with ubuntu on my mac and have it on a flash drive for my windows machine.

[HoBow]

I guess it takes me about 2 minutes and I'm PISSED!  To think of the 90 seconds I waste every time I boot up. How do I sleep?

[paganwannbe]

same way I did when I had XP at the keyboard