Windows 7 opinions so far

[MikePA]

The same VMWare solution you recommended, along with your suggestion people steal software, is available in the Microsoft world. The same licensing requirements apply with either solution, unless you steal the software. You are wrong.

 

[aczlan]

No...it requires MSFT licenses for every machine running it (Remote Desktop/Virtual Desktop)

You can setup a XP Pro/2003 Server box (physical or in a VM) in the server room and set it up for remote desktop (terminal services) and then install Quickbooks on it. Then those who need Quickbooks can connect in from any Windows or Linux machine on the network without any other licenses needed or installing the VMWare plugin on their computers.

The cost? One license. No way around that, if you want to use MS operating systems you have to buy a license.

Aaron Z

 

[/pine]

The cost? One license. No way around that, if you want to use MS operating systems you have to buy a license.

Exactly

I'm sorry if I confused some when I said "...running it (Remote Desktop/Virtual Desktop)"

I meant any "Windows" machine that accessed the data/interface via would need a Lic.

My reasoning for VMWare over a single Windows box (on an otherwise Linux network) was from an administrative POV...obviously it could be done using a stand alone Windows box...VM eliminates some issues with a mix

 

[SPIKER]

Please stop the Mac, Redhat Lunix stuff the thread was for WIN7...

I had not even noticed that the win7 didnt have outlook installed as I have not used an ON-BOARD email client in years. Too many viruses can be downloaded that way. I use Yahoo, hotmail or one of the several others that leaves all the data on the server and not on your machine. I dont download stuff and never open attachments form someone I'm not aware is coming... One thing that really keeps the viruses & spamming down... ect..

anyhow.

I'm still getting used to Win7 on the laptop. I'm on my Old win98se machine now simply as it is much easier to type with standard mouse ect, (note I dont have the laptop on a desk,) I ran new wire into living room for network and use the laptop on a chair for now just experimenting still with it....

Someone asked about A-Cad I dont have that installed on the laptop. I might talk to my IT guy about home use for that on mine?

I use AutoCad2009 on 64 bit XP workstation at work and it runs very good..

Also note that Win7 so far has not asked me to RE-START after installing a new software program, it has waited/completed installs when I was shutting down however. And the programs have been available right away without the restart or without competing the install process. There is still some getting used to for the software so far. like always and the migrating of programs I dont have a cable to try the machine to machine stuff and so far have not even used a CD or Flash drive. I'm trying to start fresh and park my old PC for later playing around...

Mark

 

[Chuck52]

Good to know about the e-mail thing with Win 7. We haven't switched from XP at work, but I just gave my daughter a laptop with Win 7 for Xmas. She doesn't yet have internet service at home, so I'll tell her to keep that in mind when she signs up for something. Where she is it will probably be one of the satellite services since cable and DSL aren't available in that part of the boonies yet. I'll probably be posting for help when she gets that as I am still her main source of geeky type info, and my inner geek is getting pretty outdated.

BTW, how about we arrange a mud wrestling match between Mike and pine and charge admission? We could use the money to pay for their anger management classes.

Chuck

 

[MikePA]

Windows7 is a great operating system, much, much better than Vista and much better than XP. I am running it on a Dell Mini10v, an old Toshiba tablet laptop and in a virtual machine running on an Apple iMac. All these implementations are the 32 bit version. I have not found any software that doesn't run on Win7 and have yet to have to run anything in compatibility mode. I also run Office2007, including Outlook2007, and while the interface is different from Office2003, and it took a while to get used to it (I used Office2003 for years), it's a better solution.

So, if someone is migrating from XP and/or Office2003, there will be a learning curve. Not so bug a curve from Vista. The only thing to get used to from migrating from Vista is the improved performance.

 

[timswi]

Windows7 is a great operating system, much, much better than Vista and much better than XP. I am running it on a Dell Mini10v, an old Toshiba tablet laptop and in a virtual machine running on an Apple iMac. All these implementations are the 32 bit version. I have not found any software that doesn't run on Win7 and have yet to have to run anything in compatibility mode. I also run Office2007, including Outlook2007, and while the interface is different from Office2003, and it took a while to get used to it (I used Office2003 for years), it's a better solution.

So, if someone is migrating from XP and/or Office2003, there will be a learning curve. Not so bug a curve from Vista. The only thing to get used to from migrating from Vista is the improved performance.

Agree with all of that Mike...Except I HATE Office 2007...That may take a while for me to take a liking to that.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I loaded the older office on mine and it seems to work OK, one of the few things that did. I did buy the new office 2007 but don't like it as well.
I have not tried my Autocad 2010 yet on win7.

 

[timswi]

I loaded the older office on mine and it seems to work OK, one of the few things that did. I did buy the new office 2007 but don't like it as well.
I have not tried my Autocad 2010 yet on win7.

I use something called Punch Pro on mine (Johnny consumer version I guess)...Works ok, but a little moody on 64bit.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I loaded the older office on mine and it seems to work OK, one of the few things that did. I did buy the new office 2007 but don't like it as well.
I have not tried my Autocad 2010 yet on win7.

The older office won't store your email password anymore, Win7 has a new method for password storage. If you close down outlook, you need to reenter the email password next time.

I am having problems with the DVD/CD drive not reading disks when I try to copy files. Sometimes it works, then sometimes it just sits there like there isn't a CD in the drive. Don't know it if is a WIN7 problem or hardware problem at the moment.

 

[aczlan]

The older office won't store your email password anymore, Win7 has a new method for password storage. If you close down outlook, you need to reenter the email password next time.

What version of office do you have? I can look at that on one of the test Win 7 computers at work tommrow.

I am having problems with the DVD/CD drive not reading disks when I try to copy files. Sometimes it works, then sometimes it just sits there like there isn't a CD in the drive. Don't know it if is a WIN7 problem or hardware problem at the moment.

Probably either a bad drive or some bad disks.

Aaron Z

 

[timswi]

The older office won't store your email password anymore, Win7 has a new method for password storage. If you close down outlook, you need to reenter the email password next time.

I am having problems with the DVD/CD drive not reading disks when I try to copy files. Sometimes it works, then sometimes it just sits there like there isn't a CD in the drive. Don't know it if is a WIN7 problem or hardware problem at the moment.

Try Windows Live e-mail...it's ok once you get used to it...Compatble with 64bit and p/w storage.

Had that CD thing happen once...Hasn't happened since...What kind of machine?

 

[MikePA]

The older office won't store your email password anymore, Win7 has a new method for password storage. If you close down outlook, you need to reenter the email password next time.

I use Outlook 2007 at work (where my PC is defined to an Active Directory domain and Outlook talks to an Exchange server) and at home where I talk to my ISP. I don't have to enter my email password either place. At home, when I defined my email account, I also entered my password and checked the 'remember' option.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

It's 2002 office version, not 2003 as I thought. Even though I check the box to remember password, it doesn't. I'll probably load 2007 anyways, even though I don't like it as well. Hard to get used to the changes, guess I'm getting old.

Computer is brand new Dell XPS9000 with Bluray DVD drive.

I did get the new 2010 Quicken & loaded it today.

 

[aczlan]

It's 2002 office version, not 2003 as I thought. Even though I check the box to remember password, it doesn't. I'll probably load 2007 anyways, even though I don't like it as well. Hard to get used to the changes, guess I'm getting old.

That is apparently a known issue, see Outlook on Vista (and Win7) for more info.

Aaron Z

 

[dmccarty]

..
My experience with OS/2 was similar. I got it running nice but learned that no release of OS/2 could speak to a modem faster than 9600 baud. I already had a $200 14.4k modem. Forget it. The significant money I spent on OS/2, as I recall well over $50, made a step backward in performance. Not acceptable.

OS/2 certainly could and did support 14.4K modems. I used 14.4, was it 24kbs or 28kbs, and I am pretty sure 56kbs modems on OS/2.

Rather a moot point though.

What is funny about OS/2 is that I booted my old OS/2 systems a few years ago..... Well 10-11 years ago at this point and it was very responsive compared to the latest Windows system I was using. There was a wee bit of improvement in the hardware between the OS/2 and Windows system.

Later,
Dan

 

[dmccarty]

Go into the data centers of the really big companies, see what OS they are running on the revenue producing systems that must be up 24/7/365. These systems can't be rebooted every-time software is updated, they can't be susceptible to every little virus that comes along, most of them can be maintained via a GUI or the command line, whichever you prefer. I'll guarantee you it won't be Windows on the majority of them.

Yep, they are likely using a mainframe running System z.

Later,
Dan

 

[MikePA]

Yep, they are likely using a mainframe running System z.

Excellent. Could not agree more and it's true. While we've added client server and browser based front ends and backends to well over 100 applications, the core of our business is run on the mainframe under CICS, IMS, DB2 and yes, batch jobs.

 

[California]

... learned that no release of OS/2 could speak to a modem faster than 9600 baud. I already had a $200 14.4k modem. Forget it. The significant money I spent on OS/2, as I recall well over $50, made a step backward in performance. Not acceptable.

OS/2 certainly could and did support 14.4K modems. I used 14.4, was it 24kbs or 28kbs, and I am pretty sure 56kbs modems on OS/2.

Yeah, sure, later, but I'm talking about the old days.

IBM's own official docs described this limit. All I found online was people searching for a solution, and being referred back to the IBM statement. (I think dos at the time needed a non-MS serial port driver to make use of the faster chip in the latest serial-port cards, and no such driver had been invented yet for OS/2).

This was back when a common sig line was "You can tell who are the pioneers. They're the ones with arrows in their backs!" A $50 arrow in my case.

I really liked the look and feel of OS/2. Remember, it was supposed to be "Windows-1" or something like that until IBM and MS went separate ways. But discovering that communication limit made it unacceptable to me.

 

[logan97]

anyone like to help me diagnose my dead Dell Inspiron ?