October 22, 2009 XP vs. Windows 7: Should I stay or should I go? Play video

(NECN: Ted McEnroe) - So here we are - after a long wait, it is time for Windows 7. But is it time to upgrade now?

The new operating system goes on sale today, and compared with the headlines for Vista, this one is getting rave reviews. The headlines say it all - the Telegraph of London sums it up as "Windows 7: The best Windows operating system yet". Other reviews are equally positive - with special praise for the way the Windows OS handles your music and videos, the new and improved Taskbar, which might "out Apple" Apple with a system called Jump Lists that lets you pin program and individual files to the taskbar for easy access.

The new operating system also makes sharing files across your home network much more easily, manage your desktop more effectively and resize windows more easily, and find and join available networks more easily - which is a huge advantage for the netbook or laptop user. I could link to all the Microsoft show-and-tell stuff individually, but just go to windows.com and you can see for yourself.

I, too, have had a chance to try it - as a Mac guy I have been running Windows 7 for about a week in a virtual machine. And I have to say there are a lot of things I like about it. It seems very light and doesn't suck up the same kind of memory and processing power as XP

had for me, and the interface seems much more Mac-like than other Microsoft OS's have been - so bouncing back and forth or running Mac and Windows programs side-by-side is more intuitive and natural.

But don't be shy! Search the web - find the reviews, and do some reading to get a better sense than I can give in one post. One thing I can say for sure, the positive reviews *far* outweigh the negatives.

So now the big question - should you upgrade? Sure! Should you upgrade now? Well, that depends.

Here are some reasons, despite the great reviews, why some people might want to wait.

1. While upgrading to Windows 7 from Vista is pretty straightforward, the upgrade process from Windows XP is cumbersome. You have to backup your stuff, basically wipe your computer and install the OS. If that sounds scary - wait, and then find someone who is more tech-savvy and has done the upgrade to help.

2. If you're planning on buying a new computer soon (and Microsoft and PC makers hope you will), you should wait. Windows 7 is not cheap - the three editions of Windows 7 - Premium, Professional and Ultimate, start at $120, and while the low-end premium edition is all most home users would want or need, it's a bit expensive if you are going to be replacing your PC soon. (Microsoft is selling 3-packs of Windows 7 licenses, the "Family Pack", for $149... for homes with multiple machines.

3. If you use your system on a work network - check with your IT folks. Some networks (like NECN's) aren't "7 Ready", so if you upgrade, you may shut yourself out.

4. If there are specific programs you run that you have to have - check their compatibility with Windows 7. Spending $120 for an upgrade is one thing. Spending another few hundred bucks after that to upgrade your other programs because they aren't compatible another. There is the Windows 7 Compatibility Center if you want to check on your favorite programs - you'll be glad you did.

5. And of course, as with new operating systems, there will be a shakedown period - during which there will be fixes and patches - if you are not a big fan of change to start with, there's no rush. Eventually, Microsoft will say "We won't support XP anymore," (and this time they'll mean it), but until then, you're fine.

Those caveats aside - it looks both to me and people much PC-smarter than me that Windows 7 will be what Vista could have been - an easier to use, more powerful system that can make life better for millions of users. Just get it when it makes sense for you.