What is the significant improvement of 7 over Vista?

So, I've been discussing this with some co-workers at the office and when we get right down to the nuts and bolts....it's a bit hard to really sell Windows 7 as a vast improvement over Vista in Vista's current state.

Don't get me wrong, there are some features and changes that I really like

• superbar
• aero snap and aero peek
• jumplists
• configurable UAC
• libraries
• fast shutdown

But who really feels that Windows 7 is indeed a radical and significant enough of an improvement over Vista SP2 to justify the full cost of the operating system. I honestly think that Vista got such a bad rep at the start that most people wrote it off and never came back to it. But now that they see Windows 7...they are willing to try again and they realize that it's not too bad. But I think presented with a Vista SP2 clean install...the reaction might have been roughly the same.

I can better understand those upgrading from XP...because Windows 7 would be a very significant change. But over Vista....is this really nothing more than a couple of features that could have easily been incorporated into a service pack????

They did more than just add features.

They essentially stripped down Vista to the core and rebuilt it with everything they'd learned since. And as a result it's leaner and much more efficient now. It might look similar, but the big changes are under the hood.

You'll notice it if you use it enough, and especially if you were on Vista prior. It's an overhaul beyond the service pack level.

I've been using Windows 7 on my box at home since the Beta release, then was on the RC1 release and ultimately ended up with the RTM release.

My coworker in question, who is also a Windows and Linux server admin and developer has also been using the Windows 7 release at home since the RC1 release.

I've been a member here for months now and have attained my guru badge as a result of helping others and learning about the OS. I bought the Paul Thurrott Windows 7 Secrets book and pretty much read it cover to cover.

So, with all that experience and the fact that my work laptop runs Vista Enterprise SP2...I've got a fair amount of experience and time in with both products. While I like Windows 7 and do recommend it...I'm still struggling to explain to average people the features that make it "so much better" than Vista that it would be foolish of them to not upgrade.

So, please don't take my post as a "typical whiner" or "XP fanboy", or "MS hater" or any of the stereotypes. This is an honest to goodness question that really has me thinking.

pparks1 said:

...I can better understand those upgrading from XP...because Windows 7 would be a very significant change. But over Vista....is this really nothing more than a couple of features that could have easily been incorporated into a service pack????

The number of retail "upgrades" sold is vanishingly small compared to OEM new machine installations and corporate all-you-can-eat annual licensing deals. Hence, the primary goal is not to convince those who're already happy with what they've got, but those who're deciding what to buy during their upcoming equipment refresh.

The fact that you discuss the issue with "co-workers at the office" would tend to place you in an IT team which is going to be evaluating the new OS as a potential inclusion in its list of annual "subscriptions". It's Group Policy extensions and other managebility improvements that drive corporate decisions, not whether the end-users have a slightly prettier task bar or start menu :)

Adding to the good points H2SO4 made, Microsoft desperately neeeded a new OS that would run well on netbooks.

It also needed an OS that would put the word sexy back into the PC, an OS that would sell PCs, not the other way around. An OS that would have good word of mouth.

I think they got it.

Vista Business edition was a real solid OS for me. Even before a SP, I had far less problems than my XP days.

W7 seems to take that experince to the next level in terms of stability and performance. So far every aspect/feature seems to be more flexible and easier to use.

Memory management, power options and devices have gotten great improvements. Backup and defrag brought some welcome and needed changes.

If for no other reason... I feel like running W7 gives me continuity now that its the current OS.

Hi there
I'm sure that in the Business community the number of VISTA users is probably TINY compared with the number of people STILL using XP.

Businesses tend to update their hardware relatively infrequently -- its reasonably typical now for users to have CONSIDERABLY better hardware (and software) at home than at work -- a few years ago apart from hobbyists etc this was unusual but every joe and his dog now often has a STREETS ahead better PC at home than at work.

The new model these days is to allow users to use either their own or a "subsidised" laptop whilst retaining say a corporate logon desktop / dashboard that people connect to via a VPN / corporate LAN.

This makes maintaining large networks of PC's redundant and is a LOT cheaper.

If you are in one of those workplaces that have VISTA SP2 with decent hardware management probably won't bother to upgrade until the next round of hardware upgrades comes around.

MS will (judging by XP usage still years after the OS appeared) keep supplying security fixes so in your case there won't be a business case for upgrading.

Cheers
jimbo

H2SO4 said:

The fact that you discuss the issue with "co-workers at the office" would tend to place you in an IT team which is going to be evaluating the new OS as a potential inclusion in its list of annual "subscriptions". It's Group Policy extensions and other managebility improvements that drive corporate decisions, not whether the end-users have a slightly prettier task bar or start menu :)

Yes, I am one of the IT guys. Mostsly manage our servers, but have some input and help out with desktops. But more than anything, my coworkers are PC nerds as well so it's one of those things that we will certainly sit around and discuss.

Teerex said:

an OS that would sell PCs, not the other way around. An OS that would have good word of mouth.
I think they got it.

Word of mouth seems to be everything for Windows 7. Like I said, I like it...but whether it's really that much better or worth $119 for an upgrade from Vista is still debateable to me. Hence this thread.

Funny, I got a call from Microsoft on Windows 7 from the launch event that I attended. They wanted to know my thoughts, what my company is doing, and whether the event was my first look at the product.