One would think that Windows 7 sales would be a good source of revenue for Microsoft as all those XP users move on? It's not a big switch moving to 7 versus the jump to 8. I guess they figure when faced with no other choice but to buy 8 people will just buy 8 and not go elsewhere. Sigh, probably true for the vast majority of average users. Anybody already running 7 that doesn't like 8 will just keep on trucking with 7. I wonder if they are scared 7 will end up being another XP?

This is nothing new. Pretty much the same happened with XP when Vista came out and Vista when Win 7 came out.

richnrockville said:

Good time to squirrel away several OEM copies of Windows 7 pro. Might be worth investing.

Rich

Heck, I already have one retail copy of Ultimate and one of Home Premium squirreled away. I bought them, along with the retail copy of Ultimate currently running in my desktop. I bought them a year ago while I could. My notebook is running the original OEM of Home Premium. Methinks I'm good until early 2020.

It's not so easy to move from Win XP to Win 7. Windows XP ran fine in with under 1 GB RAM, and I suspect most boxes come in at under 2 GB. Windows 7 would choke on such a computer. So I don't see XP-to-7 upgrades happening much.

margrave said:

It's not so easy to move from Win XP to Win 7. Windows XP ran fine in with under 1 GB RAM, and I suspect most boxes come in at under 2 GB. Windows 7 would choke on such a computer. So I don't see XP-to-7 upgrades happening much.

If that was in response to my post, I was thinking more about the user experience, the user interface of one compared to the other. I see your point though. If the PC is that old it may be time to buy new anyway. Windows 7 will run on a lot older hardware than 8 will though. It ran fine on my old Acer 5920 that only had 3 gig of RAM and crappy old Intel graphics. There are quit a few "Windows 7 ran fine on my PC but 8 won't" posts in the 8 forum.

Hi there.

Oh dear -- why just people can't get real -- you can stay and use W7 until 2020 or even 3030 A.D if you want (or even XP !!) -- NO ONE is forcing you to change - and in any case a period of over 6 years is almost a GEOLOGICAL AGE in computing terms --who knows what we might be using by then.

Now I LIKE desktops etc -- and still use a "classical" (Laptop type) computer for at work type of stuff and things like spreadsheets and presentations (although the presentation once created can be displayed using a variety of different devices).

But ASK YOURSELVES unless you are a Gamer or a hard core "Hobbyist" who likes building things what do you actually USE a computer for these days -- for example I'll bet most of your music is stored on things like Tablets, smart phones, ipods or even stand alone NAS servers, Movies etc are accessed a lot via services on SMART TV's, and a hige percentage of email is done on devices OTHER than computers. Even when you need to print a Network / Wi-Fi enabled printer can print directly from a smart phone / tablet etc or even a Smart TV.

Things CHANGE - the first couple of iterations are usually a bit wonky -- but after that they proceed just fine.

The first rifles were HOPELESS compared to a skilled crossbow shooter - but would a modern soldier want to be equipped with cross bows rather than decent rifles. Horses can still be used for travel - but I assume most people would rather take a car / train or even a bus.

There's NOTHING WRONG in adding touch etc for relevant functions -- a lot of this stuff cannot be done easily in the older OS'es.

Until recently one of the things I STILL used a computer a lot for was for purchasing travel tickets -- but these days instead of all the hassle of "print at Home" and bits of paper using a smart phone with "M-Tickets" delivered straight to your mobile with the scanner code -- I use the phone -- Banking apps etc also are easy and I don't need 100's of bits of paper either now as "receipts" as the whole kybosh is on the mobile and submitted at the end of the month to payroll for them to process expenses. -- So simple and easy. All my online ordering is also done via smart phone too - rarely sit at the computer for this type of stuff any more.

(Backup of data on a phone is important too just like data on a computer - I back up data regularly to a network drive --easily done with the zillions of FTP type applications available on mobile phones --if you use your mobile a lot BACKUP THE DATA in case the phone gets broken, stolen, or even upgraded).

Actually that's one thing the COMPUTER gets used for MORE these days -- as ARCHIVAL and BACKUP storage facility and sometimes as a media server so I'm not getting rid of the machine just yet.!!

I couldn't go back to working "Pre-smart phone" way any more (and I'm not young any more either so the idea that older people can't use new technology is just a load of "Little Round Objects").

Computers will play a different role in future -- Home use WILL diminish for typical consumers and that's A FACT. We have to accept that an era (enjoyable in its way) has passed and won't return.

Even in the work place they will be used differently.

Cheers

jimbo