This is interesting because when I'm asked what I do (not for a living) in my spare time....people will say "Oh I have a computer". I ask what OS they're running and most don't know. It's just whatever they bought a couple of years ago and have no idea what's going on in technology today.

As SIW2 said 90% don't know about Windows 7 let alone Vista! I'm sure if I even mentioned Linux, they'd change the subject fast .. LOL

Jacee said:

I ask what OS they're running and most don't know.

Or they tell you they are using Windows 97.... or they just say "Office"

I'm sure we did have one poster on the Vista Forums who was panicking because some how she had deleted Vista - I believe it was the actual shortcut for IE7

SIW2 said:

Hi,

Interesting DA.

I was talking to about 50 people the other day, and casually asked if they knew anything about 7.

90% had never heard of it. The handful who had heard of it knew almost nothing about it.

The general view was that an o/s comes with the machine, and as long as it does what they want, fine.

Not exactly a scientific survey. Still I believe it gives some indication of the vast majority view.

yep they were like
what?...
yeah i did kinda the same thing and while all 69 where like *?* they did like it (well it looked alot better with the touchscreen and pen digitizer) did but said that they wouldn't bother upgrading as their *vista* machine was fine and dandy for them. ( surprised i know, seeing all the web talking about how vista is bad and Xp is good and this from a *normal* user...) and it was customized to the way they liked it....
they also told me that unless a they have a need for a pc in very future they see little need for win7 as they wont be playing around with it...

ohh wait there was one professor that was preaching to the choir and was praising xp and bad mouthing vista even though he needs to use...
i got into a argument about that but then i thought "its his choice and i cant force him into a new OS like how OEM does...(pun intended...:))

and one did learn about it (reads digital news and you cant read almost any sort of news site without hearing about Windows 7....) buts thats it...

so i do agree
except the part he said that users were force into vista and while that might be true...
its not a terrible experience and like all dinosaurs from the past age (look at my comment above about my Prof.) cry when a little thing is changed...
(well he is using a p3 so that might account for his frustation with vista...
but *everyone* and i do mean *everyone that i have asked said that vista was fine for them and tech blogs that exagerate the problems with a OS and believe that the masses are to stupid enough not to evolve....

which i experimented with with and found to be completely false since all its actually the one who becomes experienced with his OS of choice that notes the changes...
my tester just asked where a few things were (word processor, image editing, browser, A/V player and text editor) and viola after familirazing herself for a few hours she had everything in control and didnt asked me anymore (of course this computer was completely updated OpenSuse [why i didnt use ubuntu? because i like suse better..]) i come 20 mins later and see two folders, a few text and word processor files, a bunch of A/V files and upon thousands of pictures...

and all while talking to her friends online with no other help from me...
i say this, techs underestimate the normal user....

Jacee said:

This is interesting because when I'm asked what I do (not for a living) in my spare time....people will say "Oh I have a computer". I ask what OS they're running and most don't know. It's just whatever they bought a couple of years ago and have no idea what's going on in technology today.

As SIW2 said 90% don't know about Windows 7 let alone Vista! I'm sure if I even mentioned Linux, they'd change the subject fast .. LOL

yes your right most them dont but the ones that i know at least its windows(so they are part college students but hey at least they know...

i say it depends on which group of people you ask...
my generation at least has some basic understanding of technology...

black dog said:

I never read those kinds of articles as they are mostly written by wa*kers.
My little group of friends are mostly computer hobbyists like my good self and we all have Windows 7.None of us are computer pros but we all build our own machines and fix ours and other peoples problems.
It is certainly not rocket science, although many computer pros would like you to think it is . : ) I am an electrician and my computer interested friends are...a tour bus driver,a wall and floor tiler, a carpenter and a house painter.
So, the guy is wrong. It is not just techies who are interested in Windows 7.

but you see hes talking about the majority of people...
of course i have a few friends that do tweak their systems but i dont count them in since 1) they are not in my class. (which is where i asked) and 2) the technically dont count as normal joes....
i classify a pro by someone that can assemble their own machine and can actually program (meaning setup) and maintain their machine.....
that being i do actually see you guys as computer pros....
but in this day and age i believe (at least with me and some others) that
a computer pro and computer professional mean 2 different things from long ago....

smarteyeball said:

Or they tell you they are using Windows 97.... or they just say "Office"

windows 2009? (as 08 has been done...lol)

Barman58 said:

I'm sure we did have one poster on the Vista Forums who was panicking because some how she had deleted Vista - I believe it was the actual shortcut for IE7

at least she knew where to look for help....