No plans for Windows 7 SP2

[Burgurne]

Microsoft was clever enough to make Windows 7.
Microsoft was clever enough to make Windows 8.
Microsoft was clever enough to make me buy Windows 8.
I was stupid enough to buy it, allthough I had a fine Windows 7 Ultimate licens.
I was stupid enough to install Windows 8 Pro.

Now who is the smartest part you think?

With all respect to Microsoft, I think I am, as now I again did a reformat, and made a new Windows 7 Ultimate installation, now with an Intel Rapid Start partition, so boottime is no longer a problem for me
From completly off and to type my password for windows login is now about 10 seconds. Now beat that, WINDOWS 8 .

I would love a SP2 for windows 7 though, as there are really many patches to install after a new windows7SP1 install

 

[Layback Bear]

How about this.
Upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 8 $39.95
Go back to Windows 7 from Windows 8 $139.95
Just a idea. I hope Microsoft doesn't read this.

 

[Bertison]

Bertison,

I am well into my 70's - 75 to be specific. My guess is that I too will stay on Windows 7 with our without MS support until I can no longer use a computer. However, I have a rather significant software product dependent upon having an actual Windows Desktop capability. It runs on XP and 7. I have forced it to compile and run on Windows 8 but the process was not pretty, the result was butt ugly, and I am very unhappy with the result.

As a consequence, my concern is not support life, it is how long will Windows 7 be available for purchase by my customers for new systems. As near as I can tell right now, that life is roughly two years. Not quite enough unless I am really lucky and sell out for $40meg or become senile or die before the age of 77.

LKG, I hope neither of the last 2 scenarios happens!

Selling out for mega bucks is the more atrractive option, I would say. So you are still running a business at 75, good for you. I last worked like that in 2000, unfortunately in my country the only way you find employment as you get older, is in the supermarket or B & Q (Home Depot I think is the USA equivalent) stacking shelves or "Greeting" customers.

My last work, self-employed, was printing business stationery, brochures, prospectuses for educational establishments and anything I could get. That kind of entrepeneurial spirit was killed off by the then socialist government, I had so much red tape to wade through and the tax situation was hopeless. Might improve soon, GB is set to become the fastest - growing economy in Europe in the next few years. And all because we did not join the Euro. Now, if David Cameron just gives us a Referendum, I believe we will vote to leave the EU and be a better country, with better prospects.

Our government is coming around to the notion of open source (Linux) software, but that will not help all those in the private sector running Win7 (and many still with XP). Those companies will also be hampered by the bloody awful mess that is Win8.

 

[badtux]

One thing to remember is that Windows 8 is only being forced upon consumers, not upon businesses. Businesses with a Microsoft per-seat site license will be free to wipe Windows 8 and install Windows 7 until the end of support for Windows 7, which is 2020. And frankly, most consumers will be just as happy with Windows 8 as they are with Windows 7, once they install VLC or some other DVD-playing software to replace the functionality that Microsoft arbitrarily yanked out of Windows 8 and made into an extra-cost add-on. And a real backup program (Windows 8 doesn't have one, that does a system image), but since most people don't back up their Windows 7 system (less than 1/5th of Windows users do regular backups, sigh!)...

 

[SIW2]

Does give the impression that win7 is worth 4 times as much as win8.

I don't know what all the win8 final prices will be after this win8 fire sale - but I think they will come out close to half the price of win7.

You might wonder why MS are doing that.

Surely, they will get less money in if they sell the new os at a much lower price than it's predecessor.

Not necessarily.

There is a well known marketing technique called Full Line Forcing.

At it 's simplest - that means sell the original product at a very low price - then make your money on what the users keep buying as a result of that first purchase. I.E you are forcing the rest of the line on the original purchasers.

E.G Sell a very attractive beautifully designed aluminium wet razor - none of that plastic rubbish - at a great price.

Having bought that great bargain -you then realise the blades are not exactly cheap.

What do you do? Throw away the thing you just bought - or pay the extra dollar for a pack of blades. You pay that extra dollar for every pack - for years.

How about this.
Upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 8 $39.95
Go back to Windows 7 from Windows 8 $139.95
Just a idea. I hope Microsoft doesn't read this.

 

[x BlueRobot]

I wouldn't say that Windows 7 needs a new SP for patches, but rather a SP to wrap up all the updates and also improve the performance of the kernel, so it has the boot time of Windows 8, however, I'm sure a SSD would just provide this performance boost.

 

[SIW2]

I am not sure what this business is about boot time.

I do not see it on my machine. Might be system dependent - win8 is actually the slowest boot up of any of my installed o/s. I only have a couple of programs installed in it.

It would be faster with hybrid boot - but I have no use for that as I am multibooting.

In any case - it is not a big deal. Who cares for a few seconds at start up.

Having said that - you do expect a phone to start up quickly.

 

[Layback Bear]

When did 6 to 10 sec. difference in boot time become the the main thing to judge a operating system. Who cares. Like SIW2 I don't understand.

 

[Erick Aguilar]

One thing to remember is that Windows 8 is only being forced upon consumers, not upon businesses. Businesses with a Microsoft per-seat site license will be free to wipe Windows 8 and install Windows 7 until the end of support for Windows 7, which is 2020. And frankly, most consumers will be just as happy with Windows 8 as they are with Windows 7, once they install VLC or some other DVD-playing software to replace the functionality that Microsoft arbitrarily yanked out of Windows 8 and made into an extra-cost add-on. And a real backup program (Windows 8 doesn't have one, that does a system image), but since most people don't back up their Windows 7 system (less than 1/5th of Windows users do regular backups, sigh!)...

Actually windows 8 is being forced upon businesses within microsofts partner network, as soon as their one year plans expire they received new software sicne they are promised to obtain the newest and most modern programs, so no. By the end of their yearly server they -will- have to switch to windows 8 since they will no longer receive support for windows 7.

 

[SIW2]

They have left windows 7 system image thing in Win8.

Oddly hidden under the control panel as Windows 7 file recovery, or similar - can't remember the exact name - I am not in win8 atm.

 

[Layback Bear]

I'm thinking that many that tinker with Windows 8 will pay just about anything to get back to Windows 7.

 

[gregrocker]

It's really ridiculous that I had to spend an afternoon after installing Win8 to hunt down and install third party apps to get a Win7 Start button Menu and to bypass the Start screen, after uninstalling all of the useless apps.

So now I've patched together a desktop experience almost as good as Win7, but with a huge dead zone and not fully stable due to the 3rd parties. Why would I do that when I can go back to Win7 and have a perfect OS for desktop experience?

 

[mjf]

I have a spare full retail version of Windows 7 for the future (and no I'm not flushed with $).
I would have thought business/office efficiency needs a decent desktop environment.
I wonder if Apple will see a weakness and therefore opportunity here.

 

[lehnerus2000]

Incentive?

I have a spare full retail version of Windows 7 for the future (and no I'm not flushed with $).
I would have thought business/office efficiency needs a decent desktop environment.
I wonder if Apple will see a weakness and therefore opportunity here.

A lot of businesses seem to "run their equipment into the ground".
A lot of consumers seem to throw out their equipment, as soon as a new version appears.

Therefore I don't see much incentive for Apple to go after the business market (other than "sticking it" to MS).

 

[badtux]

Therefore I don't see much incentive for Apple to go after the business market (other than "sticking it" to MS).

Apple has in fact exited the business market with the discontinuance of the xServe product. There's nothing on the Apple site that even resembles a business desktop or business server.

 

[Slartybart]

So, are you buying Win8 or are you buying Win8 plus all of the new cloud services?
Both will feel inexpensive but the total cost of ownership is higher than previous OSes. Not necessarily a bad thing if you're in that line of business.

I'm talking about all that cloud space to store your stuff. I'm talking about even more cloud space to backup your stuff. It's like the drug dealer who gives you the first "sample" (5G free! with a LiveID) knowing you'll be back for more. How much does an 8GB flash drive cost, anyway?

.....There is a well known marketing technique called Full Line Forcing.

 

[gregrocker]

Actually Skydrive offers first 7gb Free.

I believe they plan to monetize the apps using the Apple Store model.

Have you tried the apps?

 

[mjf]

A lot of businesses seem to "run their equipment into the ground".

Three reasons why business (small to Corporate) is slow to move as I see it:
1) Cost for software and installation
2) Training
3) Risk of negative impacts on business processes in the teething stages (especially for SMEs & Corporates). Why change if it doesn't enhance the business? XP is probably still fine for most businesses.

Nevertheless, it is a big market segment. Will Windows 8 be the OS to serve it in the future or do MS have something up their sleeve?

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there
we've all moved away from the POINT of this thread -- will there be an SP2.

If W7 support is going to last till 2020 I'd bet that ANY BOOKMAKER on this planet (and others too I suspect if they are running Windows on their computers) would offer you stupenous odds if you were to bet AGAINST there not being at least one more service pack.

If you install W7 now there are two zillion and 3 fixes / updates to apply anyway so an SP makes sense --also a lot of businesses are upgrading to W7 (not W8).

The only thing that might alter the scenario is if the Surf RT and particularly the Surf PRO tablets take off -- enterprises could make use of DECENT tablets that have a proper working OS with productivity tools included (such as MS OFFICE)-- and the new Ms Tablets have been getting quite a few positive reviews.

Even with a SURF RT tablet (was testing one) I can logon to the workplace VPN, use an external monitor and work just like I could using a laptop -- I think when this thread was started nobody had even SEEN much less tried the new tablets.

And I'm not really a tablet lover either -- however the Ms tablets have changed my mind about continuing on with laptops and the whole W8 experience -- W8 is actually VERY GOOD on a tablet !! and the touch screen makes perfect sense even with a HUGE external monitor - you don't have to touch that of course !! -- I probably WILL get the PRO tablet when it appears in January -- I actually enjoyed my experience with the RT verstion although for professional serious use you'd be better off with the more powerful PRO version.

If a previously confirmed tablet hater like me finds using a relatively low powered tablet like the Surf RT a pleasure then I think W7 might well not last as long as people think -- so I'd get that bet on quick !!!!.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[Slartybart]

Yes 7GB free - still a pusher deal.

Right, the apps, forgot to mention those apps. No, I haven't tried anything Win8, OS or apps. After my machine hell in October, I'm wary of any changes to my system(s). To be honest, I've only recently moved to Win7 (March '12) so Win8 has no allure, even if people raved about it. Win7 was on the machine that replaced a DOA machine.

I lived on the bleeding edge for so long, I need a transfusion =:>

Actually Skydrive offers first 7gb Free.

I believe they plan to monetize the apps using the Apple Store model.

Have you tried the apps?