The legacy of Windows 7 - last of a breed?

[Layback Bear]

I don't believe it's a change or age thing.
Many if not most of us have went through many changes in Windows before we ended up on Windows 7. Some would just like change to be for the better not just change for the sake of change.
For those of lesser years that were born, spanked and handed a i-phone Windows 8 is not change. A tablet is just a bigger i-phone which in many cases they feel completely comfortable with. Some of lesser years then tried a PC with Windows 7 and discovered it was different but liked it on a PC. I would bet such people still use the phone and tablet as it was designed to be used and a PC with Windows 7 as it was designed to be used. That is a good thing.
Then their is older folks that thought having a small phone you could carry around would be nice to have. They use it as a phone and some may text. They know their phone does more things but don't care, it's a carry around phone.
No tablets; it's just a big phone that won't fit in their pocket. Then they go home or work and use a PC with Windows 7 and know it's a PC and it does PC things the way a PC should do things. They are happy and thats a good thing.

 

[BrokeIC]

Deep inside Windows Blue: 10 coolest features in Microsoft's leaked OS

And while we're talking notable non-features, one in particular might rile diehard desktop enthusiasts. The Start button still doesn't make it in Windows Blue. It's really, truly gone, folks.

 

[Stephanie]

If Windows 7 is the last version of a standard Windows GUI/system I find it quit a sad thought

 

[alphanumeric]

There may actually be something Microsoft refers to as a "Start Button" but it won't open the classic "Start Menu". At least that's the way I read it.

 

[theveterans]

There may actually be something Microsoft refers to as a "Start Button" but it won't open the classic "Start Menu". At least that's the way I read it.

And MS claims that they "listened" to customer feedback. If they really did, they would've had by default metro + charms bar completely disabled with the old start menu and start button present at least on desktop platform.

 

[alphanumeric]

It's all in the interpretation. There is a big difference between a Start Button and a (Classic) Start Menu. Be careful what you ask for?

 

[Yawrood22]

I like the part of theveterans reply wherein they say . . ."And Ms claim that they listened to customer feedback". Biggest joke of all time.

Microsoft has so screwed up !

 

[dperecky]

."And Ms claim that they listened to customer feedback".

I guess different parts of MS listen better than others. For example, they are -still- supporting XP... which is pretty cool. IMO, they should continue support for XP and all popular OSs (which by definition would exclude Vista) from then on, for perpetuity.
link: Support ends in 2014 for Windows XP and Office 2003!

 

[theveterans]

IMO, they should continue support for XP and all popular OSs (which by definition would exclude Vista) from then on, for perpetuity.

That would stop PC technology from improving since if XP is supported perpetually, many enterprise and budget conscious people won't even bother upgrading to the latest version, and therefore missing improvements that the newer OS have. In addition, hardware improvements would be stagnant or improve very slowly since the older OS won't be able to support the new features a new hardware would've like better multi-core multitasking and large RAM management of Windows 7 and 8.

 

[lehnerus2000]

Forced to replace?

IMO, they should continue support for XP and all popular OSs (which by definition would exclude Vista) from then on, for perpetuity.

XP should be "Public Domained", if MS are going to stop supporting it.

If the law demanded "Public Domaining" of unsupported software, MS would support it forever.

That would stop PC technology from improving since if XP is supported perpetually, many enterprise and budget conscious people won't even bother upgrading to the latest version, and therefore missing improvements that the newer OS have. In addition, hardware improvements would be stagnant or improve very slowly since the older OS won't be able to support the new features a new hardware would've like better multi-core multitasking and large RAM management of Windows 7 and 8.

Are you suggesting that people should be forced to replace their PCs, just because MS (or others Corporations) want to make a buck?

If the new systems are better, people will eventually start using them.

Cars didn't become the dominant private transportation method, because the car companies went out and shot all of the horses.

 

[Layback Bear]

I like this very much lehnerus2000

Cars didn't become the dominant private transportation method, because the car companies went out and shot all of the horses.

 

[theveterans]

Are you suggesting that people should be forced to replace their PCs, just because MS (or others Corporations) want to make a buck?

If the new systems are better, people will eventually start using them.

Cars didn't become the dominant private transportation method, because the car companies went out and shot all of the horses.

People can choose to upgrade whenever they want. I'm just saying that it's good for MS to support their OS for more than a decade, but making the support for old OSes perpetually could cause a slow trend in PC hardware improvements IMO.

 

[gregrocker]

The sales statistics show that many consumers and even business are being dragged kicking and screaming out of XP, which won't even install on most modern hardware and drives like a 67 Dart now.

XP

Win7

Win8

 

[theveterans]

Love that Lexus LFA. Its engine engineering and acoustics are amazing just like 7. Windows 8 is out of this world lol.

 

[gregrocker]

I didn't mean to imply that 8 has any futuristic design, just bug-ugly and alien to the Desktop experience which 7 perfected. But its plainness also has no design advantage like with an Element or Cube, just ugly.

 

[alphanumeric]

As far as I know there will be nothing stopping you from using XP as long as you can find hardware for it. Microsoft won't update or patch it anymore but I drought they are going to flip a kill switch. They could turn off the XP activation servers I guess but I don't see them doing that, it would be bad press to do that. It will be a use at your own risk scenario. It would cost Microsoft a lot of money to continually support older operating systems so at some point they have to just let it go and move on. They aren't going to sell any more XP licenses so there is no more revenue to be had in it. That and they want you to move on to something better. Preferably another MS operating system.

 

[dperecky]

IMO, they should continue support for XP and all popular OSs (which by definition would exclude Vista) from then on, for perpetuity.

That would stop PC technology from improving since if XP is supported perpetually, many enterprise and budget conscious people won't even bother upgrading to the latest version, and therefore missing improvements that the newer OS have. In addition, hardware improvements would be stagnant or improve very slowly since the older OS won't be able to support the new features a new hardware would've like better multi-core multitasking and large RAM management of Windows 7 and 8.

After thousands (some would say millions) of years of man toiling and manufacturing different goods- AFAIK, a software program, or OS is the ONLY thing that man can make that will not naturally age and be rendered unusable solely due to time passing by. Therefore this amazing achievement should be celebrated IMO. This achievement and the programs/OSs that it represents- should not be dreaded, shunned, or rendered obsolete by design.

ETA: There is another different product that I can think of that holds its value and actually gets better w/age... Wine (and other alcoholic beverages). We don't scrap all old bottles just for the sake of change for new ones- I don't think.

 

[Joseph K]

Then their is older folks that thought having a small phone you could carry around would be nice to have. They use it as a phone and some may text. They know their phone does more things but don't care, it's a carry around phone.
No tablets; it's just a big phone that won't fit in their pocket. Then they go home or work and use a PC with Windows 7 and know it's a PC and it does PC things the way a PC should do things. They are happy and thats a good thing.

This

I resent M$ for forcing W8 upon us.

Tried W8 beta for a couple months in a virtual system. Hated it. The list of features I dislike is long.

I'll be using W7 as long as I can. If I remember right I hung on to W2K until XP SP4 and skipped Vista altogether.

It's a shame M$ couldn't/wouldn't give us the option of having either the W8 desktop or a "classic W7 view"

 

[lehnerus2000]

Extended Update Packs

It would cost Microsoft a lot of money to continually support older operating systems so at some point they have to just let it go and move on. They aren't going to sell any more XP licenses so there is no more revenue to be had in it. That and they want you to move on to something better. Preferably another MS operating system.

MS had trouble giving W8 away ($15-$40).

Given that 300M - 600M PCs still run XP (depending on whose figures you believe), MS could sell "extended update packs" for it.
I suspect a lot of those users would be willing to pay $50 - $100 to keep using their current machines and software (instead of upgrading to W8).
That could bring in $15B - $60B in income. :shock:

The very first one would just be a roll-up of the updates since SP3 (100% pure profit - no effort required).