Windows 7 vs Windows 10: which do you find the best? Why?

[rafa79]

I too am sad that Windows 7 will be overtaken by 10 but then that's just how things are in life.

Windows 8.1 will be supported by MS until 2023, which gives you, in a worst case scenario, 3 additional years of a non-Windows 10 MS supported OS.

Your current problems with Windows 10 will be a thing of the past in a year or a couple at most. Until then all you can do is use Windows 7 or 8.1 and wait. That's how it's been with practically every OS before.

 

[DavidE]

IMO. since MS is giving away Win 10, it makes sense for them to say, "We give you this software for free and, in exchange, you allow us to collect data." Maybe MS should do something like they did a couple years back where they had Win 8 with Bing that was less expensive. They could sell Win 10 with Data for a lower price (free?) but then charge more for a version where the user can completely opt out of the data collection.

MS is not giving Win 10 for free.
The cost is giving up a current Win 7 or Win 8.x license to use the "free upgrade" offer.
Right now it is a free OS UPGRADE offer, it is not a free OS LICENSE offer.

 

[ThrashZone]

No it's not free
Oh yea Barnacles he is hilarious lol :roflmao:

It is true about personal settings being changed though that is not funny :mad2:
I finally just got rid of the offending apps
How to Uninstall Windows 10?s Built-in Apps (and How to Reinstall Them)

 

[strollin]

IMO. since MS is giving away Win 10, it makes sense for them to say, "We give you this software for free and, in exchange, you allow us to collect data." Maybe MS should do something like they did a couple years back where they had Win 8 with Bing that was less expensive. They could sell Win 10 with Data for a lower price (free?) but then charge more for a version where the user can completely opt out of the data collection.

MS is not giving Win 10 for free.
The cost is giving up a current Win 7 or Win 8.x license to use the "free upgrade" offer.
Right now it is a free OS UPGRADE offer, it is not a free OS LICENSE offer.

A ridiculously silly nitpick on your part. Substitute "free os upgrade offer" into where I said "free" and the argument remains the same. Geez.

 

[DavidE]

Some people believe the free upgrade offer allows them to use Win 7 and Win 10 at the same time.
I only tried to point out that is not legally allowed, it could get the license blacklisted/blocked for both OS's.
Sorry if you feel i nitpicked, but i didn't want people to read "it is free" and think they could get a free Win 10 OS & license, and continue using Win 7 at the same time with the same license.

 

[ThrashZone]

Yea it's just a swap meet

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Well I thought I would see what it was like anyway and have dropped in a new drive that I can just wipe if it is still not my cup of poison. Now I have been told that because I tried the upgrade on that machine before I can download an ISO and clean install 10 Clean Install Windows 10 Directly without having to Upgrade First - Windows 10 Forums

Problem is I went ahead not knowing this and installed 7 Pro again thinking I would have to go the upgrade way but apparently not so am hoping I can just install the 10 ISO over this install without having to wipe the drive - not that it is a big deal. So am waiting on the ISO download now.

 

[derekimo]

You can use the Win 7 key to do a clean install if you want, it will accept that. That's how I did mine.

It doesn't really matter that 7 is on it now.

Without confusing the issue I'll just say, it would be better to stick to one persons directions and you are already getting guidance over there.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

You can use the Win 7 key to do a clean install if you want, it will accept that. That's how I did mine.

It doesn't really matter that 7 is on it now.

Without confusing the issue I'll just say, it would be better to stick to one persons directions and you are already getting guidance over there.

Yes Derek well a member - Navy has told me to do the upgrade if all goes well then do a clean install because the original upgrade info/activation will be verified by Microsoft.

Right now I am waiting on the ISO download and it looks as if it will not finish until later today.

 

[derekimo]

He said that because you said you wanted to upgrade, he offered a link to a clean install in post #4.

Either way, it doesn't matter, I don't want to confuse things even more.

 

[ThrashZone]

Activating with a qualifying key didn't work for me maybe the system has improved lately

I don't know how you'd reject the upgrade by using the upgrade that way since there is no 30 day grace period and no way to tell M$ you'd want to pass on the upgrade and retrieve the activation key to go back to 7 or which ever key you'd be using to activate 10.

As always you can't use the 7 install you're using the key with so hopefully you have a spare win-7 pro key to use

 

[derekimo]

Activating with a qualifying key didn't work for me maybe the system has improved lately

My Win 8 key wouldn't activate, I called the activation line and got to a person and they gave me a new key.

 

[ThrashZone]

Ha that is the key I used a win-8 pro key I'm guessing it was a upgrade key.
I didn't mind going though and having the 2 windows old folder history though
Original Acer win-7 home premium install/ win-8 pro inplace upgrade/ win-8.1 pro from store/ win-10 = fun day

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

I myself have read on tomshardware.com forums about Windows 10 a very convincing explanation for all the forced updates; it says that what MS are trying to accomplish with this is, in the end, to improve their new OS which will be their last OS(in terms of name anyway) by making sure every user gets updated and have their Windows 10 improved upon.

The only case in which I would be concerned about MS and their new updating system would be if I were a criminal of some sort and were hiding evidence on my computer. Since that's not my case, I don't have any reason to be concerned, I do believe MS are simply trying to make sure their Win10 users are getting the necessary updates so it can be improved. Remember that on previous versions of Windows, with the option to disable updates, most people wouldn't update and then have problems because of it as consequence.

Maybe MS are being too aggressive with this new tactic for having their new OS improved upon, but since I'm not a criminal with evidence hidden on my computer, I don't think I have much to fear.

You don't have to be a criminal to be concerned about privacy. If you do any internet banking, online shopping, bill paying, etc. on the internet, you darned well should be concerned about privacy. Plus, my life is just that—my life—and it doesn't need to be viewed by complete strangers (one reason I don't participate in social media).

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Getting back to the original topic, for me, win 7 is the best. I tried Win 8 and didn't like the way the GUI was set up with the Modern look, even though 8.1 did restore the Start menu (sort of). It just felt clumsy to me. Win 7 is working just fine for me so I saw no sense in changing.

On the other hand, there are many more reasons I prefer Win 7 over Win 10.

1. I depend heavily on WMC for recording OTA TV shows for later viewing (time shifting). While there are various other programs I could use, the simple fact is WMC is the superior one, even after MS replaced Zap2it for the program guide with an inferior one. Win 10 completely dropped WMC.

2. I depend on a gadget for monitoring my UPS. It, and a couple other gadgets I use, are not compatible with Win 10.

3. I have software that is not compatible with Win 10, including a $600 professional music notation program. The same may be true of some hardware.

4. I just don't like the flat, cartoonish GUI Win 10 uses, including the bulky tiles. Heck, I don't even like icons and minimize them as much as I can; tiles are insanely huge in comparison and eat up far too much screen real estate.

5. While, until this year, it was fairly rare for MS to come out with an update that was flawed that could cause problems on some computers, updates would occasionaly come out with problems that could even brick a computer until the update was eliminated (nearly impossible without a complete OS reinstall unless one made an image prior to the update). With Win 7, one could always delay downloading updates for a few days, plenty of time for word of problems to come out and, often, for MS to pull and even fix the problem update. Also, while not always advisable, one had the option to not install an undesirable update. With Win 10, one is forced to accept all updates unless one has the Pro version (which isn't free, btw) which only allows one to delay accepting updates for a limited amount of time.

6. With Win 7 (and XP before), I was assured the OS would pretty much stay the same with the only changes being bug fixes, security updates, and some minor improvements. Software and hardware that was compatible with Win 7 ate the beginning would stay compatible until Win 7's EOL. With Win 10, there will be major changes (and there has already have been some) that can affect one's workflow and may result in some hardware and software being rendered obsolete (and has already happened in a few cases).

There are other reasons I do not like Win 10 but these six are the biggies, any one of which would be enough for me to stay with Win 7.

 

[derekimo]

Ha that is the key I used a win-8 pro key I'm guessing it was a upgrade key.
I didn't mind going though and having the 2 windows old folder history though
Original Acer win-7 home premium install/ win-8 pro inplace upgrade/ win-8.1 pro from store/ win-10 = fun day

Was that one of the keys from Robin? If it was you didn't have to go through all that, they weren't upgrade keys.

There was instructions for upgrading but that doesn't make them upgrade keys,



I just clean installed 8.1 with that key, and that is the key that they ended up giving me a new one for when I clean installed 10.

 

[ThrashZone]

Yep it was from Robin
I tried to use it to activate win-10 too and it failed so I just took the long route

 

[ICIT2LOL]

It just felt clumsy to me. Win 7 is working just fine for me so I saw no sense in changing.

On the other hand, there are many more reasons I prefer Win 7 over Win 10

Well Jeanie I have just done a plain clean install on a new drive - of 7 Pro and am going to try the 10 again via an upgrade. I think I shall also try using the Classic Shell software. I have no personal stuff on this install so whoever can read what they will and I can just wipe the drive afterwards if it proves to be as convoluted as it was the first time I tried it.

I have been looking at some of the settings too and they look to make it as private as possible but who is to say the dates cannot fix them back again if that happens then it definitely will come off.

 

[DavidE]

Well Jeanie I have just done a plain clean install on a new drive - of 7 Pro and am going to try the 10 again via an upgrade. I think I shall also try using the Classic Shell software.

Classic Shell has a customizable search box.
I like it a lot better than the Win 10 built in search box.

I'm on Win 7 right now, but if you want a screen shot of the Classic Shell search options let me know.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Thanks David I did use Classic Shell when I had 8 on one of the machines before and it worked quite well. The only difficult bt for me was changing the Start icon - did it eventually but I think more by luck than judgment.