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Jan. 13, 2009 7:14 a.m. Grtechguy SuperDork

anyone else try it yet?

looks like a cross between Vista and a KDE linux interface...
Jan. 13, 2009 7:18 a.m. Tim Baxter Online Editor

No, but I've tried IE8. MS browsers keep getting leaps and bounds better, but still a step or two behind the others.
Jan. 13, 2009 1:37 p.m. aircooled Dork

From what I have read it is basically an update to Vista. Same speed / memory situation, same driver situation (apparently it is a feature that the driver situation is not worse!) And of course there is the obligatory "lets move stuff around"

It does have some interface updates that seem to be be HIGHLY inspired by OSX, so if you don't like Macs you might not like it.
Jan. 13, 2009 1:54 p.m. foxtrapper SuperDork

Not tried it myself, but what I've heard from those who have is that it's a disapointment. It's not a departure into something new, it's just an upgraded version of Vista.
Jan. 13, 2009 2:37 p.m. skruffy Dork

The task bar is a little bit different from vista, but otherwise it appears to be an update to vista.
Jan. 13, 2009 3:27 p.m. Jensenman UltimaDork

After my disappointment with Vista, not sure I want to try to 'update' it.
Jan. 13, 2009 7:10 p.m. MCarp22 Reader
Jan. 13, 2009 9:02 p.m. Black Stig Reader

aircooled wrote:

From what I have read it is basically an update to Vista. Same speed / memory situation, same driver situation (apparently it is a feature that the driver situation is not worse!) And of course there is the obligatory "lets move stuff around"

It does have some interface updates that seem to be be HIGHLY inspired by OSX, so if you don't like Macs you might not like it.

But who doesn't like OSX? ^_^
Jan. 14, 2009 10:17 a.m. Rangeball Reader

I am actually using 7 right now. So far I am liking it very much.
Jan. 14, 2009 10:41 a.m. Tim Baxter Online Editor

Semi-related:

IE recently fell to less than half of the site visits. No longer the majority browser, although the other 51% is pretty split between Firefox, Safari, Chrome and others.

I've been using both the IE8 and FF 3.1 betas. IE8 is better than IE7, which was already LOADS better than IE6, but it's still just not that great.

FF 3.1 is pretty nice, though. Obviously still a beta, but it builds on 3.0's speed improvements and has better CSS support.
Jan. 14, 2009 11:09 a.m. Scott Lear Club Editor

I was interested in getting in on the Beta, but it was not to be. I think I can wait for the full release. I'm among the many who are quite happy with Vista. Plus, I just went from 2GB of RAM to 4GB for the out-of-pocket expense of $10, so I'm in happy PC-builder land again. Still waiting for the not-too-far-off day when RAM comes free with Froot Loops.
Jan. 14, 2009 11:52 a.m. Jensenman UltimaDork

Rangeball wrote:

I am actually using 7 right now. So far I am liking it very much.

Lemme guess: you work for the Microsoft call center in India.
Jan. 14, 2009 11:59 a.m. CrackMonkey Reader

lulz.

I didn't even know MS had released Windows 7.
Jan. 14, 2009 12:02 p.m. Tim Baxter Online Editor

They haven't. It's in closed beta. IE8 is in open beta. I'm actually re-installing it right now, since my windows install keeps misplacing it.

Absolutely AMAZING how much faster it is to install Google Chrome than IE8.
Jan. 14, 2009 12:43 p.m. moxnix New Reader

Actually it is an open beta. http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/beta-download.aspx
Jan. 14, 2009 12:44 p.m. Tim Baxter Online Editor

My mistake.
Jan. 14, 2009 1:32 p.m. foxtrapper SuperDork

Tim Baxter wrote:

I've been using both the IE8 and FF 3.1 betas. IE8 is better than IE7, which was already LOADS better than IE6, but it's still just not that great.

You've had far better luck with it than I. I've run into lots of incompatability issues with IE8 on many web sites, including the GRMS board. I have to run it in compatability mode, unless I want the text to bleed all over the place.
Jan. 14, 2009 1:47 p.m. Tim Baxter Online Editor

My problem, actually, has been KEEPING it long enough to do much meaningful testing. My Windows install keeps misplacing it and reverting to IE7 (trying to tell me something?) and half the time when I try to download it again it crashes Windows on the install. I think I may have downloaded it 5 or 6 times now.

Chrome, on the other hand, downloaded and installed flawlessly in a minute or so.

I still like FF 3.1 (and Safari) better than either.

My ideal browser would use the Safari rendering engine but have Firefoxes javascript engine and plug-in architecture.
Jan. 14, 2009 4:43 p.m. aircooled Dork

Here is a decent "first look" article:

http://www.pcworld.com/article/156978/article.html?tk=nl_ptxblg

It seems that there is a bit of a speed boost, and a rather significant boot up boost, but it still comes off as a bit of a Vista service pack.
Jan. 14, 2009 6:45 p.m. rebelgtp HalfDork

I wonder if Microsoft decided to go open beta on Windows 7 when they found out how many copies of it were already floating around on the net for download weeks before beta was even suppose to start?
Jan. 14, 2009 7:08 p.m. neon4891 SuperDork

I have been perfectly happy with IE since they brought over TABS, I have no need for other browsers
Jan. 14, 2009 7:21 p.m. Grtechguy SuperDork

Well, I wiped the laptop..

Don't try the upgrade path.... just my 2 cents.

gonna try and run it in a VMware session under Ubuntu. XP ran better that way. we'll see if 7 does as well

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