I am a long-time Windows developer, having written software for the DOS and Windows platforms since the mid-1980s. I have literally hundreds of thousands of lines invested in a suite of Windows and (Windows server) web products on which my business depends. When Windows Vista came out, however, I was just disgusted with the OS: it was slow, gratingly annoying with all of the UAC pop-ups, unable to run on MOST of our computers (even relatively new ones), and incompatible not only with much third-party software but with a fair number of MS’s own products (especially development tools). Did I mention slow?
I say “disgusted” and people might think that that is hyperbole. It isn’t: I spent over $20K outfitting myself and my office with new Macs and decreed that Windows was only welcome if you run Win XP in a VMWare virtual machine. In short, my money went where my mouth was. I couldn’t abandon Windows; I have too much invested in Windows source code. But I was getting as far away from Microsoft and Windows as I could given the circumstances.
I mention all of this just because it sets the stage for just how unwilling I was to even give Windows 7 much consideration. I had to get at least one copy of Windows 7, though, so that our testing team could evaluate our products on the OS.
What I found was that Windows 7 is a revelation. I almost can’t believe that the same team that developed Vista went and created Windows 7. It is fast – really fast – and very easy to use and navigate in every regard. The incessant UAC prompts are gone and the Control Panel has been reorganized and streamlined. Did I mention that it is fast? And, like the Mac, things just work. When I plugged in a new printer in Vista I could almost be guaranteed of a long struggle to get it to actually work. In an admittedly small sample, the two printers I’ve hooked up so far have both just worked.
Much has been (rightly) made of the Mac’s advantages. Mac OS X is a truly great operating system and things really do “just work.” But I can honestly say – having used both at considerable length now – that Windows 7 has completely closed the gap and, in some ways, is easier to use (especially the taskbar pop up Windows showing you your running programs). Despite having both right at hand on a KVM switch, my days are spent primarily in Windows 7 with the Mac mostly being used for iTunes and some graphics work. I feel foolish having to admit that I like Windows 7 so much after making a huge investment in Apple but I am hopeful that my experience will help others.
As an aside, I used to really enjoy the “I’m a Mac/I’m a PC” commercials (when I was a newly minted Mac fan). But, truly, if you are used to Windows on your PC, Windows 7 is a much smoother upgrade than OS X. You won’t have to learn all new key combinations (e.g. “End” doesn’t go to the end of the line on a Mac), your software investment will go with you, etc. etc. Indeed, when I see the Apple commercial where the woman decides that she might as well go with a Mac since she is upgrading anyhow, I cringe.
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