# Should I get Windows 7? Why? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 10, 2009, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-windows-7-why/516986 "2009-11-10T01:54:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2009, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-windows-7-why/516986/21 "2009-11-12T19:01:21Z")
> [@Reply](#): > > [http://www.theultimatesteal.com/](http://www.theultimatesteal.com/) > > .edu email address from approved university. Has anyone ordered Windows 7 from them yet? In the cart, the item reads “Microsoft Windows 7 Professional Upgrade.” Is this an oversite or are they selling upgrades only, not the full version? ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2009, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-windows-7-why/516986/22 "2009-11-12T19:22:09Z")
According [to this web site](http://windowssecrets.com/), anyone with a copy of Windows XP or later should only buy the upgrade version of Windows 7 and can save money. The latest newsletter says one can use the upgrade version to perform a clean, full install, even to a hard drive that’s been reformatted. Thing is, one can legally buy a full version OEM copy of Windows 7 and it’s cheaper than a retail upgrade version. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2009, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-windows-7-why/516986/23 "2009-11-12T21:48:39Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > Has anyone ordered Windows 7 from them yet? In the cart, the item reads “Microsoft Windows 7 Professional Upgrade.” Is this an oversite or are they selling upgrades only, not the full version? I got my copy from them. Upgrades only. ---
**Author:** ![Spectralist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Spectralist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectralist)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2009, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-windows-7-why/516986/24 "2009-11-14T14:56:47Z")
If you’re already using Vista I see little or no reason to upgrade. There’re a few improvements, better sound device controls for example, but there are also a number of added annoying features that can’t be turned off. But the biggest problem is the UI which has been royally screwed up. It wastes so much more space than previous windows versions. Windows explorer uses between 89-103%(depending on your settings) more vertical pixels to represent the _exact same_ UI panel information and options(albeit organized differently) as XP. That’s only on the UI portions of it, but even the content portion can waste more space. Theres more pointless whitespace between lines if you use “Details” view mode, for example, wasting even more vertical space needlessly and you need to have the window considerably wider than the columns headings or you get a horizontal scroll bar which wastes either horizontal or vertical screen space. This is all in comparison to XP though. I don’t currently have a Vista installation but if I recall correctly it wastes considerably less space the Win7, but slightly more than XP. But this is all using Windows Classic mode. Were I to use Aero the amount of space wasted jumps up considerably. And if you have Aero on font smoothing weasels it’s way back into to the UI even if you have it turned off. Admittedly wasting space is a pit of a pet peeve of mine so I notice it where others might not and lately every developer out there seems to love to waste so much more space for their UIs than they used to that I spend much of my days in a frothing rage at the annoyance of it all but it’s probably not as much a deal breaker for most people. Had I a legitimate copy of Vista I would go back to it in a heartbeat just for the more succinct UI. Though I’d miss the better sound driver options. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2009, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-windows-7-why/516986/25 "2009-11-14T21:29:38Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > Has anyone ordered Windows 7 from them yet? In the cart, the item reads “Microsoft Windows 7 Professional Upgrade.” Is this an oversite or are they selling upgrades only, not the full version? The only difference is legality. The upgrade version is still the full version. Although it may give you a bit of hassle, you can get it to install on any blank hard drive. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2009, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-windows-7-why/516986/26 "2009-11-14T21:44:12Z")
> [@davekhps](#): > > I love my 7. > > I liked Vista-- never used it before they fixed it with the later service pack, so I didn’t get to experience the horror stories. But earlier this year I downloaded the 7 demo, and was hooked from the get-go. Streamlined, intuitive, faster, easier… \*better \*(and nooo, not just a “service pack” for Vista; far from it). > > Alas, my computer’s hard drive crashed, and I ended up getting a new computer that had Vista on it until I could get my 7 upgrade disc in the mail, so I was back to Vista for two months. > > Lemme tell ya, that SUCKED. Vista is fine if you’re using it up from XP; going from 7 back to Vista is painful (I couldn’t even imagine going back to XP… got XP at work, that’s plenty punishment enough, thank you very much). > > Anyway, there are a few quirks here and there that could probably stand to be fixed or tweaked in the coming months, but the functionality out of the box is probably as good as you’ll get with any software, if not better (heck, most PC games I have need three patches to be even _playable_– 7 worked great from the moment I installed it). > > The only downside? The HP “free” upgrade disc I got in the mail was defective. After a couple hours trying to get work, I finally said screw it, and bought a new copy through the MS site. Just over an hour later, everything was installed, my Vista was upgraded to 7, no issues at all. > > So, since I paid $120 for _my_ copy and am very happy with it, I’d run out the door now for a $30 copy… You technically have an extra license, then. If you put the OEM license on the computer, you could even legally give away or sell the retail disc. I know I’d be morally okay with making a copy of that disc before getting rid of it as It would then be a functional backup of your defective install disc. (Or you could just send off to get it replaced). If you put the retail license on the computer, though, then the problem is that the OEM version can only be legally installed on a “new” computer. ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2009, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-windows-7-why/516986/27 "2009-11-18T07:40:11Z")
Can someone outline in detail and small words just how exactly that $30 upgrade works? What happens after I fill out my credit card info and click “checkout” or whatever it says? What kind of fancy computer stuffs would I have to do afterwards to get Win7 up and running? ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2009, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-windows-7-why/516986/28 "2009-11-19T17:35:14Z")
For anyone wondering, I’d like to know because I want to take advantage of the deal ASAP, but I don’t want to have to install Win7 on this particular computer. It’s old and I’d rather not do anything big and drastic. I’ll be in the possession of a much more modern and capable machine in a month or so and tha’ts what I want Win7 for because I’ll just be relocating this hard drive to the new stuff. ---
**Author:** ![old\_joe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/58956e/32.png) [@old\_joe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/old_joe)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2009, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-windows-7-why/516986/29 "2009-11-19T19:57:14Z")
> [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#): > > What kind of fancy computer stuffs would I have to do afterwards to get Win7 up and running? Nothing too it. We got our dvd, popped it in and started the upgrade. It asked for the serial and then quite a long time later was done. all our “Stuff” was there and worked. Painless really.😛 BTW i am a IT guy but the OP wanted small words.. ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2009, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-windows-7-why/516986/30 "2009-11-19T20:01:14Z")
> [@old\_joe](#): > > Nothing too it. We got our dvd, popped it in and started the upgrade. It asked for the serial and then quite a long time later was done. all our “Stuff” was there and worked. > Painless really.😛 > > BTW i am a IT guy but the OP wanted small words.. So I _can_ buy now, use later? As per my most recent post before this one? ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2009, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-windows-7-why/516986/31 "2009-11-19T20:14:00Z")
I know it sounds absurd, but Microsoft is pretty good on the phone. No, really … stop laughing! Aside from hardware support (two keyboards died, they shipped based on SN alone), their activation support lines can be pretty helpful. Um … wait, this may be old advice – I’d called about swapping XP Pro and Home on a couple machines a few years back. YMMV. Windows activation: (888) 571-2048 Good luck and do post if they help – I’m kind of in the same boat. Ultimate Steal disc, but won’t install for several months (and then it’s likely to go on a Mac!). ---
**Author:** ![old\_joe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/58956e/32.png) [@old\_joe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/old_joe)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2009, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-windows-7-why/516986/32 "2009-11-19T20:21:19Z")
> [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#): > > So I _can_ buy now, use later? As per my most recent post before this one? Yes you can buy it now and use it later. As long as you keep the serial number you can install anytime you want. I got one using my sons edu email and my wife got one using a friends sons. So think of a inlaw or friend who has a child with a MAC, they would not be buying the update and might let you use it. My DIL has a brother who wont be using his so I will be getting one from him as well. ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2009, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-windows-7-why/516986/33 "2009-11-19T21:15:52Z")
> [@](#): > > Yes you can buy it now and use it later. As long as you keep the serial number you can install anytime you want. \ [Excellent](http://www.rosswalker.co.uk/tv_sounds/sounds_files_20081223_9801173/simpsons/burns_excellent3.wav). \ So, new question. To be able to buy it now and use it later, it would require I buy that $15 thing they don’t immediately advertise, correct? The “disk kit”. ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2009, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-windows-7-why/516986/34 "2009-11-19T21:59:18Z")
> [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#): > > So, new question. To be able to buy it now and use it later, it would require I buy that $15 thing they don’t immediately advertise, correct? The “disk kit”. Not necessarily, the download will make a disk image you can burn to DVD yourself if you’re able. ---
**Author:** ![Epimetheus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2009, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-windows-7-why/516986/35 "2009-11-19T22:03:00Z")
I’ve weaned myself off windows. I still use it on my desktop, but when it corrupts I’ll either use a ghost image or go with Ubuntu or Mint. I purchased two copies of windows. One when I wasn’t a student and one when I was. I own both. However, I have reinstalled it so many times (more than 3), and now I have to freaking call them when I have to reinstall it. I’m not dealing with that. I’ll spend my money elsewhere (and would buy OS X if it wasn’t a pain in the arse to get it installed and drivers installed on a non Mac). ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2009, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-windows-7-why/516986/36 "2009-11-19T22:15:46Z")
> [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#): > > For anyone wondering, I’d like to know because I want to take advantage of the deal ASAP, but I don’t want to have to install Win7 on this particular computer. It’s old and I’d rather not do anything big and drastic. I’ll be in the possession of a much more modern and capable machine in a month or so and tha’ts what I want Win7 for because I’ll just be relocating this hard drive to the new stuff. But this new computer won’t come with Windows 7 already? Are you getting a used computer or something? ETA: or a Mac? ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2009, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-windows-7-why/516986/37 "2009-11-19T22:55:17Z")
> [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#): > > So, new question. To be able to buy it now and use it later, it would require I buy that $15 thing they don’t immediately advertise, correct? The “disk kit”. No, you can burn the download to disc – I don’t even think you need to make an ISO disc. When I got Office (grrr!) I went for the disk anyway, just to be on the safe side. But I still have the downloads saved in an archive. Any opinions about 64 or 32 bit? If the processor can handle 64, any reason to stay at 32? ---
**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2009, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-windows-7-why/516986/38 "2009-11-19T22:57:27Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > Any opinions about 64 or 32 bit? If the processor can handle 64, any reason to stay at 32? As long as there are 64-bit drivers available for all your devices/hardware, nope. 64 bit is the way pretty much all personal computers are heading towards it seems. ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2009, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-windows-7-why/516986/39 "2009-11-19T23:08:50Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > But this new computer won’t come with Windows 7 already? Are you getting a used computer or something? > > ETA: or a Mac? I am purchasing pieces of a computer and keeping this current hard drive to cut costs for now and not that I need more than 160GB of space. > [@](#): > > As long as there are 64-bit drivers available for all your devices/hardware, nope. How would someone go about finding this sort of information? ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2009, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-windows-7-why/516986/40 "2009-11-20T02:41:41Z")
[Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor](http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=1b544e90-7659-4bd9-9e51-2497c146af15&displayLang=en) [Also](http://www.microsoft.com/windows/compatibility/windows-7/en-us/default.aspx) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-windows-7-why/516986.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-windows-7-why/516986.md?page=3)