Win 7 vs Vista...has anyone looked at Win 7?

[AZ-Tax]

Has anyone had the opportunity to look at Win 7 and if so your thoughts. Here is an article that may be of help.

http://www.gamerscircle.net/2009/01/20/what-does-windows-7-mean-to-you-pc-gaming/

[Bees Knees]

Never upgrade to a new OS until millions of others have had the chance to find the bugs and Microsoft has had a chance to fix them.

[ChEAr$]

"Be not the first by whom the New are try'd,"

---- Alexander Pope

[tilt53]

Will your current preparation software support it? I know that ProSeries only started supporting Vista with TY2007. I just got a new computer making the switch from XP to Vista for the first time. I despise Vista. From what I've heard though, Windows 7 is supposed to have the stability of Vista with the friendliness of XP.

[erchess]

Software and Seven

A friend of mine who is works in the IT field really likes XP hates Vista and so far likes Seven of which he was one of the first Beta Testers. He says that Seven is very backwards compliant and is able to run software intended for Vista or XP.

I generally agree with not being one of the first to try a new OS. I have even at times put off the purchase of new hardware because I didn't want to try a new OS yet. And at this point I am planning to go with this XP computer for one more tax season. However, if I had to get a new Windows computer today I would have three options. I could use XP even if I had to buy it somewhere and install it but I would not wish to do that because I might want to keep the computer past the time XP will be supported. I could definitely get Vista but I wouldn't want to because I have heard so many bad things about it. That leaves Seven which I would go for and try my tax software then fall back on XP if that or anything else I was wedded to would not run on Seven. I might also get a Mac now that there are two different software packages for that OS that will allow them to run Windows Programs. A local computer store has offered to sell me a Mac with both of those packages and let me try out for 90 days and if I find that I have any software that he can't show me how to make run he will let me return it all.

[Mike Mac]

64-Bit Vista

I hate going through the hassles of buying a new computer and then going through the ritual of reloading programs including prior year tax programs. So last year a few months before tax season I got the latest/greatest available hoping I'd be good for four or five years.

After getting a computer with the 64-bit version of Vista (rather than 32-bit) I found out that
I could no longer use my old, realiable, workhorse Cannon laser printer because its driver was incompatible with a 64 bit system and Cannon had no plans of creating a new driver for the 64 bit Vista operating system. Proseries did NOT support the 64 bit version of VISTA last year.

My point in sharing this is that I thought I was pretty knowlegeable regarding computer hardware and software. The 64-bit/32-bit decision proved me wrong.

[geekgirldany]

I've really liked Vista better than XP. I still have XP on my computer at home. Yup the 64bit of Vista has caused alot of people trouble. Although it allows you to run more RAM/memory it is so incompatible with software and hardware.... so I bought 32bit version instead.

[erchess]

Bit by Bit

I have to admit that if I were going to buy a computer at this point I would be looking for 64 bit quad core unless a salesperson could show me something faster. I'd replace a peripheral before I bought anything but the most powerful chip and Video Card my money would buy. I do think the computer industry should be made to be more adaptable. For example if a printer is for sale on a given date it should be required to have a warranty that all computers made at that time or within the next ten years to the day with the proper kind of port will be provided with drivers to let said computers run the printer. In the event they want to back out of that they have to pay each owner some reasonable multiple (200?) of the highest MSRP the model ever had. I'm not trying to make printer buyers into lottery winners but I am trying to make companies realize that just one model of printer not getting the right support threatens the existence of the conglomerate that produces the printer.

[David1980]

I would not buy a Windows 7 machine at this time. Even if all the hardware you use did have drivers, the actual software testing by whatever tax prep software you use will necessarily be minimal. There simply isn't enough time to test all scenarios on a brand new OS. Especially as software companies are going through forms approval this time of year, and getting last minute changes into their products. You very likely will find things that were not tested well enough this first year. I would not be surprised if many of the tax prep companies didn't even support Windows 7 this year.

If in doubt, call their support. You should be able to get an honest answer. (Do not call your sales though, as my experience with sales is they'll promise anything to get a sale.)

[geekgirldany]

That is what I have on my computer at the office is a Quad processor from AMD. It sure is fast. Should have got one for my home computer as I do alot of graphics work on it. But at the time money was tight and I did not buy it. But the motherboard is upgradable to a quad.