We have all seen the ongoing advertisement showdown with the Microsoft Guy versus Mac Guy. They are clever, funny, and even a bit true… depending on who you talk to and whether or not they are PC or Mac people. Even the “I’m a PC” response ads are interesting, especially in their creative influences, showcasing a wide range of PC users doing multiple functions and loving their product.
So how do people react to the software on a PC? Enter Microsoft’s newest baby, launched for retail this October: Windows 7. Judging from these new commercials, Windows 7 is marketed as a more user-friendly operating system. Windows 7 doesn’t live in isolation, though. It is an answer to Vista’s failures, the changing landscape and fact that Mac cashed in on this failure, making them more popular and user-friendly. Just a few years ago, the definition of “computing” was more like using programs and browsing websites on laptops and desktops. ”The advent and ubiquity of mobile computing devices like the iPhone and Netbooks, the impending arrival of “cloud computing platforms” and the proliferation of “cloud applications” like MobileMe and GoogleDocs changed all that,” software developer Juan Suero says. Location-aware devices that allow users to jog to their favorite tunes while tracking where they are going and how much energy they use are the kinds of nuances that people now want in their computing devices. The idea Microsoft is pushing is a more compatible and device-friendly program for developer tools to users trying to create applications or consolidate their devices. Windows 7, it seems can do for device users what Google did for someone trying to find that answer or a location faster than the encyclopedia and the yellow pages.
The launching of Windows 7 has been anticipated by users fed up with Windows Vista, analyzed by everyone with anything at stake (read: developers, programmers and customers on the verge of a changeover) and probably even sniffed at by its competitors. We wanted some idea of how the advanced user, programmers, and overall technology experts had to say about its importance thus far.
For Juan Suero, Microsoft’s new endeavor serves as a manifestation of the company’s new perspective of its users. Installs with the OS running are a bit flaky, Juan says. The better thing would be to do a clean install without XP getting in the way. The newest commercials push the adage, “Built By Me”, which is a direct reference to the flood of responses Microsoft oversaw after Windows Vista launched (and crashed, in many users’ opinions) about three years ago. Windows 7 is marketed as a more focused, streamlined product with multi-touchscreen support, a new super-functional taskbar and multi-browser compatibility through miniature previews. Juan also likes the better handling of memory because the task manager uses a fraction of the RAM that Vista used to use. Another boost for Windows 7 is the possibility of future markets involving touchscreen applications similar to IPod Touch’s appeal. The foundations are there, Juan says, we just have to see where Microsoft goes with it.
CNET.com techies focus on installation and startup pros and cons. For hosts of The Real Deal 185: Road Test: Windows 7, Tom and Rafe tried many different methods of beginning Windows 7 on their computers. The clean install method (from scratch without having Windows Vista previously) was a bit dicey for Rafe. He backtracked and decided to do the reformatted Vista upgrade instead, and reported a faster, more stable installation. He also mentioned that the User Interface (UI) had better, nicer features. One complaint here was the fact the home upgrade costs $120, the Professional costs $200 and Windows 7 Ultimate is $220. After the disaster of Windows Vista, Rafe suggests that perhaps there should be no costs for upgrades. On the pro side, Windows 7 has built-in drivers, so there is no need to go to others sites for installing different drivers associated with the operating system. Tom tried another method of installation over Vista on a virtual machine, which caused the “blue screen of death” crash. Tom had no problems even after installing Microsoft Office 2007, but after choosing Bing as the new search engine and/or installing Google Chrome he crashed three times, struggling with restoring instead of safe modes and Microsoft Works recognition and compatibility. There has been a lot of uproar online about this, and Microsoft has fielded many concerns for possible remedies, but not every expert had a problem with Chrome.
The next obvious question is how does Mac’s Snow Leopard, launched just a bit earlier than Windows 7 compare? Some people still believe that the $120 for an upgrade (or less if using with a new computer) is better than a $29 service pack for Mac’s OSX 10.6 Snow Leopard. All commercials aside, those of us that are ready for a change will make the leap regardless, so these early days of reviews and comments may not have their full force yet. Changes are similar and maybe more accessible to users first hand in Windows, but Mac may still have an edge on the long run. Stay tuned!
Sources:
One True Thing move http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_7 Surrogates video
http://www.cnet.com/8301-17920_1-10386605-84.html
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13846_3-10381386-62.html
http://www.pcworld.com/article/174592/ultimate_showdown_snow_leopard_vs_windows_7.html
Tags: Tech Savvy
