Windows 7 has been a long time coming. In some ways it’s what Windows Vista was supposed to be back in 2006. It’s fast, super stable, but also clean and sleek. I love it and switch from OS X because of Windows 7. It has restored my faith in Microsoft and it feels good to be back on a Windows system after a five year hiatus. I don’t think I’m alone either.
Reviews and previews of Windows 7 have been posted ever since the first public beta in January of 2009. Everyone seems to love it. I haven’t seen or heard of any major bugs or flaws in the operating system. Microsoft nailed this one and should be proud.
Tomorrow, October 22, is the official launch date of Windows 7. Preorders are already shipping out from online retailers and I wouldn’t be surprised if the retail boxes are already on the shelves in some brick and mortar stores. In fact, TG Daily is reporting that Windows 7 has dethroned Harry Potter as Amazon’s most successful preorder item of all time. It’s clear that people want Windows 7.
But do you? Seriously, I’m asking. Do you plan on purchasing Windows 7? I’m not saying you should pay full retail for the system as there have already been a few deals for the OS including a student discount and the Signature edition found in the Windows 7 Launch Party packs landing on eBay for cheap. Or you can snag an OEM version on the cheap too if you can manage without the retail box and documentation.
But if you do have to pay full retail, at least Windows 7 rings up at a lot lower price than previous editions of Windows 7 with the most expensive Ultimate edition costing only $319, which is slightly less painful than Vista’s $399 MSRP.
That’s still a good chunk of change though. I can tell you that Windows 7 does provide a significant usability boost over Windows Vista, but besides that, even I have a hard time justify the price. I know Microsoft and Apple’s business model are totally different, but Apple wins people over when it prices new operating systems for $29 while Microsoft charges more than a cost of a netbook. Apple also doesn’t have 17 different versions of the same operating system. Its K.I.S.S. strategy obviously means hardware and software.
You already know how I feel about the OS. I’m using it right now and have enjoyed the free beta versions the entire time. I doubt anyone will actually line up at Best Buy for the chance to be the first tomorrow to purchase the OS. (Okay, maybe a few will) There’s a good chance that savvy Windows users already have the OS either through one of the beta programs or from one of those “torrent” sites I hear about occasionally…
So what’s your plan? Is your computer getting a Windows 7 upgrade sometime soon or are you still going to live in the depths of hell that is Windows Vista.