Keeping Windows 7? Some good news

[Dch48]

Check out this article if you intend to keep using Win 7 and don't want to switch to 8.

http://www.zdnet.com/how-to-skip-windows-8-and-continue-using-windows-7-7000001734/

[bob3160]

Keep something in the back of your mind.... Switching to windows 8 = $39.99 if pre-ordered.
Updating to Windows 7 = $129.95
Which one is the more economical choice
There are many people that are still using Windows XP which will soon stop receiving support and updates.

[DavidR]

Well I'm holding out with this XP Pro system certainly until April 2014 (so not soon for support Bob). The biggest factor for win XP systems isn't going to be microsoft support ending, but application support for the OS, that is more likely to motivate people than any MS deadline. Hell people are still using win98 and win2k.

When we get near that time frame now doubt some corrections in the form of win8 SP1 and possibly SP2 maybe released, so who know how the interface will look like then.

Or if we're really lucky an idea of what the next version of windows might bring.

I know one thing in its current state I won't be using win8 on a desktop system. If that doesn't change then perhaps my next desktop system will have win7 Pro on it. Economics aren't the issue if you don't like the product how much it costs is irrelevant.

[Charyb-0]

I won't be spending a dime to upgrade my XP desktop to anything other than Linux. I won't spend the money- $39.99 for W8 or $129.95 for W7 and still have outdated hardware. I'm not so sure how many of the older XP computers are going to meet the system requirements of W7 and W8 anyway.

My laptop will have W7 on it until I decide to purchase a new one and I am certain that will be before the year 2020. Who knows, by the time I purchase a new laptop, Windows 9 may be available to please all those who don't like Windows 8.

[DavidR]

I might consider win8 pro if the pre-order deal included the ability to downgrade to win7 pro as mentioned in the article it came to be true.

[Charyb-0]

Is the pre-order deal for Windows 8 Pro? If this was the case, then it would make sense economically to pre-order W8 then downgrade to W7. Sounds too good to be true though.

Will there be a basic, home, and pro version of W8? When you pay for the upgrade, which do you get?

[bob3160]

Is the pre-order deal for Windows 8 Pro? If this was the case, then it would make sense economically to pre-order W8 then downgrade to W7. Sounds too good to be true though.

Will there be a basic, home, and pro version of W8? When you pay for the upgrade, which do you get?

Basically 2 versions:
Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro
There will also be an RT version for the ARM OS.
Don't know about a downgrade to Windows 7option but highly doubt that will be an available option.
(I've now been using Windows 8 since 2011 and would never go back. )

[DavidR]

Well this downgrade option has been used before and that is what was mentioned in the article.

And on top of all that, you and your business have downgrade rights. Assuming that Windows 8 Professional incorporates license terms similar to those of its predecessors, it will include the right to downgrade to Windows 7 Professional. When you buy a new PC with Windows 8 Professional installed,  you can legally replace it with a copy of Windows 7 Professional.

[bob3160]

When you buy a new PC with Windows 8 Professional installed,  you can legally replace it with a copy of Windows 7 Professional.

I have no intentions of purchasing a new computer which certainly costs more than a license for windows regardless of the version. 

[DavidR]

For many people that is their only upgrade path if their system isn't up to the task, which is another reason why my comment the economics of the price of win8 aren't the issue in the bigger scheme of things. First you have to want it and second you have to have a system that can run it.

[bob3160]

For many people that is their only upgrade path if their system isn't up to the task, which is another reason why my comment the economics of the price of win8 aren't the issue in the bigger scheme of things. First you have to want it and second you have to have a system that can run it.

It happens to be a lot less demanding than Windows Vista or Windows 7. I've installed and run it on some old computers in our Senior center
that couldn't be upgraded to either Vista or Windows 7 but are running Windows 8 without any problems.
Sometimes progress is a good thing even if it's being recommended by someone ancient.   

[Charyb-0]

I purchased my laptop (with W7) to replace my XP desktop.  I really have no need for the desktop computer except for when my daughter comes home and wants to browse the internet and that's it. Considering it is for browsing only, it will probably have Linux Mint or Ubuntu on it. In fact, this may happen this weekend now that I'm thinking about it.

It has a Pentium 4 with 512mb of ram. It will cost me about $60.00 or more to upgrade to 1gb of pc133 sdram plus the $39.99 to upgrade to W8. With that said, the rest of my hardware is slow and old. I won't have to spend a penny if I install Linux Mint or Ubuntu. Avast for Linux is free and so is Libre Office, FireFox and many other programs.

This is a computer that I normally don't look at unless someone tells me something is wrong with it.

A person should consider the age and it's use before spending money updating an OS on a computer full of old technology.

Edit: I purchased a Dell laptop when Vista was released to replace the XP desktop. Then I purchase a Windows 7 laptop because I really disliked Vista.

[Dch48]

Keep something in the back of your mind.... Switching to windows 8 = $39.99 if pre-ordered.
Updating to Windows 7 = $129.95
Which one is the more economical choice
There are many people that are still using Windows XP which will soon stop receiving support and updates.

But, the post and article are aimed at people who are already using Win 7, not those who have to switch to it or Win 8 from something older. Therefore, the cost of Win 7 is irrelevant.  Anything to do with Vista or XP is as well.

Since OEM's will be able to continue selling PC's with Win 7 installed. I wouldn't be surprised if those machines outsell the same or similar models with Win 8. In the full fledged PC marketplace, Windows 8's biggest competitor and obstacle is it's predecessor. Windows 7 is just that good.

[Marc57]

Yep, I'll be staying with Win 7. I'm even hoping that the price for Win 7 will drop when 8 is released so I can buy several more copies. That way if I have to buy a new computer, I can dump Win. 8 and put a real desktop OS on it.

[Dch48]

Yep, I'll be staying with Win 7. I'm even hoping that the price for Win 7 will drop when 8 is released so I can buy several more copies. That way if I have to buy a new computer, I can dump Win. 8 and put a real desktop OS on it.

You can expect to see new PC's for sale with Win 7 on them for about 2 years after Win 8 launches. It's looking like there will be a choice for new purchases.