Switchover to Windows 7 a Big Pain

It's even better than aging fallback Windows XP

(NEWSER) - PC users who've suffered the agonies of Vista are finally about to get a reprieve, Walt Mossberg says: Windows 7, to be released Oct. 22, is "a faster and much better operating system than the little-loved Windows Vista, which did a lot to harm both the company's reputation, and the productivity and blood pressure of its users." It's not only better than Vista, it's the better than the venerable Windows XP, he declares, and "a pleasure to use." More»

'New' Microsoft OS is major improvement, say critics

(NEWSER) - Microsoft is rolling out a successor to Vista, its universally reviled operating system, with Windows 7 now available in a relatively bug-free beta download. Early users report that the new edition is a marked improvement. David Pogue, in the New York Times, says Windows 7 ends “a big part of the Vista misery,” and Walt Mossberg, in the Wall Street Journal, claims it “leaves Vista in the dust.” More»

Redmond can be proud of its new OS: Pogue

(NEWSER) - At last, you can put your Vista woes behind you. Microsoft's new operating system, Windows 7, which drops today, takes what's good about its predecessor—especially security and good looks—and eliminates the parts that drove users bonkers. Windows 7 isn't just substantially faster and more compatible with users' machines, it also dumps Vista's awful habit of "freaking out about every potential security threat," David Pogue finds. More»

Windows 7, open-source competition hold Chrome OS back

(NEWSER) - Microsoft needn’t stress about Google’s planned operating system, writes Joseph Tartakoff for paidContent. Five reasons why:

• Windows 7 will put Microsoft on firmer ground, having won great reviews so far—and it will have been out 9 months by the time Chrome OS appears.
• Google’s not the only behemoth that knows users are running apps inside their browsers more often: Microsoft is developing a new "browser-based OS" with that in mind.

Free upgrades for Vista PC buyers starting Friday

(NEWSER) - A pre-ordered upgrade to Microsoft’s Windows 7 operating system will cost US customers $49 or $99 from tomorrow until July 11, depending on version: Home premium or Professional, CNET reports. Also starting tomorrow, anyone who buys a new Vista PC will get a free upgrade to Windows 7 when it’s released in October, the AP adds. Full versions will sell for $199, $299, and $319 for Ultimate. More»