Updating to Windows 7 has perks, drawbacks

March 12, 2010 by Luigi Benetton

After years of galling “Hi, I’m a Mac — And I’m a PC” ads, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer may want to make an ad out of the following anecdote:

Toronto real estate lawyer David Feld updated all 8 Vista PCs in his office to Windows 7, Microsoft’s latest operating system.
Seeing how well the computers ran using Windows 7, he wiped the operating system from his Apple MacBook Air and installed Windows 7 on it as well.

“I’ve been using Macs for the last five years,” Feld says. “I believe Windows 7 wins.” A self-professed early adopter, Feld has
nothing but praise for Windows 7. “It’s not crashy,” he explains. “It’s prettier, more fun to use — I’m trying hard to not say it’s more Mac-like — and it isn’t as daunting.”

This is the kind of news Ballmer and company crave after Vista, the previous version of Windows, earned Microsoft widespread scorn and disappointing sales. (Praise for Windows 7 has not echoed across the Internet the way criticism of Vista did, but after Vista, the relative quiet of Windows 7’s arrival must sound like good news to Microsoft.)

People in the legal industry, particularly those running older XP-based machines, may want to take note of certain improvements in Windows 7.

Download a .pdf version of this article here - Updating to Windows 7

---

Luigi Benetton is a Toronto-based freelance writer, editor and trainer -- visit his site at http://luigibenetton.com/

Recent Articles by Feld Kalia

mar 4

How to backup your files now

We all buy insurance, maintain our homes and cars and generally safeguard things that matter. But the information on our computers? Surprising numbers of people don’t create extra copies of the electronically stored information (ESI) they depend on.

jul 16

‘Magic’ iPad proves popular with lawyers

Given the seemingly inescapable buzz surrounding Apple Inc.’s iPad, you probably don’t need it explained to you. It’s a tablet/slate computing device, it has a touch screen, no keyboard, and Apple CEO Steve Jobs calls it “magical.”

apr 2

Going paperless at the office is possible with some astute planning, determination

If a clean desk is a clean mind, what do the papers on your desk say about your mind? Increasingly, lawyers answer that question by replacing piles of paper with that most prominent of paperless-office machines, the scanner.

mar 12

Updating to Windows 7 has perks, drawbacks

After years of galling “Hi, I’m a Mac — And I’m a PC” ads, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer may want to make an ad out of the following anecdote: Toronto real estate lawyer David Feld updated all 8 Vista PCs in his office to Windows 7, Microsoft’s latest

sep 22

Techno-savvy law firm shares secrets for success

How do you explain the techno-savvy — the understanding of both technology and its business value — that some lawyers instinctively bring to their practices? Maybe it’s found in their upbringing. David Feld’s entire family enjoyed computers

may 20

First Time Home Buyers

If you're a first time home buyer, you're probably a little nervous about the prospects of buying a new home. You're not alone.

may 20

Calculating Land Transfer Taxes

On October 22, 2007, Toronto City Council approved a new land transfer tax which takes effect on February 1, 2008. Use our tools to help you calculate your transfer tax.