July 30, 2010

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Will You Upgrade to Windows 7?

September 6, 2009 By Steve Leave a Comment

Win7_ProfessionalWith the release date now set for October 22, you might want to start thinking about a move to the new version of  Windows.  Although some industry tech-types claim that Windows 7 is simply a re-tooled Vista, others claim that there is enough substance in the new version to justify the upgrade.  The overall look and feel of Win7  matches Vista, but I feel that there have been enough changes and improvements to the core group of applications and utilities to favor an upgrade. 

The major difference in the Desktop is the taskbar.  The Win7 taskbar has been called the “SuperBar” because it combines the dual role of the old Windows taskbar and Quick Launch bar into one.  Previous versions of Windows had a Quick Launch bar that you could enable which gave you one-click access to your favorite apps, and once these apps were running, another icon was presented to show that they were active.  With the Win7 SuperBar, you can “pin” applications to the taskbar, and when the applications are activated, there is a subtle outline around the icon that indicates the app is running.  Also, if you hover over the icons of running apps, you will get a popup showing a representation of the screen that is currently showing in the app’s interface. 

The major core apps that were upgraded include Windows Media Player, MS Paint and WordPad.

Win7 will be available in several different editions:

- Windows 7 N Starter- 32 bit only and is only available as a preinstalled option
- Windows 7 Home Basic – only available in emerging such as Bangladesh, Brazil, People’s Republic of China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Thailand.
- Windows 7 Home Premium – This will be the “normal” retail version that will be offered with everything except for enterprise networking enabled.  Windows Media Center will be included.
- Windows 7 Professional – geared towards professional users.  Works with Windows Server domains.
- Windows 7 Enterprise – Volume licensing only. Contains enhanced security features for enterprise users.
- Windows 7 Ultimate – contains the same features as Windows 7 Enterprise, but available to home users on an individual license basis.

Prices for the 3 home user versions will be as follows:

Home Premium – Upgrade: 119.99, Full Retail: 199.99
Professional – Upgrade: 199.99, Full Retail: 299.99
Ultimate - Upgrade: 219.99, Full Retail: 319.99

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32 Bit VS 64 Bit

August 31, 2009 By Steve Leave a Comment

First, what’s a bit?  A bit, or “binary digit,” is basically how a computer stores and makes references to data, memory, etc. A bit can have a value of 1 or 0. A 32 bit processor can handle numbers as large as 4,294,967,295 while a 64-bit machine can go up to 18,446,744,073,709,551,615. This means that your computer can use larger numbers, and be more efficient with smaller numbers.

The main differences between the 32-bit and 64 bit versions of Windows relate to memory accessibility, memory management, and enhanced security features.

One of the greatest advantages of using a 64-bit version of Windows is the ability to access physical memory (RAM) that is above the 4-gigabyte (GB) range. Physical memory greater than 4GB is not addressable by 32-bit versions of Windows.  Depending on the version of Windows you are using, a 64-bit version of Windows supports from 1 GB of RAM to more than 128 GB of RAM. The ability to address more physical memory lets Windows minimize the time that is required to swap processes in and out of physical memory. Therefore, Windows can manage processes more efficiently. This memory management feature helps improve the overall performance of Windows.

You cannot simply upgrade your OS to the 64 bit version.  You must completely reinstall.  But before that, you have to verify that all of your hardware devices are compatible with the new environment and that their manufacturer offers 64 bit drivers.  Also, to take full advantage of the new OS, you must obtain 64 bit versions of your software.  Your current 32 bit programs will still run, but they will not be running as efficiently as if they were 64 bit.

It’s inevitable that eventually, all processors intended for desktop PCs will be 64 bit.  But unless you are running highly CPU-intensive applications such as CAD or high end video editing software, you should probably stick with a 32 bit version of Windows and concentrate on making it faster through additional memory, quicker hard drives, etc.

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