Microsoft Windows 7 maybe less of a hardware hog than Vista
By Mike Ferro
Vista a resource hungry operating system that could cause your system to crawl when running heavy duty applications may get kicked to the curb once Windows 7 arrives. Yes, you heard it right according to Bill Gates they plan on making Windows 7 much more efficient.
Some of you may have seen me vent about the stiff hardware requirements Vista imposes, and this is a serious problem if Microsoft expects users to migrate to the latest operating system without having to shell out for a new computer. The problem is so widespread there are hackers out there actually modifying applications that are Vista only to be able run on XP. One example of such an application is actually a game that came out last Christmas titled Halo 2 for Vista only. Halo 2 released by Microsoft Game Studios is an original Xbox console port from 2004, modified to only run on Vista only.
Many have questioned why would Microsoft make this game Vista only? The answer is simple, to force users to migrate to Vista of course, which actually ended up causing criticism and backlash from consumers. Many consumers after purchasing this game have complained about performance issues, slow downs and not being able to set to a higher resolution for a game that was originally released in 2004. I myself had issues with the game as well, even with a beefy dual core computer with 4GB of ram and a $300 Geforce video card the game ran slow.
Reports were made that Vista consumed as much as 30% of the resources when running heavy duty applications. Only those with truly high end computers were able to even glimpse the supposed performance benefits Vista offered.
Bill Gates sums up Microsoft’s plan on efficiency for Windows 7 in their press conference recently by stating:
“We’re hard at work, I would say, on the next version, which we call Windows 7. I’m very excited about the work being done there. The ability to be lower power, take less memory, be more efficient …”
It’s great to see Microsoft has noticed the issues with Vista, and working hard to provide a much more efficient operating system then Vista. I am sure many of you hearing this news can’t wait for Windows 7 to come out any sooner. Rest assured, word has it there may be a beta available sometime in 2009 which really isn’t too far away.
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May 13th, 2008
so we can say don’t buy visa and wait for windows 7?????
May 13th, 2008
We can say that, but people that need a new computer asap (for some reason, fried hardware for example) won’t wait.
I, for example migrated to XP at the time that SP2 came out (I didn’t install it though).
May 13th, 2008
rubbish post as always from jonathan
- halo 2 like halo 1 is very poorly coded, demanded a lot of hardware for no reason, that doesn’t have anything to do with Vista itself. Funny how some game here in vista blorg is a good doll to bash vista. Halo 1 was in XP very stiff about hardware and still the graphics weren’t that great. Where was jonathan back then?
- XP had way stiffer hardware requirements compared to win98 at time. This same thing has to be said million times here until posts like thies disappear.
May 13th, 2008
Jonathan?? It was written by Mike Ferro…
Plus Halo 2 runs much much better on XP, than Vista, so does every other game Doom 3, Crysis, Unreal Tournament III…
If the jump from 98 -> XP is as same as XP -> Vista why would Microsoft be back pedaling performance?
I think that’s a valid point, the stiff hardware requirments is due to Aero Engine in Vista, we don’t need it, it’s inefficient use of resources no one can deny that.
May 13th, 2008
Windows 7 HAS to be leaner than Vista if MSFT wants to use windows 7 on those tiny laptops. XP runs until 2010 on the tiny PC’s.
If Windows 7 can’t be slimmed down or be leaner than Vista, then expect XP to extended till 2015 on the tiny laptops.
May 13th, 2008
Sure there are some things wrong with Vista, but it is not as bad as people make it out to be.
When Vista came out I had a P4 3Ghz that I was using for the last two and a half to three years before Vista came along, so that machine although it could run Vista was due for an upgrade anyway.
When Windows 7 cames out in 2010 my current machine, Dual Core will most likely be getting to the point where it will be upgraded to whatever is out then.
May 17th, 2008
“- XP had way stiffer hardware requirements compared to win98 at time. This same thing has to be said million times here until posts like thies disappear.”
And XP had some great enhancements for the average user like system restore, built in wireless, automatic roll back of system files when over written by rogue programs, a firewall It was the first consumer Windows not built on DOS….I could go on for a while. Vista has exactly which improvements for the average user that are worth the blood and treasure?
Maybe you need to read this a million times until it sinks in. There has never been this kind of public backlash, well ME might have left the same disdain but it was pretty short lived.
Microsoft is learning the hard way it’s no longer able to use it’s overwhelming lead in installed OS’s to ram a expensive and craptastically buggy piece software down users throats. The vast majority of the changes in Vista benefit MS and protected content.
If they do indeed kill XP at the end of June, it will be an even bigger blunder. They have been trumpeting the early arrival of 7 further blunting what small market for Vista they had left. See Osborne Computers if you don’t understand the reference. Now Vista is competing with XP, either one puts money in MS’s pockets.
With XP off the table, Vista is either going to stop people from upgrading until 7 comes out, or they will look at some of the increasing viable alternatives.
Either way 7 has a crushing load of expectations, it’s doubtful Microsoft is going to be able to meet these high expectations. Previously, most folks eagerly awaited the OS offerings from MS, happy for the improvements in function. Now 7 will have those same now disillusioned users squinting to find flaws.. It’s almost certain Microsoft will leave the first decade of the 21st century weaker than it was going in.
May 18th, 2008
Do you realize that when Windows 7 is released, being “leaner” than Vista only means that Windows 7 will have less features built into it compared to Vista? Windows 7 will have a core O/S and, just about anything else you want to add, like surf the net (spell that to mean IE8)..You’re either going to have to pay for the ‘add-ons’ or, pay a subscribition fee to use it. Whether Microsoft provides a server for “Centralized user functions” or not depends on how quick they can get this up to speed and, fully functional by then.
I would suspect the same for any Windows Office programs..You pay a fee or est. a user account, go on line, select the program that fits your needs and, when you are finished..store it at their on-line vault. You will not have this program on your computer. Microsoft will control all aspects of it being access and, who uses it, thus..No more system crash. Yes, you will have a “leaner” machine..Just make sure you have a deep wallet.