Are you ready for Windows 7?

It’s pretty difficult right now to surf the net or open a computer related magazine without coming across mention of Microsoft’s new operating system Windows 7.  It’s due to be launched in Europe in October but is already available for pre-order.  From what I can gather, if you buy a new PC or laptop with Vista installed you can get a free upgrade to Windows 7 once it’s released.  I’m not sure what the prices will be like at launch-time but unless you are really keen to back up all your data and then re-install it after upgrading, I’d be tempted to just hang on for Windows 7 to launch before buying a new piece of kit.

Reviews of Windows 7 are very promising, it seems Microsoft has learnt lessons from Vista and has ensured that it’s new operating system is more solid as it’s keen to move people on from Windows XP which is over 10 years old but still a very much favoured operating system.  Microsoft acknowledge this by including an XP Mode in Windows 7 which is basically an operating system within an operating system, making use of Virtual PC technology and the good news is you won’t need a separate licence as it’s covered by your Windows 7 agreement.

The one downside to Windows 7 for European users is the lack of a pre-installed browser.  The EU feels that Microsoft’s dominance in the browser market excludes other choices for users.  They feel that the other players in the browser market won’t get a look in as people will just default to Internet Explorer if it is bundled with the operating system.  So Microsoft have removed Internet Explorer.  Needless to say this will cause no end of anguish as you can’t log on and download a new browser because… you have no browser!  What European users will need to do is:

• On your current computer prior to installing Windows 7, or on another computer system, download the install file (usually a “.exe” file) for your preferred Windows 7-compatible browser to your current system.
• Burn this file to a CD or DVD or transfer it to an external storage medium such as a flash memory drive or external hard drive.
• Install Windows 7 on your system using the instructions provided with your purchase.
• Once you have installed Windows 7 on your system insert the CD/DVD or connect the external storage device and copy the install file to your Windows 7 system.
• Run the install file to install your preferred web browser and access the internet.

These instructions are provided for your information only and you may wish to explore other options.

You can currently pre-order Windows 7 Home Premium and Windows 7 Professional from Amazon.co.uk