Business Tips from Glasgorman Computer Services

 Should you Upgrade to Windows 7 ?

We’ve seen all the media hype surrounding Microsoft’s high profile launch of their new flagship product Windows 7, but what are the implications for us the ordinary computer users? Windows 7 is a very good Operating System (the program that organises how everything works on a PC), but should we be rushing to upgrading our PC’s and if so what are our options!

The answer to those questions depends on what type of computer user you are?

Home User / Home Office User
Small to Medium Sized Business (SME)

Home User / Home Office User

For those users who don’t really care how the computer works and  just want the computer to go on the Internet and run their programs, there is probably little point in upgrading to Windows 7. Windows 7 will run quicker than XP or Vista and has a cleaner interface (Look and Feel) but these improvements will not be that apparent to the average user and certainly would not justify the cost of upgrading (€90). By far the best, cheapest and easiest way to upgrade to Windows 7 is when you next change your computer for a new one which will come with Windows 7 pre installed (All the hard work has been done for you).

For those computer nerds among us who like all things technical, build our own PC’s and like to connect everything to the computer, then there is a case to be made for upgrading to Windows 7. Windows 7 has a smaller footprint than Vista (takes up less space and resources), has much better driver support (talks to more gadgets), has better communications options (can talk over more types of networks quicker) and most of all runs significantly quicker when put under pressure (computer games). However the cost of €210 to upgrade to Windows 7 Professional ( which is the version you’ll want) is quite expensive. You still might be better waiting until you change your computer and buy a model with Windows 7 pre installed that also has room for expansion.

Small to Medium Sized Business (SME)

For most SME’s the absolute speed of their computers and whether they can talk to every gadget under the sun is not the most important thing. Because they probably don’t have their own dedicated IT person to fix things when they go wrong,  reliability and compatibility with the business programs they use, tends to be much more important.

Most program writers will not have tested fully with Windows 7 yet and may not support their programs running under Windows 7. Also most small businesses are not just dealing with one PC but probably a small network also, which may not be as straight forward to upgrade. The extra features of Windows 7 will not lead to greater productivity or reduced costs for the average small business and in the current climate it is questionable whether the disruption and cost of upgrading to Windows 7 is justified. Most business users will probably wait until at least the first Service Pack (bug fixes) is released and incorporate the upgrade to Windows 7 into the next overall review / upgrade of their computer systems.

There is a sting in the tail for any business users, or anybody else running XP. While Vista users can simply upgrade their systems, XP users will have to do a clean install of Windows 7. This means that they will have to backup all their data, install Windows 7, reinstall all their programs and then restore all their data. This requires careful planning for any business.

 

GLASGORMAN COMPUTER SERVICES
At Glasgorman Computer Services we provide a range of Business Technology Products and Services that will allow you build viable and sustainable IT solutions that meet your business objectives.