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Windows 7 is officially shipped worldwide and Windows fans are lining up trying to figure out which package is suitable for them. Of course, Windows 7 has created a lot of debates regarding its pros and cons (well, the same goes with other OS, Mac Leopard failed several tests during its launch as well). But for most of us, low and mid-end users, the question is "Do I need to switch to Windows 7?" After years of familiarity with Windows XP, is the switch to Windows 7 necessary? Bear in mind, Windows XP is now about 8 years old, and in this super fast computing world, that’s a very long period of time.

And for those who have switched to Windows Vista, perhaps it’s time to say "hasta la vista" to the below-par OS. Not convinced? Then see if the following 7 reasons that change your mind:

1. Vista Sucks!

Well, unless you’re switching to Vista for the sake of switching, you should know how Vista screwed your computing life. Many computer users, even programmers and power users, stick to Windows XP, skipping Vista entirely. So, Windows realised that big mistake, and trying to amend it by making Windows 7 as user-centred as possible.  The software giant made an effort to crowdsource feedback from Microsoft enthusiasts by distributing a free beta version of Windows 7 in January. Based on the complaints and feedback, Windows 7 is improved and released with bigger improvements that ever. Windows XP users will find presentation of Windows 7 familiar yet packed with more features. So, who needs Vista? Windows 7 is a way forward.

2. Easy Upgrading Process

Windows 7 has been coded to support almost every piece of software that runs on your XP system. If, in the rare case one of your XP programs doesn’t work on Windows 7, you can still run it in a virtual environment called XP Mode. What’s especially cool about this mode is you won’t have to toggle between an XP emulator and Windows 7. The apps running in XP Mode appear like ordinary windows that are part of Windows 7. Cool huh?

3. Advanced Hardware Support

Technology evolves faster than living organisms, and Windows 7 is also designed to work well with upcoming hardware. Touchscreens are getting more popular in the mainstream (thanks largely to the iPhone), and sure enough Windows 7 includes multitouch support. If 2010 is indeed the year of the tablet, as we predict, then Windows 7 just might be the winning OS in that new landscape.

Windows 7 is tweaked to better suit those trendy netbooks, too. These puny devices are low-powered and thus limited in performance, and Windows 7 will run better on them thanks to its improved memory management. For example, Windows XP allocated video memory for unseen windows, but Windows 7 does not. It uses video memory only for visible windows. That equates to a more responsive netbook with longer battery life.

4. Better Interface

Okay, after years of using Windows XP and its Luna themes, we sure deserve a better interface look. And Windows 7 new Aero features offer you just that. Aero Peek will prove the most useful: The feature displays outlines of all your open windows behind your active window. Each outlined box contains a thumbnail previewing its corresponding window to help you choose. Another feature, Aero Snap, makes it easier to resize and tile windows to fit the available space.

5. Automatically Installed Device Drivers

This addresses a major pain in the ass in earlier versions of Windows. Who has time to scour the internet for a device driver to work with hardware such as a video card or an external hard drive? Life is too short for that garbage work, and fortunately Windows 7 does this chore for you. Plug in a new piece of hardware, and the OS will find and install the driver for you. XP has this feature, sort of, but it works better in Vista and much better in Windows 7. No more of those annoying yellow question marks. Good riddance.

6. Sharing Made Easy!

Windows 7 is an OS practically made for "pirates" Hahahaha. Want to display your movies, photos or music on your TV? Bam! Windows Media Player will do that out of the box if you have a Wi-Fi enabled TV, or an Xbox. No extra programs to install: Windows Media Player seamlessly communicates with your Wi-Fi device to display your illegal content in all its glory on your fancy HD TV.

And sharing media is easy, too. Want to download all of your brother’s music? Bam! HomeGroup, an easy networking feature included in Windows 7, will make that super easy between computers running the OS. Immediately upon plugging in to your network with Ethernet or Wi-Fi, HomeGroup will ask if you wish to join the group on the network, allowing you to set up easy file sharing in minutes.

7. It’s time to CHANGE!

Yeah, like Obama’s call for change, perhaps we should make that change in our OS choice! Besides, it’s sexier with Windows 7. Windows 7 will make your new PC look new, unlike the boring-as-vanilla UI of Windows XP. Extra detail, polish, gradients and a UI that will clear your desktop of clutter should all make Windows 7 a more attractive choice.

 

[Some points are from Wired.com]