i REALLY hate Winmdows 7

[ktm450]

 DON'T USE "Microsoft Security Essentials" as your Anti Virus - it is the worst AV I've ever used.

I'm not right up with computers, but, I have found Microsoft Security Essentials great.  It doesn't slow your computer like the other ones do and it just sits around in the background, has found a few trojens and removed them.  I use that combined with spybot and haven't had any dramas with viruses or spyware.
What was it you didn't like about it Nino?

[Strangeways]

 DON'T USE "Microsoft Security Essentials" as your Anti Virus - it is the worst AV I've ever used.

I'm not right up with computers, but, I have found Microsoft Security Essentials great.  It doesn't slow your computer like the other ones do and it just sits around in the background, has found a few trojens and removed them.  I use that combined with spybot and haven't had any dramas with viruses or spyware.
What was it you didn't like about it Nino?

My problems started with AVG Free. One of their updates stuffed up my video driver and the PC would not boot past the Windows logo. It was a known problem that created issues for Windows users. Some could be repaired, but mine was too far gone. So I re installed windows, but I chose not to install AVG, but try MSE. After a week, I noticed problems with MSE going offline (icon turned yellow) and updates were not working. Scheduled scans stopped running. I forced a "full scan"" of my PC and it took 50 seconds to complete. I uninstalled and re installed. Same problem.

I installed Avira Freet and on its first scan, it found 23 problems. I checked each one (for false positives), and they were indeed malicious. It updates as it should and works fine.

I administer 2500 PC's at my place of employment, and we used Sophos. Brilliant product. We are thinking of going Microsoft Forefront, and from what I've heard, it is a poor AV solution.

[ktm450]

I can understand your frustration, I have used a few different ones over the years and found they always bog down the system, making the computer run extremely slow.  Where as Security Essentials is such a small program and works with Windows well (obviously being Microsoft).  I have never had a problem with it.

[roundball]

If you buy a machine with Windows 7 Professional, the EULA agreement (or what ever they call it nowadays) allows you to install XP Pro legally.
If you machine is a tier one machine (Dell / HP etc) then you might have driver issues.  Research the motherboard type and see if XP drivers are available or not.  If they are, load up XP and be happy.

[pinnies4me]

If you buy a machine with Windows 7 Professional, the EULA agreement (or what ever they call it nowadays) allows you to install XP Pro legally.
If you machine is a tier one machine (Dell / HP etc) then you might have driver issues.  Research the motherboard type and see if XP drivers are available or not.  If they are, load up XP and be happy.

All the recent machines i bought for the office were ordered with W7 but with XP Pro pre-installed. Except one I forgot, staff member with it is the least computer literate and says she loves it, and everything works well. Might change mine and see what all the fuss is about. I did get one with W7 for one of my kids intending to have a play with it but forgot about that too - so the 8 year old is happy as well.

No idea what any of that amounts to !!

[Retropin]

Windows 7 " thinks" for you.... i find this really irritating in computers as im normally trying to do something that i think should be relatively simple, but it wants to do something else.
I have all my pictures in " my pictures" and cos im not organised i have them " as is" and dont put them into folders... this is good for my anarchic mind and through the chaos i have " Gav" order.
Windows 7 wants to put everything into neat folders... if i add lots of pictures that have different names then they are all sorted alphabetically... so i have to go look for them all. With XP.. all new stuff was dumped down the bottom.. too easy. If i organise by date... i get lots of folders which f**king irritates the shit out of me. So now if i add a pic i call it " A".. then i  know its at the top and can put it where i like after.. then i rename it to what i want to call it... or i have to get organised and decide i want to download lots of 50's pin up pics for example... i have to make a folder first then go download them.
Im convinced W7 was designed by women

[pinnies4me]

Im convinced W7 was designed by women

[Strangeways]

If you buy a machine with Windows 7 Professional, the EULA agreement (or what ever they call it nowadays) allows you to install XP Pro legally.
If you machine is a tier one machine (Dell / HP etc) then you might have driver issues.  Research the motherboard type and see if XP drivers are available or not.  If they are, load up XP and be happy.

Microsoft don't support XP any more. Most of the software written in the Education sector don't develop anything on XP. You are better off running the app in "XP Mode" within Windows 7. I don't have any issues with Windows 7, it is a VERY stable platform. My gripe is the microsoft AV - it is very poor.

Ironically, iPads are the preferred teaching tool these days. Microsoft finally release a stable platform, but then lose out to iPads and MACs.

[ajlaird]

In my opinion Windows 7 is the best OS Microsoft have released to date, once you have it configured right. Windows XP SP3 is supported until April 8, 2014 (no more updates after that).

I am using MS Security Essentials for antivirus (freely licenced to home users and businesses with up to 10 PCs) and haven't had any problems to date. But I am sensible.

AVG Free is OK if you are sensible, not so good if you aren't. I have used it in the past on multiple computers at home and rarely had an issue, if ever. I have seen AVG protected computers stricken with viruses, though.

I have used NOD32, Kaspersky and Norton in a professional capacity and have no problem with any of those on a modern computer. Norton used to slow down your computer something horrid but is much better these days. If you turn off enough of its features it is not annoying. Never tried Sophos, so can't comment.

[femto]

I have to say I liked XP but Windows 7 works for me.