Ive installed 7 on several older computers the last one was a Dell Inspiron 1000, look at the spec's SIS chipset, Celeron 2.2 ect no vista drivers for it, but when it couldn't find the audio and lan drivers just pointed it to the XP drivers and all was good. Even had updates for some after install. Other computer had a Soundblaster card from 2000 works fine on 7.
Anti MS people should stick to what they know, obviously not Windows 7.

So, Win 7 is rubbish? Do you have any specific criticisms? I have been running Win7 RC for a few months now with little problem. Sounds like you are just another "OS zealot, whiner or complainer".

!!!!NEWSFLASH!!!!

Quote "OS zealots, whiners, and complainers..." The complaints and whines are well justified, VISTA is RUBBISH and Microsoft couldn't get it out the way fast enough.

Windows 7 will be RUBBISH as well...especially if the releases so far are anything to judge it by.

I guess April 1st was too obvious...

An INQ article related to Windows without (at least not yet) the plethora of OS zealots, whiners, and complainers polluting the comments--as well as the article!

Linux is better for supporting old hardware. No one forces you to upgrade your Linux OS, so you can always keep on using the drivers and programs that are compatible with your Linux version. When Microsoft forces an upgrade, you will likely find that some hardware and programs will never be supported on new version of Windows.

On the other hand, when you use the latest version of Windows, you typically have full support for all features of current hardware. With Linux, you have to wait for someone to write a driver, or somehow convince hardware manufacturers to reveal internal details so you can write the driver yourself.

Open Source applications are good for both platforms, since it is possible to recompile when a new version of either OS comes out. Closed source software always makes you dependent on a particular version of an OS (or backward compatibility with that version).

I don`t think that one or the other OS will ever be best in both situations. I wish hardware and commercial application developers would put as much effort into supporting Linux as they do for Windows, but that would require Linux to be standardized. Then we'd be complaining about the standards body rather than Microsoft.

I'll let everyone else beta test Windows 7 before I mess around with it. Vista works on both my desktop and laptop just fine, so I'm not anxious to spend money on an OS I don't need when what I have is current and works just fine.

Wow, that's one heck of a red herring there. Great job!

Maybe you're thinking that the Inq is a joe consumer-only oriented publication? Where I used to work (an smb) we had to outsource microsoft licencing administration to a microsoft partner specializing in such. Besides different versions and their increasingly "clearly defined" segmentation (making it ever more fun, like a minefield, to make apps interact), all sorts of usage and portability aspects are baked into these licenses.

@TAZ-NZ:
if a driver or application works for one it will work for them all? Yeah sure, try to install XP drivers on windows 7 or something, since there is a ton of older but fully functional hardware that has no Vista/7 drivers. While you're at it run some 16 bit (dos foxpro for example) on a 64 bit windows. Sure linux has poor backwards compatibility, since most of the applications are kept up to date anyhow.

Just my 0.02 (verizon) cents.

Yes, you are right in one thing. You will either need to understand Linux(quite complicated for a non geek), or higher your own personal system admin. Not to mention be extremely confused of the multiple flavors of Linux distros that exist. LFS is hardly an option.

Before you go, "just start with one distro - Ubuntu", remember, you can start with one distro - Windows 7 Home Premium(something like that).

All of Windows 7 versions are not available to buy off the shelf. Win XP had many versions as well. They are for corporate licensing, etc., nothing that a home user buying off the shelf product should be concerned about. For them, the versions choices are few and clearly defined.

If understanding these clearly defined 2-3 alternatives baffles you, going Linux is the path to severe Frustration.

Erm. I think you'll find that you don't understand linux if you think that.

And great article by the way.

"you will need to either be an accountant or hire one to understand the multiple licencing alternatives"

At least with windows you don't need a 12m long flow chart to explain the version history.

http://www.levenez.com/unix/

And atleast with Windows 7 no matter the license you get, if a driver or application works for one it will work for them all, something the 32 favours of Linux can't claim.

Oven hot news, coincidentally ATI demoes world's first DX11 card aswell
http://www.vizworld.com/tag/dx11/
http://vr-zone.com/articles/amd-presents-first-dx11-demos--computex/7136.html?doc=7136