Students get discount on new Windows system

November 2, 2009 —

Perhaps you overlooked the e-mail.

Mike Holliday at the ITS Support Center sent out a campus-wide message last week about a Microsoft sale.

The sale includes deals on several software products, including the productivity suite Office 2007. But the biggest bargain is Windows 7 Professional, the latest operating system from Microsoft.

Buying it anywhere else will cost at least $100, and more advanced versions will clear $200. Right now, it’s available to SVSU students for $30.

The University is preparing to upgrade to Windows 7. At this point, the idea is still in testing, but students could start seeing the system on campus as early as next fall.

For now, the upgrade is personal, and clearly the deal is a steal. But is it worthwhile for students?

For anyone with Vista, incentives to upgrade are numerous. Windows 7 improves upon all of Vista’s weak points and makes its strong points even stronger.

The new system runs better, and improved driver support makes a new computer even easier to set up. Windows 7 is also stabler than Vista: its file indexing has improved and compatibility mode has been expanded, making it easier to run older programs.

Users with Windows XP may have a harder time deciding. Windows 7, like Vista, has made significant changes since XP, and an upgrade may take some time to adjust. But Microsoft has made it clear they will stick with the new release, which means that XP will be phased out within the next few years.

Windows 7 makes more changes to the taskbar. Quick links now double as icons for open programs, reducing clutter onscreen. Users more comfortable with XP will still have options for a more retro look.

The Sidebar, first introduced in Vista, has changed, too. Now, the bar no longer runs down the side of the screen: instead, the gadgets that used to be there can be moved to wherever the user likes them.

Another new cosmetic feature is the option to cycle desktop wallpapers automatically. Users can choose from preset image themes such as architecture, landscape and nature. Users can also compile their own photo streams to personalize their desktops.

Potential buyers with older computers may want to simply buy a new computer. New PCs can come with Windows 7 pre-installed.

Windows 7 runs better on old PCs than Vista did, but if your PC is more than five years old, it still might be time to buy fresh. Older PCs will always run slower than new ones. With the cost of desktop and laptop computers decreasing, it might be more cost-effective to replace the computer.

Ultimately, students will have to make up their own minds.

“Do your homework,” Holliday advises. Spend some time researching Windows 7 and considering your digital situation, he says.

Students who want to keep their computers can check their hardware’s compatibility online. To run the free test, CLICK HERE.

Microsoft’s “Ultimate Steal” program will end Jan. 30, 2010, so students have time to decide.

And with the cost of trying it out at $30, it seems like a sure choice.