Should I upgrade to Windows 7?

Some readers ask the question whether they should upgrade from Vista to Windows 7. So far I have considered this a no-brainer given the audience and other press publications that clearly recommend Windows 7 over Vista.

But here are some Q&Q's adopted to the reader audience.

Usually we spend significant time and effort to make sure that our cars and gadgets are the best that we can get/afford. I translate computers into cars: we all understand that a new revision of any car model is always better than the old one since it's sleeker, more comfortable and has more performance. The same applies to operating systems for computers.

Q: How much time do I need to upgrade from Vista to Windows 7?

A: This depends. Windows 7 offers an "upgrade" function which should keep all your data and installed applications. I have never tried this since Microsoft (and I) recommends a new installation from scratch. For this you have to backup your data and reinstall all applications afterwards. The installation itself takes 30 minutes and runs mostly unattended.

Q: Do I need updated drivers for Windows 7?

A: No. All Vista drivers work also under Windows 7. But Windows 7 is very good with hardware support. In most cases I needed only additional drivers for very exotic hardware.

Q: Do I need updated applications for Windows 7?

A: No. If an application runs with Vista, it will also run with Windows 7.

Q: What benefits do I have with Windows 7?

A: www.google.de – lot's of information. Usually people coming from Vista find it very intuitive to work with Windows 7. Everything is more "elegant" than under Vista, faster and uses less resources.