I Switched to 7, Should You?

This is a long post, so I'll sum things up here at the beginning. I like Windows 7 because it disappears. The new interface is intuitive, snappy, and doesn't get between me and what I want to do on the computer. I don't have to do anything tricky to get my old programs to work, and I don't have to worry about tricks to make my programs run faster. Everything just works. Period. My second major bullet point is DELL does a GREAT job of making driver installations and finding the right software easy. Just hit their website with your tag number (sticker on your Dell machine) and you have instant access to everything that came with your computer. You never have to worry about losing OS and driver discs again!

That said, keep in mind, Windows 7 is just an operating system. Computers aren't about operating systems, they're about the programs you run and ultimately, the need you meet and people you interact with.

Windows 7 is many things. To the average, minimally tech-savy user, it's intuitive and straight forward. To the business user, it's fast and lightweight (holy crap, lightweight windows!? It's true! At only 333MB of RAM, Win 7 is a major winner). To the power user, it's integrated backup, search, libraries, powerful admin tools and more. Here's what ZDNet has to say about Windows 7 vs Vista vs XP performance-wise: http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=22006&tag=col1;post-22006

Now for my system specs and personal Windows 7 experience.

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David's Machine (DELL branded 435 MT)

Use: Video editing, photo editing, gaming, work, programming, daily use

Budget media workstation, mid-range gaming PC in 2008

Value/Price Paid: $2,200/$1,200 (scratch & dent deal)

Processor: Intel Core i7-940 Nehalem, 45nm, 2.7 GHz clock, Quad core w/ Hyperthreading (8cores)

RAM: 4GB (4x 1GB) Dual channel DDR3 1333MHz

Graphics: ATI Radeon 4850 HD, PCIe 16x, 521MB GDDR 5 (b-b-b-blazing)

Disk: 1TB SATA 2 (not sure what the manufacturer is), 7200 rpm

Operating System: Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit (Formerly Vista Home Premium 64-bit)

Internet and Quick Use PC (Asus EEE 701)

Use: Internet browsing, portable media player, hulu, vacation, note taking

Ultra-portable in 2007

Value/Price Paid: $399/$399 (yup, full price)

Processor: Intel Celeron, 65nm?, 900 MHz clock

RAM: 1.5 GB (512MB onboard + 1 GB), DDR2 667

Graphics: None

Disk: 20GB (4GB onboard SSD + 16 GB SDHC Class 6)

Operating System: Windows XP Professional N-Lite 32-bit

Family Media Center (DELL branded 531c Slim)

Use: Media library (photo/video), Light photo editing

Mid-range budget class PC in 2005

Value/Price Paid: $500/$350 (refurbished)

Processor: AMD 64 3200+, 90nm, 2.0 GHz clock

RAM: 2GB (2x 1GB) DDR2 667MHz

Graphics: None

Disk: 1TB WD Caviar Green SATA 2 (silent)

Operating System: Windows Vista Home Premium 32-bit

Guest Gaming Computer (Soltek QBIC from Scratch)

Use: Gaming when friends visit, host for data recovery

Cutting-edge gaming PC in 2004

Value/Price Paid: $900/$400 (Ray is a kickass friend)

Processor: Intel Pentium 4 Prescott, 90nm, 3.0 GHz clock

RAM: 1GB (2x 512MB) 533MHz

Graphics: ATI x1600, AGP 8x

Disk: 120 GB WD Caviar Black

Operating System: Windows XP Professional 32-bit

Now on to the good stuff!

Installation

I popped the disc into the DVD drive and restarted my computer. It booted the install disc and asked me if I wanted to upgrade, or do a custom install. I chose custom install (I always like starting fresh). I selected the partition to install on and hit the next button. Whoa! It's already installing... that's it? Aha! It tells me that another version of windows has been detected. Since I didn't want to upgrade, the old version of windows will be placed in a folder C:\windows.old. Cool, I think to myself as I hit the next button. It's off again and running. There's a message that says the machine will reboot a few times during installation. Rather than watch the pot boil, I'll go get some food and watch a quick show on my media center.

About 30 minutes into my show, the OS is installed. I plug in my serial number and create an admin account and presto, I'm on the windows desktop. It's only been 34 minutes since I started the install... could this possibly be right? Yes, it is. I'm up and ready to roll.

Ok, so now what? I'm presented with the windows 7 desktop. It doesn't look like a windows desktop. The start menu is gone and the taskbar has mac-like icons on it. Oh no!! I'm clueless and I don't know where the system tray and quick-launch tray went!? The panicky moment quickly subsides as I hover over the icons and am presented with tooltips on the new start menu and taskbar. The interface is responsive and smooth even though I haven't installed any of my drivers yet.

I opened up IE and took the windows 7 tour: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/products/tour (Thank you microsoft.. very straightforward)

Then I went to support.dell.com and downloaded all the relevant windows 7 addons from Dell. The download and install went smoothly and all I had to do was provide the service tag number from my PC.

2 hours later and all my programs (video editing software, games, chrome, various utilities) are installed, I've checked my email, watched an hour of hulu, and... haven't restarted the computer... WHA!?!?!?

Windows 7 didn't make me reboot the computer after any of my program or driver installs. This is crazy. It's running smoothly, and I can verify the new video drivers are being used through ATI's catalyst control center.

Sweet, so now I should probably restore all of my data from the backup. I check the hard drive and find that it's still got 600GB of data on it. That can't be right, I must've, oh, wait. A quick run of TreeSize Free tells me my pics, videos, documents and everything else from my old PC is in windows.old. Awesome! I drag the folders to where they belong on the new PC. The folder relocation is almost instantaneous (no data actually got copied, the location just got updated) and I'm back where I was before the install. The system is fully functional, I've got my picasa albums and itunes library... wow. That was easy.

Interesting. The My * folders are now called libraries. This works out really well for me because I can add multiple locations. My "Family Media Center" does a file-by-file backup for recently updated data to "David's PC"\data. Now on David's PC, I can add those doc folders to the document library and have access to all my media center files for read-only access without traversing the network. Slick.

By the by, I use SyncToy 2.0 to echo my computer's files (videos, music, documents) to the media center's Data directory, and echo the media center's content to my data directory. It's handy to have a 1TB drive in each computer. SyncToy does a great job of keeping the shadow copies in sync.

I launched DDO to play with my Thursday night gaming buddies, and the windows firewall immediately prompted me to set the access level for that application. My choices are to disallow, allow internal network only, and allow internet access. I click internet (Public) and poof. That's the last time it asks and my game works like a charm.

The uber startmenu is so fast, I've decided not to install Launchy. (Essential app launcher for XP machines).

So that's that. My computer feels a little faster, and I like the snap effects for window placement. I didn't have to go in and do all the post-install tweaks I'm used to with XP and Vista. (Er, I did disable the pagefile... force of habit.)

Questions? Comments? Flaming Mac Banter? Questions/Comments on the machines I run in my network? Why do I need 4 computers?

Leave a comment and I'll get right back to you!

Park and Ride

Y'all know I take the bus. This morning, I got out of the shower and checked my watch, noting that the bus was, at this very instant, passing my bus stop. Yipe! I hopped into my car and drove to the wegmans parking lot at empire and creek st... Then waited for 20 minutes!! As it turns out, it takes 5 minutes to drive directly to the lot, but 25 minutes (due to the winding route) for the bus to reach it.

This reduces my overall drive time on the bus to a mere 20 minutes instead of the 45 minute long-haul that has tried my bladder daily. (All the bumping and jostling directly after a full breakfast is... hard to bear).

I plan to meet the bus at the new stop on a regular basis, giving me a full 40 extra minutes of home time per day!! (Belive me, there's a lot I can do with 40 minutes a day...)

Sent from my iPod, on the Bus

iPod and Other Musings

I didn't bring a computer on my business trip this week. Instead, I relied on my trusty palmtop, the Apple iPod Touch. Business email, cell phone activation, directions, and restaurant selections remained simple, with the screen size and touch keyboard. I was very surprised by the high level of functionality retained, and I highly recommend the experience!

After visiting the Eagan campus and rubbing elbows with some of the big names, I'm left with a strong sense of pride in my company, faith in the middle and upper management, and eager anticipation of the events in the next few years. The strongest and most swiftly growing feeling that I passionately embrace, however, is the sense of opportunity presented with my new team. I've met my peers, and let me tell you, THEY ARE MY PEOPLE!!

Sent from my iPod

Certain Experiences

There are some experiences that you don't get to experience in your day to day routine. Today, I got to watch the clouds zip by at eye level. We passsed through a turbulent pocket, livening up the ride in an amusement park sort of way. The adorable child who had been babbling contentedly behind me, got quiet... Another quick drop and pow, her infantile digestive system had had enough. The inflight cookies quickly rejoined us in the cabin along with the smell and sound we associate with the most disgusting of body misfires. Fortunately, the flight attendant was quickly on the scene, spraying a scent neutralizer and mopping up breakfast.

I have to say, the kid had the right idea going for the cookies instead of the pretzals. I followed suit and man oh man! The vanilla wafers were sublime!

I have a window seat by the wing. I watched the wing buckle and release with each new pressure pocket, so I had fair warning before the cabin actually dropped or pressed us onto the seat. :)

As we climbed, we quickly entered the clouds where everything faded between different shades of white and grey. Breaking slowly through the top, I was greeted by a beautiful sunny cloudscape with a new, beautiful, and foreign coastline, the most beautiful of the grey and white terrain resembling the Rockies.

I fell asleep shortly after that. :)

I woke to a quick Yelp! As the flight attendant accidentally emptied a can of juice into a passengers lap. Hahahaha!

Oh wow! Looking out the window, I see that we're past the clouds and I can see a long strip of beach bordered by farmland. Chching! add that to the list of amazing things I would never see without technology. (My favorite on that list is the deep blue of the deep, deep ocean.)

Speaking of tech, our plane was delayed slightly due to a flat tire. I don't know about you, but that tickled the ironic side of my funny bone.

The captain just announced that we're plowing through a strong headwind, so we're only doing... 490 MPH!!! Geez that's fast! I'll be touching down in no time. :)

Sent from my iPod, inflight

9am and the Day is Golden!!

It's 9am, and I'm already exuberant!

Last night, I hit up the hardware store and radio shack, assembling tools, then replaced my wife's cell phone screen... SUCCESS!!

It was another quick sprint for the bus today, but I caught it in the nick of time. My heart racing, I settled in for the ride. Hysteria by Muse was the leading song on my iPod's Genius mix. The song's frantic bass matched the tempo of my body. It was a zen moment. At peace with the work I'd done the night before (and the excellent, if short, gaming session with Brion, Ray & crew), I got off the bus. I LOVE stepping off the bus. The bus windows (like any car) are visibility tinted (around 15%). When you get off the bus, it feels like the day greets you fresh (a brighter, more ambiently noisy day than the one that you struggled out of bed to only 30 minutes prior).

Today was special though...

Today, the light cloud cover disperses the light. No sun glasses are required and with the 60 degree weather your view is crisp. The typical wind noises, rustling tree leaves, a piece of paper scrapping down the street, and our constant *shhhwwoshshehshshh* were absent. The day was still. It's like in the movies when someone is in a memory and time is frozen. I could hear EVERYTHING! My ninja-like footsteps on the concrete sounded like a runner's *trat trat trat*. Swiftly, and stealthily, a chipmunk darted out for a bread crumb, well, normally it would have been stealthy; today, however, the *skitter skitter* was plain as day, drawing the attention of the other folks walking down the street with me.

A quick conversation with our lovely security guard, Stefanie, and a chance encounter with Murthy (the new me in my old job) then up to my terminal. The Westlaw setup routines are running, so I've got time to *ticka tap calick* out this post, excitedly anticipating the feats I can accomplish today... *AIAIAIAIAI*!!!! (P.S. You can ask Mike, I actually made that sound :)

Ups and Downs

My life is incredibly interesting to live! I love it!!

Some major ups this week:

• Super-hacky-sack company picnic with some guys that are just impossible to over-appreciate! (wow, some people rock...)
• Watching movies on my iPod on the bus! (Catching up on non-family-friendly kung-fu action flicks)
• New team potential! (Oh, my, word... there is so much I can learn on this new team!!)
• Ultimate-frisbee-disco-funk-super-sushi bash! (EXCITING individuals that I really feel at home with)
• Grad school!

Some major downs:

I am REALLY far outside my comfort zone right now at work. Being the new guy on the team, I have a LOT of questions and suggestions regarding well-established processes. I haven no street credibility on this team so far. I could easily find myself where I was with my old team just two years ago... suggesting changes that later get implemented, but looking like an idiot in the meantime. (Not to mention suggesting changes that are indeed, idiotic.)

I updated my resume last month, then sent it out to be critiqued by some highly qualified individuals. They ALL suggested changes. None of the changes conflict (miraculous), but I am struggling to find the words... the eloquence to implement them. It's a harrowing experience and has left me banging my head on the keyboard (hence this blog entry as an escape from the writer's block).

I'm writing a "Personal Statement" for my graduate school application. It's one of those "Who are you? What do you bring to the table? Why should we teach you?" sort of things...

I graduated with a VERY poor GPA. It's below the minimum required for RIT's graduate programs, yet I'm still applying because I WANT TO IMPROVE. I feel this personal statement may be the gentle whisper that tips the scales towards acceptance, or denial.

In all three areas, I have extended myself beyond the realm of safety...

There is the potential for moderate acceptance and gratification but I feel it's overshadowed by the possibility of meaningful, bitter rejection both socially and professionaly. I never play the safe game, but at the moment, I'm tense... nervous. My ethos and pathos are in the pot and I'm not holding a single ace.

I have butterflies in my stomach! It's the same stage-fright feeling that used to overwhelm me before putting on a show, starting a juggling contract, or facing the Eagle Scout board of review...

The curtain came up and the house.. is.. FULL..

Back to the Bus Again?

Has anyone noticed how frequently I change transportation methods? I'm all about change. Sometimes I'll waffle back and forth between things, each time appreciating a new aspect of the activity, driving me to a new conclusion.

Speaking of driving (nice segway... no I didn't buy a segway, I'm talking about... gah, never mind), I've decided to go back to the Bus.

Bus Pros:

1. Daily commute time is hands-free... I can watch a movie, read a book, study my bible... it provides some good think time
2. Weather doesn't matter... (It's nice to relax on bad winter days)
3. There are people to talk to (I have a lonely, solo commute in the car)
4. The schedule keeps me consistent (leaving work at the same time, getting up at the same time)

Bus Cons:

1. The seats can hurt (especially if you're wearing a coat and carrying a bag)
2. There aren't a lot of routes out to Webster (though I'm now up to 4 morning options!! woo!!)
3. You have to wait at the bus stop... A LOT (the bus can be 5 mins early or 30 mins late... that can be a lot of standing around.)
4. Start & stop (50 minutes of start & stop jiggling right after I eat breakfast usually leaves me sprinting for a pee by the time I've made it downtown)

But the biggest concern of all is cash. It's not just a matter of how much I spend, but where my cash is going. Can I really feel right about sending $50 a month oversees for oil?

Here's what I've worked out: 

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=tYwH6UFOtr2qL-CDyAFcKTA&output=html

The bottom line is, I can easily save $40-70 per month by only commuting a few days a month by car. At some point when I'm doing more than just keeping afloat financially (currently most cash is going to savings, retriement accounts... future goals), I may consider going back to driving daily. 

For now, I'd preffer an extra $50 a month in my pocket that I can use for wonderful travel events like our trip to the lake:

Link: http://picasaweb.google.com/ultimadj/ConesusLakeJuly4th2009