Apparently they have a Windows 7 RC (Release Candidate) version they are giving out for free, but it will start giving you limited functionality on March 1, 2010 and you'll need to upgrade. The reviews that I have heard are that "it is everything Vista was supposed to be."

I enjoyed this comment on the Microsoft main Windows 7 home page: "I'm actually having fun using Seven, something I haven't said about a Microsoft operating system since Windows 95."

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/window ... nload.aspx

I hate Vista so much on my machine at home that I might give it a go.
Come March 1st, I'll either buy it or officially go to Ubuntu.

will wait and see. i remember gleaming reviews on vista before it was released too.

lol, Windows

Already uninstalled and went back to ubuntu

tell me more about ubuntu.

will i lose everything on my computer if i install it?

Yes you would lose everything. I believe you need to install it on a clean hard drive.

You could partition your hard drive so that you could run either operating system, but this also involves formatting the drive and installing windows on one partition and ubuntu on the other.

I don't think that's true. I thought I remembered it being possible (in the Ubuntu install process) to resize your existing partition in order to create the new one.

I think Windows would implode if the size of the hard drive changed due to the swap file size requirements.

i've installed linux on machines running windows and had no problem at all.

The most stable switch would be to copy your files to an external drive, reformat, install ubuntu, and copy music/documents back from the external. Set aside a weekend for it.

[url=http://www.obner.org/bb/viewtopic.php?p=770111&highlight=windows#770111]RE: Windows 7 RC
<-- big fan[/url]

I'm running it on a netbook with no issues. It's pretty quick and networking is a breeze.

what are the functionality benefits of ubuntu, or is it just a way to keep dollars out of redmond, WA

?

I'd be interested to hear the answer to this too.

I'm running vista on my 1 year old laptop and while i don't hate it completely, I'm kinda thinking of switching to Windows 7 or Ubantu.

Anyone who's used both a fair amount recommend one over the other?

If you dl the RC doesn't that mean you are on the hook for a retail copy when it gets released?

I used Ubuntu for a year or so. The primary apps are decent, but I got tired of finding substitutes for Windows apps. Especially since so many of those substitutes (and some of the primary apps) felt like betas. Once I found TVersity, I tossed Ubuntu.

Only if you want to keep using it.

Yeah, it's fully functional through March, and AFAIK there aren't any compatibility issues with documents you create/update while installng the OS. You can always reinstall a fully licensed OS(WinXP, et al.) afterwards. Once you sort out drivers, Win7RC is pretty smooth sailing.

another option if you're looking to try out these operating systems, is Virtual PC...you will still boot from your native operating system and then start the virtual machine just like it's another app...if you decide that O/S isn't for you, you just delete the virtual machine...nice option if want to try it out without making any sort of commitment

I've recently ran Win7 and Ubuntu in virtual machines with few problems

Virtual PC is free?
What is Microsoft's angle here...

VirtualBox runs Ubuntu and Windows 2000 fine on my Macbook Pro.

You can grab it here:

http://www.virtualbox.org/

You'll need to grab the guest addtitions add-on if you want to run the latest drivers.