XP or 7?

[Calum Veteran]

For looks you can just disable Luna and go back to the classic look. For basic search functions, XP is better, you have to learn how to use the Windows 7 search before it gives you any useful results, so given those two things there's an argument for XP. However, network setup is much more streamlined in Vista and 7, as well as built in driver support. Those are the main reasons I'd choose Windows 7 over XP. While the taskbar on Windows 7 is awesome, the Windows XP one still works well enough. You can split the difference and go with Windows Server 2008 Standard, classic UI, much better driver support and networking. Lacks Windows 7's awesomebar, but can also be set to use classic search.

I think the old classic mode looks even worse :p I've never found XP's search to be better, and I've never had to learn anything about Windows 7's search. All I remember doing is randomly searching with them both; no learning required. Windows 7's search is better because there is a search bar everywhere one might need it (Start Menu, Windows Explorer etc.) and keywords are highlighted in yellow so it's easier to find the result one is after when many are produced. While Windows XP's taskbar does work, I strongly dislike how it works because the text labels and small icons make for a less enjoyable experience for me. Aero Peek and Aero Snap in Windows 7 are two features that make it so much better than XP as well, especially Aero Snap; I use that so frequently.

[HawkMan]

You're missing an important keyword "properly"

no, if you do it properly, it search EXACTLY like XP. except you also have the ability to search in a more modern and efficient way as well.

[daniel_rh]

You can go either way, your specs are just find to use Windows 7 if you want to run the latest software with no problems

[Detection]

NT or Vista imo :wacko:

7 of course

[migo]

no, if you do it properly, it search EXACTLY like XP. except you also have the ability to search in a more modern and efficient way as well.

no, it doesn't. not even remotely so. the only way to get it to behave exactly like XP is to exclude everything from indexing. the bizarre thing is they only index contents, not filenames, so it's slow as **** compared to something like Search Everything, or even Coprenic Desktop.

[articuno1au]

no, it doesn't. not even remotely so. the only way to get it to behave exactly like XP is to exclude everything from indexing. the bizarre thing is they only index contents, not filenames, so it's slow as **** compared to something like Search Everything, or even Coprenic Desktop.

********.

Take a look at the indexing API for WS2008 some time.

Without indexing, it runs as fast as XP, often faster due to better code and optimisation. The real advantage of 7's searching is over the network index sharing (huge for people with their own servers) and massively improved indexing and content searches.

XP's only real claim to fame with searching is easy access to advanced searches like "date and time". The only issue with that is people never quite worked out last edited and accessed times were different.

Oh, also 7 will index emails, documents, music files, pictures and ALL OF THEIR META DATA. XP doesn't without specific flags.

[Quillz]

I have an old computer with even worse specs and it can run Win7 Ultimate perfectly fine, with Aero Glass and all the other bells and whistles.

[Denis W. Veteran]

With all these arguments about search, one can be forgiven for forgetting Windows Search 4 is available for XP.

[articuno1au]

NO!

BAD DENIS W!

Stop providing the losing party with life lines >: (

Seriously :\

[notuptome2004]

With all these arguments about search, one can be forgiven for forgetting Windows Search 4 is available for XP.

true but even Microsoft own search 4.0 for XP still misses allot of stuf that windows 7 offers in search more so because search 4.0 is a Ad-on software and not built in to windows XP Windows 7 search is still more advanced then search 4.0 as it is built in at the core level .

Here is a comparison of each version tho windows 7 is not listed as this is slightly older ity is still useful to show you the differences

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/desktopsearch/overview/featurecompare.mspx

[Denis W. Veteran]

true but even Microsoft own search 4.0 for XP still misses allot of stuf that windows 7 offers in search more so because search 4.0 is a Ad-on software and not built in to windows XP Windows 7 search is still more advanced then search 4.0 as it is built in at the core level .

Here is a comparison of each version tho windows 7 is not listed as this is slightly older ity is still useful to show you the differences

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/desktopsearch/overview/featurecompare.mspx

The missing features appear to be related to new Explorer features (search from Start Menu, stacking, etc.). The core searching functionality is still there.

[HawkMan]

no, it doesn't. not even remotely so. the only way to get it to behave exactly like XP is to exclude everything from indexing. the bizarre thing is they only index contents, not filenames, so it's slow as **** compared to something like Search Everything, or even Coprenic Desktop.

if by not remotely you mean EXACTLY like.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/desktopsearch/technicalresources/advquery.mspx

Property: Use: Example:

File name filename, file filename:2006hits

Or:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Advanced-tips-for-searching-in-Windows

System.FileName:~<"notes" Files whose names begin with "notes." The ~< means "begins with."

[muratoner]

i wouldn't wanna install 7 on a 20gb drive

[migo]

********.

Take a look at the indexing API for WS2008 some time.

Without indexing, it runs as fast as XP, often faster due to better code and optimisation. The real advantage of 7's searching is over the network index sharing (huge for people with their own servers) and massively improved indexing and content searches.

XP's only real claim to fame with searching is easy access to advanced searches like "date and time". The only issue with that is people never quite worked out last edited and accessed times were different.

Oh, also 7 will index emails, documents, music files, pictures and ALL OF THEIR META DATA. XP doesn't without specific flags.

i realise 7 does all that stuff, but I never need any of it. all i ever need to do is search by filename, and 7 does a **** poor job of it while XP does that just fine. fortunately 3rd party programs can be installed that do a better job than search on XP, so overall I still stick with 7, but XP does have merit.

[xdot.tk]

I ran 7 on a similar system and it ran like dog crap. It runs fine on my quad core. I believe you need at least a dual core to run things under Windows 7 with similar speed to XP regardless of what the fan boys say.

My suggestion. Put XP on it.

[migo]

I'm running 7 on an Intel Atom single core netbook with 1GB of RAM. It runs fine. I leave Aero enabled but disable all its features save for Aero Peek.

[HawkMan]

i realise 7 does all that stuff, but I never need any of it. all i ever need to do is search by filename, and 7 does a **** poor job of it while XP does that just fine. fortunately 3rd party programs can be installed that do a better job than search on XP, so overall I still stick with 7, but XP does have merit.

Doesn't seem like you know, since that's the commands to search by filename, and when you use them, it will search exactly like XP did.

[chrispinto]

XP or 7?

XP is must. No questions asked.

1. You will be able to rock with all the non-support for unlimited period of time.

2. You will be able to hold regular Virus festivals.

3. You can literally take a trip to your friendly neighborhood junkyard and get a dot matrix printer. That would have 100% compatibility.

4. There would be no need to wait for any patches from Microsoft.

How much easier your life can get?

Best. Post. Ever.

[migo]

Doesn't seem like you know, since that's the commands to search by filename, and when you use them, it will search exactly like XP did.

It doesn't, I've tried it and it didn't work. Sometimes it finds the file, sometimes it doesn't. XP finds it every single time after a bit. Search Everything finds it every single time instantly. Given how Search Everything does it, there's no excuse for Windows 7's **** poor implementation of file search.

[HawkMan]

Wel if I do file: "filename" or filename: "filename" it immediately starts finding all files with the name in the filename I put in.

for the non indexed locations I naturally either need to hit the more locations link, or search the harddrive directly in explorer. either way it will search that drive completely using classic file search and find the file based on filename. EXACTLY like XP, since it uses the EXACT same file search.

[migo]

except it doesn't, when I narrow it down by searching only a directory and its sub directories it still doesn't find stuff that I know is there

and really, people wouldn't have made 3rd party search tools to search for file names if windows 7 search didn't suck at it

[pwnz0r3d]

i've got windows 7 running with all the candy enabled on a celeron processor at 1.86ghz, 2 gb ram configured laptop. runs even better than xp, and almost everything except the cardreader was supported out of the box. a quick windows update fixed that.

[HawkMan]

except it doesn't, when I narrow it down by searching only a directory and its sub directories it still doesn't find stuff that I know is there

and really, people wouldn't have made 3rd party search tools to search for file names if windows 7 search didn't suck at it

Proof that it doesn't find a file. because it uses the EXACT same search for file searches in un-indexed locations as has been in windows since 95 or so. a basic Binary tree file search in the file table.

[migo]

But it doesn't in indexed locations. Having to manually un-index everything is a serious pain in the ass, because then you can't run programs just by typing their name in the start menu.

i've got windows 7 running with all the candy enabled on a celeron processor at 1.86ghz, 2 gb ram configured laptop. runs even better than xp, and almost everything except the cardreader was supported out of the box. a quick windows update fixed that.

Yeah, that's another thing I like about Vista and 7 - any system that was made in the XP era has most of the drivers already included.

[xWhiplash]

But it doesn't in indexed locations. Having to manually un-index everything is a serious pain in the ass, because then you can't run programs just by typing their name in the start menu.

Yeah, that's another thing I like about Vista and 7 - any system that was made in the XP era has most of the drivers already included.

If it does not find the item, you simply click "Search again in Computer" or "Search Everywhere". It does the same thing that XP did but without the annoying dog :p