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Tom’s Tech Tips

Tom’s Tuesday Tech Tip: XP, Vista or Windows 7?

Windows® Vista never quite caught on in the corporate setting. XP has continued to rule the corporate roost. Home and small business users, like legal nurse consultants, however, have adopted a mix of XP and different versions of Vista that were foisted on them by retailers when they bought new computers. If you’re still running XP and haven’t yet upgraded to Vista, should you? Or should you wait and go directly to the next version of Windows®, currently known as Windows® 7?

The last I read, the rumored target is late 2009 for Windows® 7. That probably means 2010. Then it will be even later for the service packs that fix the bugs to come out. If you’re buying a new computer now and you’re buying a pretty powerful system, I recommend going with Vista (Home Premium or Business edition) now.

Why? Because you’re going to be buying newer, Vista-compatible versions of software that should also be Windows® 7 compatible. Lots of the problems encountered with Vista come from people trying to use older software that is not fully compatible. This is what keeps many corporate users, such as large and even small law firms (and their mixes of software versions and computing power), from adopting Vista. Vista is a perfectly good operating system. If you upgrade your printer and scanner at the same time, make sure you get drivers for them. If you keep your old printer/scanner, look for driver information online.

If you just have to have XP, Microsoft® is allowing some computer manufacturers to order XP through the end of January 2009 for delivery in early 2009. That means move quickly. Remember, the longer you use (or hold onto) XP, the harder it will be to upgrade later. You may as well bite the bullet and get on the Vista bandwagon with your next computer purchase.

Keep on techin’,

Tom

3 thoughts on “Tom’s Tuesday Tech Tip: XP, Vista or Windows 7?

  1. Tom,
    Thanks for this excellent description of the Vista problems. As you say, it’s not Vista…it’s trying to use Vista with older things. When purchased brand new for a brand new computer, I’ve heard that it’s the greatest. Your Tuesday Tech Thing is great!

  2. Tom,
    What advice do you have for Mac OSX users? In my work as a Clinical Research Consultant, I have used whatever laptop and software a Pharma Company sends me and wants me to use. (They often have special software for reporting, etc.) However, in my home office, I have a desktop and a laptop Mac (they almost never get viruses). My laptop has dual processors. After I have completed the seminar in Las Vegas and am embracing a new addition to my consulting services, is it your recommendation that I add a regular pc to my office?

  3. Dorothy,
    I’m a PC (NOT politically correct) kind of guy (not a “Mac-daddy” either) whose knowledge of Apple stuff ends after loading my iPod®. So I turned to my favorite Mac® expert, our neighbor’s 14-yr-old (just kidding), who recommended that you keep your Mac® and save yourself the aggravation of Windows®.

    You then have 2 options:

    1. Purchase Office:MAC2008. This is the Microsoft® Office suite for Mac®. It includes Word, Excel®, PowerPoint® and Entourage® (Outlook® for Mac®). Office:MAC2008 Home and Student will probably suffice and can be purchased for around $150.
    2. If you have Leopard® you also have a new option, iWork®’09 which was just announced at MacWorld. It will open and save docs and presentations in Microsoft® Office formats. iWork®’09 will also allow you to save work up to iWork.com for collaboration and you can mail other nurses links to your documents online and they can place comments and make suggestions. iWork®’09 is $79.00. Both are available from the Apple® store. You can download a 30-day free trial of iWork® ’09 from the store to give it a test drive. Family packs of iWork® are also available for multiple computers.

    Most attorneys live in a PC world but you can keep on Mac-ing with this software and still create documents that just about any attorney can open.

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*The opinions and statements made by Vickie Milazzo, the founder of Medical-Legal Consulting Institute, Inc. are based on her experiences and expertise, should not be applied beyond the specific context provided, and do not guaranty or project actual results. Vickie Milazzo is no longer involved in the operations or management of the business, but is involved as an independent education consultant.

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