We just sent our our July Newsletter with the following guidelines on WIndows:
Which Windows Should You Run?
- First, what you now have is what you will probably keep running. However, if you are or will be buying a NEW computer, read this carefully. Also, if you have Vista and continuously have problems, consider buying the "Vista Business with Downgrade to XP" and replacing your existing Vista with XP.
- Windows XP IS the safest Windows today for Professional Karaoke shows! Our newest releases will continue to run on XP as long as Microsoft sells XP. We deal with all technical levels of users every week. They report XP gives fewer problems. If you are buying a new computer we STRONGLY RECOMMEND that you get it installed and running XP. MTU only ships our Ruggedized Laptops with XP.
- Vista was a nightmare. Microsoft forcing Vista on the world threw us a curve ball that has cost us dearly in development time. We believe we are now functionally compliant (is there such a thing as fully compliant with Vista?). Vista problems are now few and far between. With the release of Windows 7, we expect Microsoft to reduce Vista support and even discontinue it earlier. It was a very bad decision for them to release it.
- Windows 7 so far all MTU software products run fine on our Beta version. Windows 7 is expected to release on October 24, 2009. We will be ready. Keep in mind... the first release of any new Windows Operating System (or Apple either) ALWAYS has bugs. We don't like using a new OS until at least Service Release 1 (SR1). Please don't jump on Windows 7 unless you are prepared to find and live with bugs. That's a simple warning to everyone.
NEW OS = PROBLEMS BEFORE Service Release 1 (at a MINIMUM!!!!!).
MTU is now in a RAPID development mode. We are NOT interested in spending thousands of hours to diagnose how W7 is messing up. We simply AREN'T!!!!!!!!!!!! As long as XP is available, we have no intention of shifting our Ruggedized Laptops to W7.
FOR THE RECORD: All MTU software is running on Windows 7 Beta. However, we have not exhaustively tested. For example, Vista 64 totaly handles Optical drives differently than Vista 32.
We had no reason to believe Microsoft would do such a stupid thing to ALL their software developer partners... BUT THEY DID!!! We haven't found anyone using Optical drives on Vista 64, and now that Windows 7 is coming, it will NEVER happen on Vista!!!!!!!!!
What is lurking in Widows 7 for us and YOU to discover? We don't plan to waste any more of our time for at least until W7 SR1 is out for several months to get the market feedback.
Can I make it any clearer........... DON'T UPGRADE your working XP to Windows 7.
If you buy a new computer, DEMAND.... DEMAND.... DEMAND it be delivered with XP installed and running. You will be MUCH HAPPIER with Hoster on a stable Windows platform.
If your computer vendor won't give you XP, which they CAN DO, then find another computer vendor. They are being inflexible.
Microsoft seems to have learned their lesson to NEVER AGAIN FORCE any OS on the market. They have announced XP will be available at least until 2011. Need I say more?