Windows 7 help please

Your patience if this comes in the 'damned stupid question' category, is appreciated, but I need help, since I know little about computers.

Briefly - I'm a volunteer at a local residential home for the learning disabled, where I help the residents by introducing them to computing - some use it put together their 'Newsletter' (using Publisher), some are able to write brief letters to relatives (using Word), while others - in the nicest way - 'play' with something fairly simple like Paint or Serif Draw, and there are a few simple 'match 3' type games on it too.

Until now, I've been using my old Dell laptop running XP, but it's well past it's 'sell-by date' and needs replacing. The Trustees of the home have kindly offered to contribute a small amount to the cost of a new machine but of course, 99% of machines run Windows 7. Until recently Dell were still able to supply XP machines but not any more and although PC World tell me they can supply a machine with an XP downgrade, I've looked at the machines on offer and ... well for all sorts of reasons, I'm not sure it's such a good deal.

So ... after all that, my question is, I need to keep using the software 'my' residents are familiar with, (Office, Serif Draw, the games etc), if I buy a machine running Windows 7, will my existing software work?

 

What a good question and you are right to be concerned.
I`m not totally up to speed on the subject,, but what I can tell you may help in the final decision.
I have four lappies plus a desk top.
This one I am using now is Windows 7 (64bit)
Second and third is a Dell running Vista and Tosh running XP and small net book is also XP
Built for me desk top is running XP (32bit)
Sorry if this sounds confusing.
I think My point is I have issues running some of the XP software on the top notch Windows7 (64bit bit)
Caution is advised..
Hope someone with more knowledge comes to your rescue.
Robert

 

But that is a help - a huge one and for which I thank you.

On checking, I'm surprised to find I'm still using Office 2000 (I didn't realise it was quite that old, although I do remember getting my daughter's school to stamp the form for the Student Discount) - if it 'aint broke don't fix it. I'm guessing I'd just have to keep my fingers crossed over that one.

Only if you promise not to laugh, will I tell you that I've got Serif Draw 3 ... yes that's right 3! I think they're on 8 now. They've rung me periodically in the past, offering their latest version but I've said no thanks so often, even they've given up! I've stuck with 3 because the residents understand it's nice simplicity and - because it's prone to seize up - it is ironically, useful for showing the residents that these things happen and learning how to stop/fix it.

The games aren't really a problem, they're only cheapie ones, things like Jewel Quest II, Rise of Atlantis etc., ('compatible with Windows 95'!).

Just as a BTW - whilst your kindness is very much appreciated, is there any way I/we can check these things for myself? My son-in-law also needs to upgrade his very old laptop, (bought second-hand when he started Uni in 2000!) and I certainly wouldn't expect you to comment on the programs he's running as well.

My grateful thanks
F'smum

 

I know you are keen to stick with your existing software, but you will potentially face a bit more expense than you need to, not to mention a bit of a headache getting everything to work.

Apart from buying the new machine with Windows 7, with some software you'll be up against insanely strict license enforcement. Quite often nowadays, even if you bought the software for a machine that you've since stopped using, you'll still find it difficult to activate on the new machine because at time of registration, some of them read details about your hardware and transmit it along with your license key, so when you do it again on a new machine, it thinks you're trying to use an unlicensed copy.

You'll also have potential incompatibilities between 32 bit and 64 bit systems. In theory 32 bit stuff should work fine on 64 bit machines, but its not always the case.

There is a much cheaper and easier alternative, but you might not like it. If you buy just the PC, and install Ubuntu linux on there, you get as much software as you need for free, and its no hassle. You simply look through a list of applications, tick the ones you want, and then one button to install the lot. If you don't like them, its just as easy to remove them. Licensing is never an issue because its all open source (completely free and legal). You wont get exactly the same apps, but you'll get comparable ones. In terms of using it all, it all looks very similar to Windows.

 

If when you buy your new pc you make sure that the version of windows 7 you buy is either "Windows 7 Ultimate" or "Windows 7 Professional" then this would allow you to download for free from microsoft "WinXP Mode" this basically allows you to run older XP compatible programs on the newer machine.

Steve...

 

I agree, I changed over four years ago and wouldn't go back to Windows. The software is updated regularly and it works with any version of Ubuntu. I have upgraded as each version came out, up to v10.10 but stepped back to v10.04 as I preferred the Long Term Support version. I have had no problems, unlike Windows, because the OS is written better and does it's housekeeping much better (doesn't need de-fragging), virus doesn't work on it so no problems with those. In fact my step daughter and grand daughters often visit and use my computer without any knowledge of Linux.

 

Open source platforms and software is great.. until something goes wrong, then you need a degree course in computing to make it work. OK, if you understand PCs and you can do a bit of simple command line programming, fair enough, but otherwise, stick to microsoft and save yourself a lot of hassle. Bite the bullet, ditch your old software and replace with win7 and new compatible apps. I'm surprised no one has suggested Apple Mac, all the people I know who use it wouldn't give microsoft windows a second look. (both my machines run Windows, BTW)

 

This used to be true, and still is in the case of some platforms (believe me, I tried and dismissed many before choosing Ubuntu). Ubuntu is directed by a commercial company that has the resources to test everything before it goes into a release, and fix any issues. Then they do a beta release and monitor feedback, correct any issues etc before publishing a release. All this is backed by a large number of skilled programmers, whose work is vetted before it gets included.

On the rare occassions when you encounter a problem, a very active forum gives you tech support far faster than microsoft could, and that support extends to the third party applications, whereas MS will only support licensed MS software.

In any case, Ubuntu can be tried without installing anything. You can boot your PC from the CD, and it then uses RAM as a fake hard disk, so you get to try out all features of the system without updating a thing. If you don't like it, you just use the CD as a coaster and forget about it. If you like it then an easy install wizard will have it set up permanently on your machine within less than an hour, while still leaving Windows on as an option.

It might not be for everyone, but it is not exclusive to techies, and it is a good option to consider.

 

As I've said many times before, the Ubuntu OS (including Mint OS) does nor require a degree course in IT. In fact the majority of so called computer experts (they are really only Windows experts) do not have any knowledge of the Linux system. The computer industry has built a great big con around the M$ system and it's vulnerabilities. In order to promote the con M$ change the parameters for hardware drivers so that the old ones won't work with the new version, so people are persuaded to buy new hardware.

I often have people using my computer who have no knowledge of the Linux system and use it without any problems, due no doubt to the fact that the software is often the same as they use with Windows (but a Linux version). One chap is amazed at the speed with which my machine works, starting up in 35 seconds where his Windows machine takes several minutes. Closing down takes 11 seconds where his again takes several minutes.

 

Yes thats right ARMANDII, it will hike up the price and I am/was aware of that, but at the end of the day I was answering Fidgetmums question and giving a solution for learning challenged people and what they where used to...ie giving them the same product they already have, but on a new (necessary) machine. This is not the place for a Windows vs Linux debate, Fidgetmums question is clear and concise for which I have answered clearly and concisely.

I'll stay out of the windows vs Linux vs Mac debate...maybe that's a subject is for another topic and incidentally, that debate will go on for ever.

Steve...