Windows Version

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David Karol

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Jan 10, 2011
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www.davidkarol.com
I need to pick up a copy of Windows for my laptop- I've always just used XP, but I read that support for it is ending in 2014. I figure I might as well upgrade.

What version of Windows is everyone using for their audio tablets? Is there a lot of compatibility with Windows 8 now? Or am I better off sticking with 7?

Thanks.
 
Re: Windows Version

I too have XP and like it.Too bad they won't support it anymore.A few months back,I purchased a computer with Windows 8 for a museum I am an officer in. I hated it.Returned it for one with Windows 7 and everything is fine. I recently read were Microsoft has recieved alot of complaints about Win 8 and is making major changes to it.
 
Windows 8 is no different than the normal windows releases in that the every other one is terrible.

I've switched my motion computing LE1700 to mint Linux with WINE to run all of the windows native programs. Strangely system architect runs better under wine that it does in windows, but you have to download quite a few APIs to get it to work initially. Haven't had a single crash since I switched.

In response to your question 8 still has several driver issues with some devices.
Sent from my neural implant
 
My tablet runs Windows 7, works great for Band Manager, System Architect, XControl, MagicQ and Light Jockey.

We just bought another tablet that came preloaded with 8, it is going to be used primarily for LJ though (hopefully).
 
Re: Windows Version

David Karol said:
I need to pick up a copy of Windows for my laptop- I've always just used XP, but I read that support for it is ending in 2014. I figure I might as well upgrade.

What version of Windows is everyone using for their audio tablets? Is there a lot of compatibility with Windows 8 now? Or am I better off sticking with 7?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

What laptop do you have?
 
Re: Windows Version

David Karol said:
I need to pick up a copy of Windows for my laptop- I've always just used XP, but I read that support for it is ending in 2014. I figure I might as well upgrade.

What version of Windows is everyone using for their audio tablets? Is there a lot of compatibility with Windows 8 now? Or am I better off sticking with 7?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Hi David,

FYI, Shure WWB6 doesn't run on Win8 at all, and the developers are mum about when that might happen. I don't know if that's important to you, but it was a deal breaker for me.

So far I'm happy with Win7 x64 Pro. It's fast, and the UI and commands mostly make sense to this long-time XP user.
 
Re: Windows Version

I have a few computers running win 8 (new laptop and two older desktops) all run fine. The two desktops were upgraded from windows xp (one had severe trouble running win xp for some reason and never work properly even after multiple reinstalls!) one only has 1gb ram and an old Pentium dual core but is still amazingly fast (although it is only win 8 32bit). As for compatibility Office 97 installed fine as did one of the demos on the win98se install cd! There is still compatibility mode that goes back to win 95 which should help with most programs (wireless workbench 5 will install in xp compatibility mode (win 8 32bit) and runs normally but cannot check further that that). If there is any utils anyone wants checked for compatibility I have both win8 32/64bit over here and can check if any one is unsure.
 
Re: Windows Version

Personally I'm so happy I will no longer have to deal with the evil "automatic updates" that appear occasionally during a critical time on my old XP-running Dell Latitude D430. I barely access the internet with it anyway, and the only times it has crashed have been in the process of using the internets.

On the other hand, though, I've been meaning to upgrade to 7 for a while. It runs very well after the more recent updates, and the UI is very usable and doesn't lack any features, compared to other versions where things were intentionally hidden all the time (HINT: Vista). It's definitely worth it, and even though Win8 does do some nice things on the ultrabooks, for most applications it's a waste of money.

Just remember to have a backup computer on hand for when it takes you a few days/weeks to get the new OS to run smoothly. ;)
 
Re: Windows Version

Is there anything forcing us (as sound professionals) to move from WinXP?
I can understand that with new machines you're stuck with whatever windows is on it as XP probably wouldn't install on them due to lack of drivers.
But I'm wondering if anyone has found a pro-audio application that is Win7 or 8 only?

I'm predominantly Linux, with MacOS a close second, and XP probably only 10% of work-related computing. I run it mostly in a Parallels on mac or Virtualbox on Linux but do actually have a Pentium4 machine with XP on it for some fussy serial-port related legacy applications.
I've switched to Libre Office and OpenOffice so documents now move freely between platforms and I've had no issues interfacing with the outside world and it's MS Office addiction.
Google Chrome has made working on the web easy at no matter what machine I'm sitting at too.

Linux (Debian) makes you forget how old the machine it's running on really is so you suddenly don't find yourself buying new hardware often. I get reasonably current laptops and desktops off eBay regularly that are quite capable but cheap because they lack HD's and OS's. And the stack of XP COA numbers gleaned from the stickers on all of them give me an inexhaustible supply of legal valid numbers for virtual machines.

One reason I've stuck with XP is that it has taken me this long just to get used to it and understand it in a deep enough way for service and troubleshooting. It has become quite stable and "just works" now. When it comes to a new MS OS, I don't even know where to begin:

Windows 7 Ultimate
Windows 7 SP1 Professional 64bit
Windows 7 SP1 Professional 32bit
Windows 7 SP1 Home Premium 64bit
Windows 7 SP1 Home Premium 32bit
-then add-in the "Upgrade" vs "Full"
-then "OEM" vs "Retail"
Now add in Windows 8 in just as many flavors!!
-And don't forget Vista is floating around out there still too!!!

Is anyone actually wondering why people like me have clung to XP as long as we have?
 
Re: Windows Version

I have 3 XP machines left - the desktop at work (serial port), a laptop, and my HTPC. The rest are various flavors of Win 7. For the most part I'm happy with it. Oh, I have an old Acer lappy running Win2000 for some legacy software/dedicated serial port stuff. I'm not sure I've booted it in... 3 or 4 years.
 
Re: Windows Version

Craig Hauber said:
Is there anything forcing us (as sound professionals) to move from WinXP?
I can understand that with new machines you're stuck with whatever windows is on it as XP probably wouldn't install on them due to lack of drivers.
But I'm wondering if anyone has found a pro-audio application that is Win7 or 8 only?

I'm predominantly Linux, with MacOS a close second, and XP probably only 10% of work-related computing. I run it mostly in a Parallels on mac or Virtualbox on Linux but do actually have a Pentium4 machine with XP on it for some fussy serial-port related legacy applications.
I've switched to Libre Office and OpenOffice so documents now move freely between platforms and I've had no issues interfacing with the outside world and it's MS Office addiction.
Google Chrome has made working on the web easy at no matter what machine I'm sitting at too.

Linux (Debian) makes you forget how old the machine it's running on really is so you suddenly don't find yourself buying new hardware often. I get reasonably current laptops and desktops off eBay regularly that are quite capable but cheap because they lack HD's and OS's. And the stack of XP COA numbers gleaned from the stickers on all of them give me an inexhaustible supply of legal valid numbers for virtual machines.

One reason I've stuck with XP is that it has taken me this long just to get used to it and understand it in a deep enough way for service and troubleshooting. It has become quite stable and "just works" now. When it comes to a new MS OS, I don't even know where to begin:

Windows 7 Ultimate
Windows 7 SP1 Professional 64bit
Windows 7 SP1 Professional 32bit
Windows 7 SP1 Home Premium 64bit
Windows 7 SP1 Home Premium 32bit
-then add-in the "Upgrade" vs "Full"
-then "OEM" vs "Retail"
Now add in Windows 8 in just as many flavors!!
-And don't forget Vista is floating around out there still too!!!

Is anyone actually wondering why people like me have clung to XP as long as we have?
Click to expand...

I have been using winxp in VM only for several years. I also have win 7 pro for those windows only applications. My main video edit rig is also win 7 pro. One nice thing, at least it use to be this way, win 7 pro came with access to a version of virtual PC that ran applications in a real install of XP. All you need is a CPU with the proper virtualization flags. My day to day computing is all linux, mostly centOS.

The hyp around viruses and updates is kind of moot if you take care of what you do with your machine on line. I have not had a virus in at least 10 years, if ever. But then my windows installs only see manufaturer websites, or in the case of vm's, a fresh install is just a revert to snapshot away.
 
Re: Windows Version

Craig Hauber said:
Is there anything forcing us (as sound professionals) to move from WinXP?
Click to expand...

I think products in the next year or two will begin to drop support for it.

I'll be running it on Boot Camp / VMware Fusion partition on a Macbook Pro, 2.6 GHz i7, 16GB RAM, 500GB SSD HD.

I've been running some of these in WINE, but it has been pretty buggy.

Support for WWB, and other programs compatible with OS X doesn't matter to me, as I have (and prefer) to use OS X. It's more for software like System Architect, XTA Audiocore, LTspice, Lake one day...

I'll order a copy of Windows 7.

Thanks!
 
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