10 Reason to Buy Window 7

10 reasons to buy Windows 7

You told us to make Windows simpler to use, more responsive, and full of new possibilities. We listened--and made loads of improvements. Here's our top 10:

A better desktop. Windows 7 gets you around your PC faster than ever. The taskbar has bigger buttons and full-sized previews--and you can pin programs to it for one-click access. Jump Lists provide shortcuts to files, folders, and websites. And Snap, Peek, and Shake give you easy (and fun) new ways to juggle all those open windows.

Smarter search. Type in the Start menu search box, and you'll see results instantly, grouped by category--documents, pictures, music, e mail, and programs. Search in a folder or library, and you can fine-tune your search with filters like date or file type--and use the preview pane to peek at the contents of your results.

Easy sharing with HomeGroup. Sharing files and printers on your home network should be simple. With HomeGroup, it finally is. Connect two or more PCs runningWindows 7, and with a minimum of fuss you can start sharing music, pictures, videos, and documents with other people in your home.

Built for speed. Windows 7 has key performance improvements to take up less memory and run background services only when you need them. It's designed to run your programs faster and to sleep, resume, and reconnect to wireless networks quicker. And with 64-bit support, you can take full advantage of the latest in powerful 64-bit PCs.

Better wireless networking. Connecting to wireless networks on your laptop--formerly a bit of a hassle--now takes just a couple of clicks. Choose from the list of available networks in the taskbar, click one, and then connect. Once you've connected to a network, Windows will remember it so you can connect again later automatically.

Windows Touch. Use your fingers to browse the web, flip through photos, and open files and folders on a touchscreen PC--for the first time, Windows includes true multitouch technology. With gestures for zooming, rotating, and even right-clicking, it's a whole new way to work with your PC.

Plays well with devices. Device Stage, a new feature in Windows 7, works like a home page for things like portable music players, smartphones, and printers. When you plug a compatible device into your PC, you'll see a menu with information and popular tasks like battery life, how many photos are ready to be downloaded, and printing options.

Watch, listen, and stream. Internet TV, part of Windows Media Center, gathers programming from sites all over the Internet--shows, sports highlights, video podcasts, and more. Add a TV tuner, and your PC becomes a digital video recorder you can use to watch, pause, and record live TV. And with new features inWindows Media Player 12, you can enjoy your media library around the house--or around town.

Internet Explorer 9 and Windows Live. Windows 7 unleashes the full power ofInternet Explorer 9, from its stunning hardware-accelerated graphics to the ability to launch favorite websites right from your taskbar. You'll also get the many possibilities of Windows Live, free: create photo albums and movies, chat in HD, and share your stuff anytime, anywhere.

Nag-free notifications. Action Center, new in Windows 7, puts you in control of maintenance and security messages. You can turn notifications on or off for things like Windows Defender or User Account Control. If Windows needs your attention, you'll see a notification on the far right of the taskbar. Click it, and you'll get suggested fixes for any problems.

10 Linux Advantages for Your Business

Many people would love to find a more cost effective operating system than Windows. Obviously not everyone is a great candidate to make the switch to the open source operating system. However, once you better understand the strengths of using the Linux desktop, you too might find that migrating makes a lot sense.

In this article, I will show you some things you can do for your business with Linux that you can't do with Windows.

1. Install Once and Forget It

Assuming you choose a stable release of your selected Linux distribution, you can, in all reality, install it and forget it. While I am not suggesting that you forget critical security updates by any means, the fact that Linux is just not on the radar for those with a malicious intent means that you can lock down a system for much longer with a lot more safety. You can go without running security updates as long as the PC in question is not connected to the Internet. For those PCs installed on the Internet, you will find that you will want to make sure that you keep those patches coming. It's better to be safe than sorry.

Windows users on the other hand, need to run those updates regardless of their Internet connection status simply because malware can indeed be installed through means other than an Internet connection.

2. Save a Fortune in Software Costs

While there is no question that most of the open source software used on Linux is also readily available for Windows as well, it is nice not needing to install it as it comes by default. Immediate access to free office suites, graphics editors, and other software means those are funds that can be put elsewhere for your business. Marketing for your business, for example.

It has long since been my opinion that most companies are spending entirely too much for software these days. Not to say that developers should not be compensated mind you, rather pointing out that there is an inherent flaw in paying so much for absurd renewals that the cost alone quickly becomes too much to bear for the growing business.

3. Install and Manage Software with One Action

To some, this is both a curse and a blessing. While it makes software updates a breeze, there is also the headache of trying to ensure that you are still able to update software that might not yet be compatible with the existing Linux libraries on your system, while still enjoying that ability to install, remove, and update software with only a couple of actions.

On Windows, the end user is either needing to use a third-party application to ensure they are alerted to the latest software updates, or simply