Okay, so I’ve recently written a book to help you get the best out of Windows 7, but why do I think you should get a copy of Windows 7 in the first place?

The best and easiest way to deal with this is by talking about the benefits of upgrading from both Windows XP and Windows Vista seperately.

Windows XP

The reasons for upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 7 can be summed up in one word.  Security.  Even after the security features of XP Service Pack 2 were introduced to high priase, Windows XP still maintained a reputation for being vulnerable to attack from all sides, and it deserved it too.

You can be as careful as you like online with Windows XP and still never be anywhere near as secure as you can be with Windows 7.  Even if you have your PC loaded up with all types of third-party security software.

There is, of course, another reason, and that’s support.  Okay so Windows XP will be supported by Microsoft for essential fixes and patches for a few years yet, but it still won’t get the attention that Microsoft’s newer operating systems will get.  You also have to consider how your hardware will be supported.  Will hardware manufacturers release updates for drivers now that Windows XP has been replaced twice? 

People would want to stay with Widnows XP because it’s comfortable like an old shirt.  This, sadly, is a fools errand.  Windows XP should now be avoided.

Windows Vista

There’s no doubting that Windows Vista was a dog.  It was slow, clunky and had terrible support for hardware and programs.  That said it was, essentially, a complete rewrite of the Windows operating system and was bound to have problems.

I’m happy to report that all of the performance and compatibility issues that plagued Windows Vista have been fixed.  Windows 7 speeds along as quickly as XP on the same hardware.  If you are using Windows Vista, you really don’t know how pleasurable an experience you’re missing.

Then there’s the much maligned UAC, or User Account Control which popped up at every opportunity to alert you that you were going to copy a file, or change a minor Windows setting, and did you want to allow this?  UAC has been completely tamed in Windows 7 and now only pops up when it really ought to.  It is, quite simply, no longer annoying.

Obviously there are also a great many enhancements in Windows 7 that also offer compelling reasons to upgrade, but I feel the best reasons are also both the simplest and the most important.  These being security, stability and compatibility.

Windows 7 goes on sale on October 22nd 2009 and I strongly recommend you get a copy.