Finally got Windows 7

[Norade]

Just installed and am redoing my bookmarks as I went from 32-bit to 64-bit, I have to say it runs well so far. Does anybody have any advice or tips for things I should get for it or should I get the same things I'd been using on Vista?

[Edward Yee]

All I can think of is making sure that you get stuff certified as compatible with the 64-bit version of Windows 7; I've found at least one program I've used doesn't seem to work with 32-bit Windows 7 and had to get a substitute (fortunately freeware).

[Norade]

So far that isn't an issue, most everything I run should work, unless WoW and DoW2 won't work suddenly. Most everything else was either downloaded and not really needed or can be found again or replaced as needed.

[Edward Yee]

Not sure about the 64-bit part, but supposedly WoW runs fine or even better on Windows 7.

[Bounty]

I have yet to run into an application that won't run in 32-bit mode. The big problem are drivers, not apps, but with those I've found the X64 Vista version usually does the trick.

[Ypoknons]

No problem installing programs with 64-bit Windows 7 RC here either. There's hardly anything legacy on my home computer anyways.

[Stark]

I find compat in Win7 is far better than XP or Vista. The only failures I've had are things that flat out didn't work at all since Vista.

Don't really understand the OP though. Are you asking for advice on what useless spyware/virus/temp monitor software to fill it with?

[MKSheppard]

Get Microsoft Security Essentials. Link to MS Site

You can download it and use it as long as you're using a genuine copy of Windows. Why pay $50 to $80 each year for an anti virus program, when you can get the definitions and a decent program free from Microsoft?

Sure, it may not be as good in catching viruses as NOD32, or what; but fuck, you don't need professional grade antivirus programs unless you're deliberately going to the bad corner of the internet.

Windows Firewall combined with whatever you have for router hardware firewall (you DO have a router? Most people do nowadays), should be enough to stop 99% of all intrusion attempts.

[Stark]

Frankly I think the need for such things has been massively inflated by people out to flex their nerd-cred; I keep a licence of NOD going, but I very, very seldom see activity (unless I download obvious viruses just to laugh when they go splat) and it's just for peace of mind. Stay away from piracy and dodgey porn = MSE is probably all you need.

[Norade]

Stark, I was just wondering if people had any suggestions for what software I might put onto my clean install of windows 7. So far programs I've added are AVG free, Malwarebytes, Firefox, and VLC player. I've come to think of these as essentials, and wonder what other programs people feel are 'essential' to their computer use.

[Mr Bean]

Stark, I was just wondering if people had any suggestions for what software I might put onto my clean install of windows 7. So far programs I've added are AVG free, Malwarebytes, Firefox, and VLC player. I've come to think of these as essentials, and wonder what other programs people feel are 'essential' to their computer use.

I'd toss in Open Office as the only other "must have" Everything else I have(Fraps/Steam/Teamspeak) is video game related or accessory related(RiM Software)

In fact with Windows 7 all my default back contains is the OS with Open office, RiM, Firefox, Avira/Malwarebytes and K-Lite. Where it not for open office and RiM it'd come to less than fifty megs.

[Norade]

Stark, I was just wondering if people had any suggestions for what software I might put onto my clean install of windows 7. So far programs I've added are AVG free, Malwarebytes, Firefox, and VLC player. I've come to think of these as essentials, and wonder what other programs people feel are 'essential' to their computer use.

I'd toss in Open Office as the only other "must have" Everything else I have(Fraps/Steam/Teamspeak) is video game related or accessory related(RiM Software)

In fact with Windows 7 all my default back contains is the OS with Open office, RiM, Firefox, Avira/Malwarebytes and K-Lite. Where it not for open office and RiM it'd come to less than fifty megs.

I had forgotten about open office, but I would agree that is an essential. Other programs I have or intend to DL are Bit Torrent, Daemon Tools, and Ultimate Zip or a better version if possible.

[Stark]

Ultimate Zip? The name amuses me. 7zip is free (and 64-bit native I believe). Some non-adobe pdf viewer is probably important too.

[Stofsk]

Is it? Adobe reader is free. Why would you need a non-adobe pdf viewer?

[Norade]

I always just used ultimate zip, though 7-zip seems like a good choice.

[JointStrikeFighter]

Is it? Adobe reader is free. Why would you need a non-adobe pdf viewer?

Less bloatware. Go for foxit reader.

[Bounty]

Is it? Adobe reader is free. Why would you need a non-adobe pdf viewer?

Adobe reader starts with Windows for some reason and the browser plugin is atrociously slow.

[Stark]

I always just used ultimate zip, though 7-zip seems like a good choice.

7zip is lightweight; Ultimate Zip just has a stupid name. It should do all the same stuff (although support for large zips is hilarious because who even wants that). It's just a shame 7z isn't the default.

Is it? Adobe reader is free. Why would you need a non-adobe pdf viewer?

Amusingly, the free ones are faster, at least where it's noticeable (ie on extremely complex art-based pdfs). I use Foxit but I don't think it's the best one out there.

[Ace Pace]

Foxit and other free PDF readers are acceptable for most PDFs, however I've run into some rather complex PDFs, such as public transportation maps, that did not display properly.

You might ask why are these things in PDFs, but if so, you haven't tried using enough official websites.

[Stark]

Foxit and other free PDF readers are acceptable for most PDFs, however I've run into some rather complex PDFs, such as public transportation maps, that did not display properly.

You might ask why are these things in PDFs, but if so, you haven't tried using enough official websites.

That's actually why I changed; back in Acrobat 6 or 7 when it was absolutely glacial, the HoMM5 manual didn't display right (due to multiple layers of complex art). It was fine on Foxit and even though Acrobat is largely fixed now I'm not motivated to go back.

[TimothyC]

While still Open Office, I prefer the Go-oo implementation, as it is faster, and provides better Word/Works/WordPerfect import-export support than the standard Sun Microsystems distro.

[Stark]

Is Go-oo good enough to use in a corporate environment? OO is just slightly too incompatible (and annoyingly laid out, ugly, etc) to really work well. Which is a shame.

[TimothyC]

Is Go-oo good enough to use in a corporate environment? OO is just slightly too incompatible (and annoyingly laid out, ugly, etc) to really work well. Which is a shame.

I don't think it is ready yet, but it is closer than OO.org For me the improved .WPD and .WPG as well as Native .SVG import are a life-saver, as a whole lot of my documents at home are from when I only had Word Perfect 6-8 and 11. (I'm still a Word Perfect guy at heart, and would love to get the full version of X4)

[Zac Naloen]

A nod in favour of Windows Security Essentials, girlfriend is a teacher and came back from school with a virus on her memory stick.

First thing that happened when she plugged it in was that security essentials popped up identified the conflicker worm and cleared it before actual infection happened. Plenty user friendly, just a case of clicking "Clean/Ignore" when the box appears.

[loomer]

To chime in on non-Adobe PDFs - multiple documents in one window. They're no longer part of their PDF viewing software, and thats just fucking annoying.