Aug
17
Written by:
admin
Monday, August 17, 2009
Windows 7 is set for retail Release in October.
I have installed Microsoft subscription Windows 7 Ultimate 64 Bit on my main computer. Having only just gone through a Vista re-install/upgrade that took two weeks a couple of months ago I learnt how to do re-installation a little faster and it only took 2 days to get everything re-installed and humming.
Installing the OS/Apps
Installation was basically no touch and done in under an hour. All drivers installed automatically with windows. Only had to install a pseudo-driver for my scanner (Scansnap S510) and I was set to go. Installing all the applications and copying documents over from old disk took a few hours as did reconfiguring Visual Studio for 64 bit development and rebuilding a few tools.
Re-engineering the DCP for 64bit (I'm sure 64 Bit will be the norm on servers in the near future) was simple. Just needed to add support 64bit SqlCe.
Impressions of Windows 7.
Marked improvements in user interface compared to Vista. Some are bold as brass like the new taskbar which stacks grouped windows into panel arrays for previewing and shows animations eg when files are copying. Some refinements are a revellation like the new Libraries Feature which brings any folder on the computer into the explorer navigation hive.
UAC prompts are tamed.
Start Menu has a very smart document history so that you can open any previously opened application specific file by selecting from a menu that flies out from the application menu icon.
Many more refinements exist in Windows 7 and overall the OS is a huge leap forward.
Impressions of 64 BIT.
64 Bit has been around for many years with XP 64Bit and beyond. Now Windows 7 64Bit is here and offers increased memory utilisation and is overall more stable.
64 Bit applications are thin on the ground. The main benefits of 64Bit are seen in the operating system , plus monolithic applications not likely to be utilised in a GP's surgery.
I get to use all 6Gig of my installed memory. A 32 Bit OS can only utilise up to ~3Gig.
VMWare is the application with largest user of memory on my System and I have seen vast speed increases while saving/reloading images in VMWare.
Overall A BIG thumbs Up to Windows 7 and 64 Bit
Medical applications.
I have not tested MD3/PS3 as it wont install on Windows 7. Thumbs Down. I will not install it on anything but a VM - HCN MD3/PS3 installation routines are somewhat overcomplicated and easily broken. I bet they spend half their tech support budget assisting users installing and keeping the apps running.
I have also noted that rich text pasted from MD3 into Windows 7 Wordpad trancates after the first line of a table. I think this is due to buggy rtf coding in the ActiveX control they are using.
BP - Have not tested yet.
Will wait till I get a Windows 7 32Bit and see if they work.
DCP - works (in testing only) however a couple of minor things such as the Media Roll will not display on the about form due to Flash not installing for 64 Bit Explorer.
Cheers