Windows 7 way hotter than Vista off the line, now more popular than all OS X versions
By Darren Murph 
posted January 21st 2010 9:14PM
posted January 21st 2010 9:14PM
We learned back in November that Windows 7 was having a much (much!) better first few days in retail than Vista did when it launched, but now that the system has had a full quarter and change to make an impression, it looks as if that growth isn't slowing down. According to new figures from Net Application, Win7 is achieving a higher level of market penetration in a faster amount of time than Vista did; after a month, Vista was stuck at 0.93 percent, while Win7 nailed the 4 percent mark. After two months, Win7 jumped to 5.71 percent, while Vista was barely over 2 percent after the same amount of time. 'Course, the newest version of Windows had a holiday season to help it out right from the get-go, but there's still no denying that people are flocking to the system even now. What's most interesting, however, is that the overall market share of Windows 7 alone has now surpassed all OS X versions that are being tracked (10.4, 10.5 and 10.6), so put that in your pipe and smoke it. Smoke it long and hard.
"the overall market share of Windows 7 alone has now surpassed all OS X versions that are being tracked (10.4, 10.5 and 10.6)"
Yeah, no sh!t, and the sky is blue. Is this really news?
@pika2000
That's what I was thinking... Is anyone really surprised by this? Vista sucked so much, I'm surprised everyone who uses Windows hasn't switched yet.
I think Engadget just posted this to make a Mac vs. PC debate... More comments = more money (I think... Not sure how this blog works).
@pika2000
Relax there pika...think of this blog post as a magnesium bar on a metal casket. Now I'm not saying that engadget has one foot in the grave with posts like this...here's the scoop...
On some metal caskets they place a magnesium bar on the bottom to counter the ions that the metal casket gives off which helps prevent corrosion. In a similar manner vapid operating system and wireless carrier articles are placed on engadget that seem to attract all of the immature fanboys resulting in worthless and unreadable blog postings. This entry is really no exception. But in doing to it seams to help keep the legitimate and worthwhile engadget threads on track and readable.
I've used every version of Windows since 3x, and Vista was the worse version I have ever used, even worse then Windows ME. Windows 7 is probably the best Windows so far, and what Vista should have been.
I recently bought a Macbook Pro, and have to admit I am enjoying the change of pace.
@treats
Really? Worse then ME?
I know Vista wasn't so hot, but ME. Omg that just brings back nothing but horrible memories.
@pika2000
It's news because you are talking about a few months worth of sales on a product that is almost exclusively targeted to consumers. We haven't begun to see the eventual large adoptions that will come when corporations make the switch from XP/Vista to 7. I'm sure most are just now working on migration plans. Once more netbooks and corporations adopt the OS the numbers will go through the roof.
@brisk Vista pre-SP1 was just as bad or worse than ME. We ran on ME for awhile and didn't have to worry too much about our old 98 software not working. I admit there were issues. But going from XP to Vista obliterated a lot of our software. It was thankfully because of the software developers that spent months of recoding to get it to work on the drastically different Vista. Then Mac OS X happened and once again our software is useless, until Boot Camp happened :-). I also admit that I enjoy the best of both worlds now (SL & W7).
@DaveBach
so these posts are a mcguffin?
@Neotyguy40
Depending on what side of the fence the fanboi you're arguing with falls,
yes.
@Tony
Come on, man. Vista wasn't the best thing but it was the most stable edition of Windows prior to 7. Definitely much more stable than ME. Ever experienced an kernel32.dll has unexpectedly ended errors on Vista? No? There you go.
@shockr
*an = a
*errors = error
Grammar's quite the bitch at 5:50am. >_>
@Neotyguy40
I have no problem with Windows Vista. It is stable after SP1. Do you have problem with that>
@pika2000 Read my mind, mate. If it wasn't, MicroShaft would be curled in a corner whimpering. This is NOT what I would call breaking news.
@brisk
lol, yeah it was pretty bad. Windows 98 made to look like Windows 2000 dialogs and unstable as hell.
woot, I get down ranked for saying Windows 7 is the best Windows so far and that I bought a Macbook Pro and like it.
So many idiots on this site.
@brisk
Yes, ME was a real joke. I have a laptop running ME and a iMac G4 at 800Mhz. Its amazing, you just can't compare the two although they were around at the same time frame. I just picked up this G4 for $200 bucks for compatibility testing purposes and its crazy to think that this *nix OS was around back then. Even runs a recent copy of Adobe CS3 great today. What was I thinking? I guess getting paid to be a sys admin for a bunch of ME boxes! Good thing my clients didn't think much of Apple then! Who needs *nix based security anyways...
@bjsguess I concur about the that horrific OS called vista. As for the post, its good to see that somehow, Apple is starting to embrace the goodness of windows 7 to their boundaries now. In the end, it'll be up to your own preference, on what OS to choose. Somehow, you can't deny that Windows 7 is "a very succesful OS" which is leagues ahead away from their old Vista. Windows 7 Details: http://bit.ly/windows-7-why-is-it-amazing-review
@brisk What are all these fabled Me issues everyone had? I had zero problems, and I was running it on a Gateway!
@treats
NO WAY!! ME was the worst OS. Vista got much better after a SP1, ME never got better.
@Steve Jobs Clone well win 7 was stable even in the RC
Wow, windows 7 bringing the heat....long and hard...
@JunkYardPuppy
For me after using Windows 7 which i really like, all versions of OSX fill like windows 95 running on a Packard Bell PC just awful
and thats coming from a former Apple fanboy
@JunkYardPuppy No way that's actually clak. I call impostor.
@gonintendo
I am the real clak, but yeah windows 7 better
@OCEAN CLAK
you call yourself an apple fanboy, so it must be true!
no thanks. i'll stick with snow leopard. i still prefer not having to deal with driver issues, malware, viruses, licensing issues, etc, etc, etc.
@OCEAN CLAK
fill with what?
@OCEAN CLAK Clack? You're a hack. Windows 7 is ok but its a typical blend od mac os + a few quirky xp revisions. Nothing innovative. cmon. Whats redeeming? it actually has driver support?
@OCEAN CLAK
Damn, I never thought I would see the day.
@JunkYardPuppy
Well wat do you expect? I'm a PC and Windows 7 was my idea!
@Microdot
You enjoy your bubble. I'm going to keep enjoying these posts popping it. Over and over and over and over...
@vandrook
Let me guess....You've used Windows 7 for a grand total of 1 hour or less.
@OCEAN CLAK
I agree man. I used Mac OS X for some time, and it was a downward graph. Its REALLY irritating at times. It can't restore a deleted file..!!!!!..a 2009 operating system. Windwos 7 is awesome, definitely better than Snow Leopard, but the Mac fanboys will always say windows has viruses and driver problems... :P
@samirotiv what else can they say, i mean i can have the best hardware in my pc, they can have a 24' notebook that isn't portable at all. i used a older version of mac os in 2006... that was the last time i will ever touch any mac os, even windows vista was better. win7 is just amazing i love it i have it on all my pcs
@White Noise
i think you may be reading a little too much into my post. i could honestly care less who "wins". i like what i like... and could care less which os you prefer. i explained my experience with windows (and windows 7 in particular... wireless drivers are almost as much of a pain in the ass as getting wireless running on old nix distros)... if you have a difference experience... good for you. enjoy your cookie.
@Microdot just wait for its coming
@samirotiv
There are times when I think to myself, fanbois keep screaming about malwares in Windows.... Is it possible Apple hardcores and a small group of fanbois are doing this to Windows? Nay, it's the AV companies doing it.
@cge10 24-foot notebook, eh? Sign me up! ;)
Also: Spinal Tap reminder ftw!
@darkmax
Dude I have a Windows 7 machine, its been running for about 2 months without any 3rd party security software. Guess what??..It's got no viruses/malware/adware/bullshit on it. All you need to do is keep your eyes open and don't download something obviously malicious. Windows Firewall and Defender do an acceptable job of keeping the system okay. Fanboys should find other invalid reasons to defame Windows. And it's not like Mac is impregnable.
Don't get me wrong - I'm not a Mac hater. I love Mac computers and their hardware, and I'm sure I'm going to buy atleast 2 more Macs. But I'm going to put Windows 7 on them, not Mac OS X. I think Mac OS X has pissed me off enough, and though its a great operating system, I'm not going to use it until a few changes are made by Apple.
I don't want to start a flame war. Mac OS X isn't bad - its just that I don't like it.
This kind of result is the kind you just want to show to anyone who still uses either a Mac... or XP.
Mac: mostly good for doorstops, or "Converation pieces"
XP: was good then... but honestly, it's now.
@Pizzaboy192
yah mac users.. get win 7 on your bootcamps! You won't want to go back :-p
@allenade
Damn straight, your right there I installed Win7 on Bootcamp & haven't booted back into it since.!
@Pizzaboy192
I concur, I tried Vista, switched back to XP as soon as I could. Gave Windows 7 a try and fell in love with it instantly, its a great OS. XP served its purpose, but its time to move on now.
I was considering getting a Macbook Pro for University, but I'm not as sure as I used to be, after switching to Windows 7.
What do you think my fellow Engadget readers? Let's not start a flame war now, I know both Windows and Macs have their strengths and weaknesses.
I've never owned a Mac, but I use "creative" software for graphic and web design, and I hear that Macs work better with these applications, your views and experiences would be great.
@DangerRabbit
Personally, the only reason they "work better" on a Mac is because the people who try and use those applications don't always know what they're doing when it comes to a real computer.
I know for a fact that if you build your own system, instead of buying OEM (or if you buy from an OEM and format the moment you pull it out of the box) you'll have a system 4000% better (No bloatware, proper drivers, better stuff etc)
Apple doesn't really have that problem because they are the OEM, so you have nothing to compare to in terms of bloat, and uselessness.
That, combined with the time that the statement was fact, was when Apple was using the PowerPC platform. A QuadG5 will outperform any Xenon Mac Pro in any test, any day, and it'll blow away any PC that tries to run Adobe software too (CS4 is supposed to work on the PPC platform, and only a single app (lightroom IIRC) has a few issues which can be resolved easily)
Now... sadly... Apple's hardware doesn't work any better than a PC does (seeing as the hardware is identical) and so it's every man to their own there. If you've grown up on a Mac, enjoy your Adobe CS4 for Mac, if you're a PC, Congratulations! they've got it for PC too. you won't get any boost either way (Unless you happen to own a PC what uses any of the thousands of addons that will improve software like that which aren't available for a mac, but that's another discussion altogether).
@DangerRabbit
I'll be perfectly honest with you DangerRabbit. I was in the same boat a few months ago and I had been using the RC of windows 7 for a few months prior to that. I was impressed with the difference in performance between it and vista (it's huge on almost any machine) but I ultimately decided to go with the 15" Macbook Pro. I, in no way shape or form regret this decision. OSX really is noticeably more stable than any version of windows I have ever used. I've known and been using Windows since I was old enough to figure out how to use a mouse which is when 3.1 was pretty big lol. No, OSX isn't 100% perfect all the time (I've had safari go down twice in the 5 months I've owned it) but when something does crash it doesn't take everything else down with it, which is what happened with Windows most of the time, in my experience. I find that and the lack of viruses / spyware / trojans to be worth the switch. And to top it all off, with Boot Camp you can use your mac exactly like any PC. So in the end you get the best of both worlds. In terms of things like Photoshop and other media creators / editors I don't see much of a difference. The programs are made by the same 3rd party companies. They seem been pretty similar in OSX and Windows with only slight organizational differences imo. I hope this helps a little bit!
@DangerRabbit Get the Macbook and use the software that comes with it to dual-boot Win7. It doesn't have to be either/or. I use Win7, OSX and Linux all at least once per day. :) There CAN be harmony in difference.
@cherryboom I honestly have no idea where you got that idea from. Have you ever heard of a Mac Pro? You can do whatever you want to it. Not to mention, when you buy it, it already comes with very nice specs. You're also not considering the fact that Apple mostly offers laptops, which means that you obviously can't open it up. Just like any other laptop, you would void the warranty.
By drivers, I didn't mean the hardware that's already on the machine, that's a no brainer, what I meant was new hardware.
And I have used a PC before, and never upgraded anything in it. As far as SSD goes, the only difference between the SSD and HDD is just the bootup time. It is a fact that SSD is actually not as stable and can be slower. And you can get 1TB HDD for the price of maybe 200GB SSD. Right now I'm using a 27" iMac, and when I put it to sleep, and wake it up in the morning, there isn't any boot up whatsoever. It goes to exactly where I was before. I don't see why Windows still can't do that.
But anyway, this just proves that we both prefer different things. Does that mean that just because you don't like the way Macs are made, that makes them bad? No.
Or does it mean that just because I don't like Windows, that makes it bad? Of course not. All about personal preference.
@mtnDewFTW
Ever heard of Sleep (or Standby) on Windows..It does the same thing..above of all it consumes few watts less than the Macs!
@abhinavk
Actually, there is no difference between the sleep (or standby) function between Macs and PC's.
On a typical mid-range desktop today, standby will consume about 400mAh (less than half a watt) to actually keep the computer suspended, but there are other factors that may raise that number. On a laptop, its about half.
Standby is a hardware procedure, so a Mac that is on standby will require the same amount of power as a PC on standby (provided they have identical hardware)
I know I will get down ranked for saying this, but Macs just tend to sleep faster, even with the same hardware Win7 (RC1, 7100) sleeps slower than OS X on both my XPS and MBP. The resume, however, is no different.
@Pizzaboy192
i'm probably going to use xp as a primary until microsoft designs an os to be as fast as possible, not "fast enough". who cares if it's faster than vista when it can't match the speed of something that came out almost a decade previously? products are supposed to be faster in later versions, not more bloated and running slower on better hardware. i shouldn't have to wonder if any computer made in the last four years can't play a video because the OS is using too many resources and i can't see more than twenty processes out of 80 in the task manager by default.
@Scuba Steve
Exactly. You haven't even use it.
@DangerRabbit
Thanks for the information, truly appreciated :)