Operating-system question is complex

Q: I just "upgraded" my Hewlett-Packard desktop computer from Windows Vista to Windows 7. I spent all day yesterday redoing my files and programs. Maybe time will tell, but I don't see anything fancy or exciting about Windows 7. I thought it was going to bring Windows up to Mac's quality. I had the opportunity to get a 2-year-old Mac from a relative but chose to go with Windows 7 instead. Did I make a mistake? The Mac seems a lot more fun and user-friendly than Windows.

I am 62 years old and basically use my computer for Internet access and e-mail. My brother-in-law would have helped me with the Mac and I am virtually on my own with Windows. Maybe I just need to spend more time with the online information provided with the new program and the "Windows 7 for Dummies" book I plan on buying.

My computer is so slow. I thought with Windows 7 that would be resolved. No such luck. I have only 1 gigabyte of memory. Is that too little?

— Kathy Harris

A: My guess is that the recent release of Windows 7 has caused a number of users to ask about Windows 7 vs. Mac OS X. At least, I've received quite a number of e-mails asking about that issue.

Allegiances to operating systems seem to cause as much passion in some circles as allegiances to religions. So I'm going to tread carefully here and hope not to offend anyone.

Fact is, and I'll say this right up front, although I write a column that deals primarily with Windows computers I don't swear allegiance to any operating system. In fact, I have Windows computers, Mac computers and even a Linux computer.

When people ask me what kind of computer they should get, the first question I ask is, "What do your friends and family use?" If you use the same operating system as your friends and family, not only will you find it easier to share files, it will also be easier to get advice and troubleshooting help.

If your friends and family are equally split, you'll need to consider which of the following factors are most important to you: variety of available accessories and software, and price. Historically, there is a wider array of software and peripherals available for Windows computers than for Macintosh computers. And Macintosh computers tend to have a significantly higher price tag than Windows computers with comparable feature sets.

While Macintosh computers used to be notably easier to use than Windows-based PCs, the operating systems have grown so alike that I don't personally find one OS notably easier to use than another. But that's just me. Other users may find one or the other system more "friendly."

And, yes, you may want to consider the issue of security. Windows is definitely targeted by more virus writers than Mac. I don't know of any Mac owner who has been afflicted by a virus. Mac advocates claim that is because their operating system is more secure.

On the other hand, just as Microsoft does, Apple is often releasing patches for vulnerabilities in its operating system. Windows advocates claim that the greater prevalence of Windows-targeted viruses is because of Windows' status as the world's most popular operating system, and virus writers want to make the biggest splash they can. Both Microsoft and Apple advise their users to employ anti-virus software.

As for your system requirements, 1 gigabyte is the minimum required for the 32-bit version of Windows 7. So, yes, you might expect it not to be particularly sprightly. It should, however, be performing a bit faster with Windows 7 than it was with Vista. When changing operating systems, I generally recommend a clean install so you don't have excessive disk fragmentation, which can slow down a computer considerably.

Note: In a recent column (Nov. 7) I responded to a reader who wanted to change the partitions on his Windows XP computer. I advised him that Windows did not offer the partitioning tools to do the job.

As several readers quickly noted in e-mails to me, it would have helped if I had provided more information about the tools Windows does offer. For starters, Windows Vista and Windows 7 offer a Disk Management utility (you'll find it in the Control Panel under Administrative Tools/Computer Management; the utility allows you to create and delete partitions, as well as to expand and shrink partitions.)

Unfortunately, the version of the Disk Management utility that comes with Windows XP is not as robust, and does not offer the capabilities for which the reader was looking.

Questions for Patrick Marshall may be sent by e-mail to pmarshall@seattletimes.com or pgmarshall@pgmarshall.net, or by mail at Q&A/Technology, The Seattle Times, P.O. Box 70, Seattle, WA 98111. More columns at www.seattletimes.com/

columnists.