Microsoft has produced a chart outlining the different options available to users who are looking to upgrade to Windows 7. Gizmodo has a nice big version of it here.
It’s unbelievably confusing. Just looking at it gives me a headache. With so many different versions of Vista and 7 in the mix, the possibilities are almost endless, but many users will have to take the “Custom Install” path, which Microsoft describes as basically a clean install.
I don’t see many users doing that. I don’t think the boys in Redmond do either. Check out this nugget from the company’s webpage on upgrading to the new OS:
We recommend that you experience Windows 7 on a new PC.
And if that wasn’t clear enough:
While we don’t recommend it, you can opt to upgrade your current PC from Windows XP or another operating system to Windows 7. We recommend that you get help with this process from your local computer service provider. You’ll need to back up your current files and settings, perform a custom (clean) installation, and then reinstall your files, settings, and programs.
This shines the light one of the things that truly separates Mac users from PC users. PC users usually just use the OS their computer came with, and when they buy a new machine, will use the OS it comes with. Over and over, for years.
That’s one reason adoption rates for new versions of Windows is slower than that of new versions of OS X, by the way.
Apple makes upgrading to a new OS easy — pop in the DVD and come back in an hour. This will be no different with Snow Leopard this fall. No clean installs, no hiring a local computer shop to do it for you, no praying to God your machine will survive. Just a few clicks of the mouse on some well-thought out menus and that’s it.
I’ll take that any day over that chart.
———- Update: This chart puts it into perspective nicely.
