Well, I did it. After reading several blogs talking about the Windows7 beta--and after finding installation instructions using Bootcamp here--I decided to take the plunge. And so, you are reading my first post on Windows7--running on my MacBook Air (1st edition). Notes and observations?
- Installation was fairly quick, once I identified a few missing steps in the SimpleHelp instructions. Also, for whatever reason, I had to use the external DVD/CD drive I got with my Fujitsu Lifebook, as the Apple Superdrive wouldn't recognize the disc.
- A few issues emerged up front with my network connectivity. Not exactly sure what happened, but, after a few minutes managed to both connect to my home network and get out to the internet.
- Also had to track down an updated sound driver, thanks to the SimpleHelp comments section; that was the final piece of the puzzle--although I'll admit I have yet to test Bluetooth here.
- Speed is quite fast. I'll contrast with one of my team at work, who said--running on a conventional PC at home--it's running even too slow for a simple web search. No idea what his issues are, but I am quite satisfied with the performance.
- Looks pretty slick. I'll confess I'm one of those people who likes to (perhaps excessively) modify the appearance of my desktop. Windows7 looks pretty nice out of the box. And, yes, IE8 looks nice, but I'm still a bit more used to Firefox (which I have not yet tried here).
- I installed Office 2003 as well, which was a problem-free process--which now means this MacBook is fully work-compatible with my various PC-generated Office documents.
So, bottom-line? Windows7 seems to be pretty slick, pretty fast, and pretty low-impact. I'm not ready to wipe out my home PC and install it, but I will be ready to update it when the official launch appears later this year. And, yes, I'll be keeping it on my MacBook as well, even in its final form.
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