Windows 7

 

This is the operating system of choice at the moment. It has all of the features of Vista, with a much more refined interface. All of the bugs and performance issues of Vista are also a thing of the past with Windows 7.

Everything that Windows XP and Vista were supposed to be, Windows 7 is. Entirely worth the price, this will be the OS of choice for the next five years, or more.

 

Windows 8

 

Frankly, an insult to computer users everywhere. This operating system has a drastically changed interface which is clearly intended for small tablet PC’s with touch interfaces, not desktops.

No part of this OS makes sense or functions correctly. Even the most basic tasks, such as accessing the Control Panel, or shutting down your computer, is needlessly complicated.
Windows 8.1 alleviates some of these issues, but it still stinks. Notably, newer Windows 8.1 professional license keys can be used to install and activate Windows 7 Professional.

 

Windows XP

 

No longer supported by Microsoft. That means no new security updates will be available. It also means no new drivers from Microsoft or 3rd party vendors (HP, Intel, etc.).

Windows XP is no longer a safe, functional platform for any kind of computing. Upgrading is absolutely necessary.

 

Windows Vista

 

This is the oldest operating system still supported by Microsoft. It has most of the features you would expect from a modern operating system, but it was rushed to market and has numerous issues.
Startup and shutdown procedures taking ten minutes or more are common. User Account Control features are also slow and clunky, as is finding and installing updates.

More importantly, Vista uses large amounts system memory, even when idle.

Windows Vista is adequate for most users, but falls well short of realizing the potential of your PC. It is not recommended.

 

Software prices (our cost) are as follows.

$100  Windows 7 Home Premium	$100  Windows 8.1	Windows XP   N/A
$140  Windows 7 Professional	$140  Windows 8 Pro	Vista               N/A