Five Reasons to Download the Windows 7 Trial Right Now

Microsoft announced the availability of a 90-day free trial of the final RTM (release to manufacturing) version of Windows 7 Enterprise edition. Whether you are anxiously awaiting the new operating system, or skeptical of the hype around Windows 7, here are five reasons you should jump on the free trial.

By Tony Bradley
Wed, September 02, 2009

PC World — Microsoft announced the availability of a 90-day free trial of the final RTM (release to manufacturing) version of Windows 7 Enterprise edition. Whether you are anxiously awaiting the new operating system, or skeptical of the hype around Windows 7, here are five reasons you should jump on the free trial.

Slideshow: Windows 7 in Pictures: 10 Cool Desktop Features
Windows 7 Bible: Your Complete Guide to the Next Version of Windows

1. Judge for yourself. Some have said that Windows 7 is little more than Windows Vista SP3. Even those who feel Windows 7 is Microsoft's apology to the world for Windows Vista seem to admit that Windows 7 is a pretty good apology.

Whether you are still using Windows XP, made the switch to Windows Vista, or haven't been using Windows at all, now is your chance to take a look at the final release version of Windows 7 and decide for yourself.

2. Figure out what works. One of the headaches of upgrading operating systems is finding out that the applications and peripherals you rely on no longer work. When Windows Vista launched users the wide variety of issues with device drivers and incompatible software greatly contributed to the negative image it earned and tarnished its reputation.

The trial version will let you dip your toe in the proverbial water and see for yourself whether the products you rely on will play nicely with the new operating system. It's your free chance to either determine that this OS is not for you, or get a jumpstart on contacting product vendors for updates or finding alternative solutions that will work with Windows 7 if you choose.

3. See what you're missing. There are a variety of versions of Windows 7. The lower end Windows 7 Home versions and even the Windows 7 Professional version are lacking some of the features and functionality found in Windows 7 Enterprise and Windows 7 Ultimate.

The free trial is for Windows 7 Enterprise. That gives you 90 days to tinker with the fully-loaded version of the operating system and determine whether or not you really want or need those additional features.

4. Is it worth it? Windows 7 has a lot of new features and functionality: Jump Lists, AeroPeek, AeroSnap, automatic driver installation, BitLocker-to-Go, and more. Critics will say that the Aero UI is useless eye candy, or perhaps that Microsoft just 'borrowed' the interface from Mac OS X (while some think that egg came before the chicken).

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