Recently, as part of an effort to kick-start my PC gaming after a nice, long lull, I decided it was time to finally reinstall Windows on the iMac that serves as my meager but serviceable gaming computer.
Faced with the prospect of reinstalling and dealing with Windows XP again, I almost ended the project before it started.
Thankfully, I pressed onward.
For the record, I say thankfully because my renewed interest in gaming on my fancy computer box has led me to play Dragon Age, one of my favorite RPGs in quite some time, as well as Torchlight, a cheap but remarkably addicting little Diablo wannabe, and to acquire a couple of other gems on the cheap during Black Friday weekend sales, such as Trine for only $10.
It’s a good time to get back into PC gaming, apparently, but that’s the subject of another discussion.
I reluctantly began to install Windows XP again one day and everything went absolutely perfect and that was the end of it and everything was awesome.
Yeah. Right.
Actually it was only a matter of minutes before I ran into the same pesky partitioning issue that I do every time I try to install Windows XP and got really rather ticked off, also like every time I try to install Windows XP.
It was roughly this period of time when I happened to come across news of a little deal that Microsoft was offering students in what I can only imagine was a desperate plea to get them to spend some money, any amount of money, on a legitimate Windows installation rather than pirate it like all poor college students so very clearly do: a Windows 7 digital download for only $30.
Now that’s what I call a deal.
Now, technically I’m not a student anymore. Which, I suppose, for a deal offered only to students would normally present a problem.
Thankfully my college seems to be a bit slow and has yet to deactivate my university email address.
Click clickity click and I now have Windows 7 for only $30. Fun. Interestingly enough, this also marks the first time I have actually given money to Microsoft legitimately for Windows.
I’m not really sure if that’s good or bad, but there you go.
Now, because of my recent PC game findings, I’ve been spending rather a lot of time with my new Windows 7 installation, more than I did on average even when I was using Windows XP for my gaming needs.
It took me a while to realize it, but eventually I stumbled across a bit of self-discovery that was rather frightening. It wasn’t just my frequent PC gaming that was keeping me inside of Windows 7 for longer periods of time.
It was the fact that Windows 7 actually doesn’t suck.
That’s right: as a fairly recent convert to the ways of Apple, I’m only slightly afraid to admit that Windows 7 is actually good enough that I don’t feel overwhelmingly compelled to switch back over to OS X the very second I’m done playing games. Microsoft has actually, somehow, against all odds managed to put together a very pleasant, modern-feeling operating system.
One that steals more than an idea or two from OS X and still lags behind in some areas, mind you, but it’s still a better product than I thought Microsoft capable of producing.
Now, saying that I no longer switch away from Windows like some techy gag reflex is what some might call a “backhanded compliment” and they would surely be right. Windows 7, good as it is, hardly stands a chance of converting me back to the Windows world for good. I’m quite happy with my Macs.
Still, it can’t be a bad thing that Windows doesn’t suck anymore. Well, except for people who like to make fun of Windows, but I’m sure they can manage.
Competition is a good thing and not only will this keep Apple on its toes, but it also means that my time spent gaming on my PC now has decidedly less suck than it used to.
I’m sure I’m not the only PC gamer glad for that.