When choosing whether or not to upgrade your operating system (or any application) the first decision to make is do you need to upgrade. Does the new program include features that would be beneficial to you or that you would like to use (sometimes having the newest software is reason enough). For a list of the features included in Windows 7 go to Microsoft’s Windows 7 web site http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/ products/home?os=nonwin7. You may also consider whether or not your current operating system is adequate. Are you happy with what you are using? Another important factor is whether or not your hardware will run the new application. Microsoft has a free Windows 7 upgrade advisor http://windows.microsoft.com/ en-us/windows/downloads/upgrade-advisor that you can download and install to help determine whether or not your computer will work with Windows 7. Microsoft also includes a list hardware specifications http://windows.microsoft. com/en-us/windows7/products/systemrequirements but I suggest exceeding those requirements in processor speed and RAM. While a slower computer will run Windows 7 you may not be happy with it. You do have the option of turning off some of Windows 7's graphical features to improve performance on slower systems. Also, the amount of RAM in your computer can usually be increased and doing so will often lead to better performance whether you upgrade or not. Finally, should you decide to upgrade you will want to be sure to back up all of your data before installing the new operating system.
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