I read in an article recently that the majority of Windows users still use XP. While this is not surprising considering how fond people have always been for the OS, I think it's time for people to make the switch to Windows 7. Though they share several coding traits, Windows 7 is greatly improved over the failure that was Vista. It's sleeker, performs better, looks better, and adds many more useful features than its predecessor. Windows 7 also includes an improved version of the many security features of Vista, which are not present in XP, nor will ever be. Windows 7 is basically what Vista should have shipped as in order to be successful in adoption. Windows XP is close to a decade old, and lacks many abilities that the future of technology is geared toward. It's time to bury the old and embrace the new, and here are a few reasons to do so.

Security

Windows Vista was often criticized for its very "in your face" User Account Control. In Windows 7, the UAC has been tweaked so that it offers a great deal of protection without being as intrusive. This feature makes the operating system more secure in that it helps to keep malicious code from executing automatically. XP does not have that feature built in, and it will not be getting it in any remaining update cycles. This is just one of the many security features that are in Windows 7 but not XP. Though all operating systems have their own security holes, XP users are putting their system and data at risk by not upgrading and getting those new features.

Hardware Drivers and Compatibility

Hardware manufacturers have begun to quit making Windows XP drivers for newer hardware, as well as restricting the rolling out of new features to XP, such as TRIM and new versions of DirectX. This is to be expected, given XP's age and software limitations, and at this point, those who look back will miss out. Windows 7 has drivers for most modern hardware, as well as great 64-bit computing (something that XP lacked), and in an age where programs are demanding more and more from our hardware, we are going to be needing that 64-bit capability. TRIM capability is also a huge advantage that Windows 7 has over XP. Without TRIM or a similar "garbage collection" software, SSDs will slow down significantly after being used for extended periods of time. If you are running modern hardware, you are going to need a newer OS to properly utilize it.

Gaming

Windows 7 would probably have to be the greatest gaming OS to date. It has support for all of the newest graphics technology (including quad-SLI/Crossfire) and the APIs to run it. Windows 7 is faster than Vista for gaming (I saw a noticeable difference in my Windows performance score) and includes the latest version of DirectX (DX11). I have not yet noticed any games from the last decade that I own that were incompatible with Windows 7, so from my experience compatibility is not much of an issue. Gaming enthusiasts eager to try these new graphical technologies without the slowness and resource-hogging of Vista shouldn't have to give Windows 7 a second thought.

Multimedia

Windows 7 is amazing for multimedia purposes. Unlike Vista and XP, Windows 7 includes native support for DVD playback, mp4 files, and H.264 video. It also includes more user-friendly streaming options, a huge improvement over those of Vista (which were maddening at best). XP lacks these features by default (except perhaps the Media Center Edition, which was terrible), making it a poor choice for home theater use. Windows 7 is really the best way to go for a PC user who wants to stream their legally purchased content throughout their home.

These are only a few of the reasons why people should be upgrading to Windows 7 in the near future. Windows XP was great for its time, and had a long and prosperous reign, but it is time to move on. People with older hardware have asked me if it's worth it to upgrade to the newer hardware and OS, and every time I find myself saying "yes". Though it may cost a bit of money to upgrade hardware and software to the newer versions, the added functionality most often makes it well worth the financial investment, and the features that have been added will make your lives easier.