Windows XP vs Windows Vista vs Windows 7

Windows 7 is on the horizon. This time next year we’ll either all be using it, wishing we were, or potentially wishing we weren’t. In the meantime, the beta of Windows 7 is out there – games developers and device drivers are testing code on it, and we end users are seeing if it lives up to our expectations. It’s already received favourable mentions from many, but how close to completion is it? That we play games on Windows at all is somewhat remarkable. Beyond the odd game of minesweeper or solitaire, Microsoft didn’t develop Windows as a gaming platform. Gamers flocked to it all the same though, because DOS gaming was such a chore. Indeed, that we’ve all stuck with PC gaming is testament to something – probably just our own bloody-mindedness, but it’s a testament all the same. DirectX was key to the big shift over to Windows and ever since then, Microsoft’s operating systems have been a means of getting our games running.

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