Why You Should Think About Buying A Windows 7 Computer Before Halloween

Microsoft made it clear that October 31st 2014 is the last day you can get computers with preloaded Windows 7 from PC hardware manufacturers. What that means though is that the PC vendors would likely have a cut-off date for orders well before the deadline depending on their just-in-time hardware inventory. Although the decision is focused on consumer PCs only, business users are just better off by a year.

In short, you have to make a decision before Halloween, be that this one or the next one.

Time To Consider Upgrading Your Aged Windows XP Computer

If you are still using a computer with Windows XP, it is likely to be working hard for you for at least several years already. In fact, it is likely bought many years ago. The truth is that the computer can be working fine now but normal wear and tear of computer equipment is a reality you have to face.

What if your computer dies on you suddenly with the nasty Blue Screen Of Dead (BSOD)?

As a trader it is not necessary for you to keep up with the latest computer hardware or software. All you need really is a stable platform for your trading need. The problem at this point is really a problem created by Microsoft. Its Windows 8 is less than desirable in many fronts, including but not limited to breaking many applications that work fine on Windows XP and even Windows 7. (Let’s forget the existence of Windows Vista.)

Now that Microsoft will stop selling Windows 7 to consumer PCs in a few months, it is important to plan ahead of time to protect yourself.

Find A Deal That Fits Your Need

Since you know about the upcoming deadline now, you can start paying attention to special deals offered by PC manufacturers. Getting a good deal from hardware manufacturer can go a long way. For example, if you consistently stress out your existing computer in terms of CPU load, you may want a computer with better CPU over a better graphic card.

After all, traders do not really need the gaming graphic hardware on their computers. You do not really utilize the latest 3D graphic engines to draw your charts anyway. Low to middle end graphic cards nowadays is the equivalent of high end graphic cards from several years ago. They will most likely do the job just fine for your trading needs.

Trading Computer Is Not The Same As Your Television

The goal is to get a new computer on hand first. Then have it totally ready before you switch your trading to the new computer. There are many things you should get done before you switch your computers if you have all kinds of software installed onto your trading computer over the years. It is likely you will forget at least some of the software that you use routinely.

Many people think of their computers similar to a television. Hence buying a new one automatically set their minds into throwing away the old one as quickly as possible. The moment they plug in the new computer and that it is working (so they think), they would get the urge to get rid of the old one. I am sorry to tell you that this does not work with computers you use for business or trading.

Take the time to prep the new computer. You may as well test run your software and login to your brokerage applications from the new computer while you are not busy trading to make sure everything is working.

Some people as paranoid as me would spare at least a full day when switched to a new trading computer with reduced position size and spend as much time as possible to check out all the things I expected to do on the old computer to be functional on the new one. Every time I switch to a new computer, I caught myself missing at least a few things I need in the first few days of transition.

Since it happens to me, it can happen to you too.

Before Throwing Away The Old Computer

When you are really ready to throw away your old computer, give it to others or sell it on the Internet, there are a number of things you have to do.

If you are throwing the computer away, erase the hard disk or take it out and destroy it.

If you are selling or giving away your computer, erase the hard disk and then use the restore function of Windows to put a clean version of Windows onto the computer.

The reason you need to erase the hard disk is that you do not want your sensitive information to be exposed. It is a good idea to completely reformat the hard disk (not the quick format). If you happen to have one of those utilities that can erase the hard disk with industrial strength algorithm, use it.

The fact is that it is possible to copy data from your old hard disk, including all your sensitive personal files, even if it has gone through a basic quick format of the hard disk. All your data will still be there unless they are being erased explicitly. Explicitly means you need to physically write something over the data you stored on the hard disk to have them removed.

The erase procedure can be slow. It may take several hours to half a day to erase a large hard disk. If you do not intend to destroy the disk drive physically, it is something you have to do to give you a peace of mind that no one could steal your personal data.

The Sweet Spot Is Always The Middle Tier Hardware

I have answered this question many times and it is worthwhile to put it here.

There is no need to buy the fastest, strongest computer around. That old thinking comes from a time that computing power did not meet the need of the tasks that has to be handled. Nowadays, a middle tier computer can handle almost all the computing need you throw at it including active trading. The extreme cases that a top of the line computer is needed, is mainly high-end gaming.

If you talk about HFT (high-frequency trading), it is a different arena and has nothing to do with what a normal trader need.

Windows 7 vs. Windows 8 Performance Check

The reasons why it is a good idea to get a computer with Windows 7 instead of Windows 8:

1. Windows 8 is more expensive but it is not going to give you more functions in terms of trading need.

2. Windows 8 is in fact faster in certain things but if you turn off all the unnecessary eye candy of Windows (e.g. all the fancy desktop effects) it performs at about the same speed as Windows 7 on the same hardware.

3. Microsoft has done a few things that makes Windows 8 incompatible with some software including their own (LOL).

4. Windows 7 has settled after several major patches making it more stable overall.

5. Windows 8 will likely fade out like Windows Vista.

The Drop-dead Syndrome

This problem is a well documented problem with many computers built since 2000.

After several years of none stop usage, as many people simply keep their computers running 7/24, these computers may just turn themselves off one day and cannot be turned back on again.

Sometimes it is just the power supply unit within the computer that fails. Very often though, when the power supply unit malfunction, it damages the hard disk and the motherboard of the computer. This problem was not that common before year 2000. It seems to happen much more often nowadays.

It could be the reduced reliability of the components. It could be how delicate the new computers are. I do not have an explanation for that. All I know is that if this happens, you better off get a new computer instead of trying to salvage what is left of the computer.

If your old trading computer is still functional, you may choose to keep it as your backup computer for this very reason. Should something go wrong with your new trading computer, having a backup computer around can definitely save your day and likely the whole trading week.

Summary

Upgrading your trading computer is a business decision. Going with a new computer having Windows 7 for now will be the better choice than getting a computer with Windows 8. Since Microsoft is forcing a decision upon the users now, my guess is that getting a Windows 7 computer now at the right price will be a good decision. The computer will easily last for at least 4 to 5 years. That will be enough time for Microsoft to give us Windows 9 and release enough patches to make it stable by then.

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