I’m currently downloading a version of Windows 7 I just purchased.

I’ll certainly upgrade the DVR to Windows 7 (from Vista) for the Media Center improvements and the additional stability, but what about my main desktop?

Is it worth losing the relatively rock-solid Windows XP that I’ve had on here for a while now, along with the installed programs and settings that I’ve gotten just the way I like them?

Is it worth the hassle of having to make sure that all my important files are on my backup hard drive while I wipe my primary one to install the new OS?  The chances of losing something are pretty slim, but it would take a few hours just to get everything ready and then, I’m sure, at least an hour to set up Windows 7 in a way that I’d be satisfied with.

It’s hard parting ways with XP on this machine.  I’ve gotten used to where things are, the shortcuts to my favorite applications and such.  More so, applications gains memory as it runs.  It’s not something obvious, but what additional work will reinstalling iTunes require?  What about Picasa?  Quicken?

I’m sure I’ll get around to it eventually.  If Windows 7 is everything that people seem to say it is, it’ll be a definite upgrade.  It having a XP compatibility mode is a nice fallback.

Still, I’ll be sure to test drive it on the DVR for a bit before unleashing on my “real” computer.