I have mixed feelings about Windows 7, to say the least. Performance wise, it seems like it is going to be a step up from Vista, which is a much-needed improvement. Compared to XP, Vista is slow as dirt. The problems I'm forseeing with Windows 7 are all UI related. Quite frankly, it seems like Microsoft is "dumbing down" Windows. They try to make everything easy to understand, easy to change, and appealing to the masses. This is understandable, and good marketing, but they lose the tech geeks like me when they do this
Luckily, though, I've heard they have a tool where you can turn certain features on or off at will. This is an excellent idea, and, if implemented well, it could make enough difference so that Windows 7 is not merely a sell-out to make money at the expense of power and performance. Just my thoughts, though.