So far, Win7HP64 is running much better for me than Vista64Ult has.
But granted, my Win7 rig is a new i7 rig where I was running Vista on an old dual-core AthlonX2...not really an apples to apples hardware comparison. As soon as I get a few more spare SATA harddrives laying around I'll monkey around with Vista on this new machine too just to compare em.
I am seriously considering upgrading my mom's Vista rig to 7 though...it's an older dual-core AthlonX2 like my old FS computer and Vista does freak it out every now and then.
I did have a few hangups getting with my FSX/Acceleration install going...due to a UAC issue. But I had similar UAC problems with Vista too. Other than that, I've got some of my old software percolating just fine in Win7.
I'm still just perfectly happy with XPPro and have no plans on upgrading the OS on several of my older rigs still running XP.
To paraphrase their ad campaign, "7 isn't my idear" either.
I still don't like the new Vista/7 user interface and the UAC stuff is a royal PitA at times...even if I give a startup/taskbar program full admin control I've got a few that still ask for permission at every boot. Coming from my Linux experience, I do like the security advantages of the UAC stuff...but I would like the ability to tell the OS only one time that I approve this program to run at every boot instead of clicking yes every time I reboot.
When XP was new, I didn't like the "new" interface either and it took me a while to adjust to it...but now, it's second-nature to me and I've really gotta think when I go back and work on a 95/98/ME machine. I'm sure the Vista/7 layout will grow on me eventually too...
It's all relative. After it's matured a bit, 7 will stabilize out. We'll learn how to do all the magic tweaks to it, MS will make SPs for it, etc..., just like we did for XP a few years ago. It falls into MS's cycle of a good OS (or FS version) alternating with a real porker.
95...dud
98...a little better than 95
98SE...good
ME...dud, and the death knell for the 95 code-base
NT4.0...too many service packes but good
Win2k...good (finally...after how many service packs though?)
XP...dud, new user interface, forced everyone to relearn their OS habits.
XPSP1...better
XPSP2...good
XPSP3...good, but just a routine roll-up of all the security updates.
Vista...bloated, another instance of having to reelarn how to use the OS
VistaSP1...an improvement
VistaSP???...still getting better.
Win7...same user interface as Vista. Streamlined code. Software makers are still adjusting to the "improvements". Overall, I'm impressed so far.
It's the same old cycle all over again. It'll get better, we'll get used to it, the software makers will learn to program for it, then the next version will come out and we start over again. :d