new machine - windows 7 or should i stick to XP?

[Derek Forreal]

i'm still using XP and was wondering if it's worth upgrading or if it's still more hassle than it's worth?

[BrianKitts]

I love windows 7 if for nothing more than the application switching and the task bar organization, really improves your multitasking organization.... I would definately make the switch if you're debating it.

[AJLynn]

Windows 7 is great. If only it weren't for the bug that unloads the gamma table...

[Derek Forreal]

that's good news but what exactly is the gamma table bug?

[AJLynn]

When you calibrate the monitor, it does two things - a color mapping, and a gamma table. There is a bug in Windows Vista and 7 that causes the gamma table to be unloaded at certain times. In March, 2008, a blogger got this response from a Microsoft rep about the bug:

 

It's a known problem (and has been known for a long time) and it's caused by the fade-to-black transitions that Vista uses during login, resume, UAC check etc. The black fade is achieved by manipulating the gamma tables, but after the fade is completed the system fails to restore the correct values.

 

There will not be a fix in Vista SP1, but the fix has been cleared for release as a Windows Update Hotfix shortly after SP1.

 

But the fix never came. Some computers aren't affected, some start to have the bug when the drivers are updates. Fortunately Windows 7 uses screen dimming much less often than Vista and many of those can be turned off, and there's a small program called DisplayProfile that you can use to reload calibration.