Revisiting Windows 7 - Package management is possible

After a very long time I did not use Windows for my private needs, I have finally found the times to take a longer look on Windows 7. I have decided to install the operating system on a real machine to see it's real behaviour and interaction with plastic and iron.\ Here are a few quick observations. The installer is WAY better than Windows XP. I have no clue how it was in Widows Vista. Unfortunately Windows still requires a lot of reboots until the process is done. It took about 1hour to complete the installation, and after that I feared I will have to click hundreds of next next next to finish the process of configuring the hardware and installing software to make the Laptop usable. Fortunately, I kept the disk of drivers which came with the laptop when I bought it. The auto installer just did the job with out to much pain. My next step was to google and find if there is already a DECENT Package manager for windows. Guess what ? there are a few of them. And after testing a little bit I settled on NPacked. It is not perfect, but it made the computer somewhat more reach with software with relatively little pain. My biggest criticism on it, is the sparse collection of software available, and the fact that it does not read local XML file, only those hosted on some webserver. I hope posting here will publish NPacked somewhat more and help it gain more software to the repo. Unfortunately, this project seems like a one man show, which does not really ensure the sustainability of this project.

There is not much more to say. I am not so eager to use that OS, but I have to make myself some what familiar with it.