I have been using Windows 7 build 7137 and it is rock solid(My opinion).
1. How does Windows 7 Beta (W7b) run on your older hardware? very well
2. How does W7b run on your newer hardware? excellent
3. Does it crash very often? no
4. How is it visually? as good as any other OS
5. Do the bells and whistles make the O/S unusable? like all other OS, too many bells and whistles for the average user
6. What do you think about running Ubuntu Linux as an alternative? definitely not
7. How does W7b stack up against WXP? got xp beat by a long shot
8. When do you find yourself enjoying W7b the most? almost all the time
Windows 7 is easier and more compatible to install because more drivers are incorporated in the install disk.
One should also remember that this OS like all previous OS should be tweaked by the individual user for his or her situations. That being said, I think Micro$oft may be getting it right this time.
Vista was the beta version of Windows 7. Yes that right, the consumer paid Micro$oft to test Vista(as a beta version) for the upcoming Windows 7.