Nope, you got it right. I downloaded quite a bit of stuff in order to make it look more like Windows Vista but I just called it Vista since it was so close to the original anyway. The major changes in Windows 7 were more internal and in things I didn't use so for me it was just like Vista XD
It's hard to say for sure, but these are probably one of my favorite windows: On a serious note though, I'd have to say 7, although it's not because 7 is the best, it's just the least shitty. Microsoft can get f*cked with a 10 foot pole.
XP or 7, Simple to use and probably has the most OS available downloads. Oh and the start menu doesn't take up a quarter of the screen.
Classic Shell fixes that easy. I don't like start menus that big either. Especially if it looks like someone slapped colored squares on it, then slapped on logos.