This just sounds like you still haven't used Windows 7. Well, if you don't try, you wouldn't know how good it is. Windows 7 is indeed fast and stable. Stability can mean different for different aspects, but Windows 7 gets updated constantly whereas XP is still open to a lot of vulnerabilities.
You missed that.
Upgrade path from XP to 7? Even if there is one, his hardware won't last long with Windows 7, because I'm sure he hasn't upgraded his hardwares for last decade (too lazy to even re-install apps, what more can you ask?)
I remember I had to reinstall all my apps on Mac OSX and saw no one complain. I don't understand why all these XP users complaining about not being having a way to upgrade to Windows 7 from XP.
Just say it, you just don't want to pay for Windows 7. But after all, you get what you paid for.
I, for example am running a windows install of windows xp from 2003 repair installed through 4 different computers and finely optimized to my liking, on a Macbook Pro with a 3Ghz processor, 8GB of ram (of course it only uses 3GB) and an ssd Drive ... I have a copy of windows 7 Ultimate that I got at SxSW (Microsoft gave them out at their party) ...
I'm a busy person ... I have 60hr workweeks and thats not counting weekends ... losing a week of productivity (because thats pretty much what it would be) upgrading to windows 7 while I back up my data, install windows 7, install all my apps and try to restore the data isn't something I'm going to do anytime soon.