Windows 7 — Last Thoughts
Windows 7 - Navigation Disaster
8 April 2009 by Jean De Daumier-SmithWindows 7 — new operating system from Microsoft — is available to try “in a wild” of internet. You can find well running builds from Release Candidate branch (RC is due for public testing in May 2009) such as build 7057 , build 7068 (7068.0.090321-1322) or even mysterious 7072 and 7075 from RC (Release Candidate) branch.
The main improvement theme behind Windows 7 is usability. The gears (kernel and the environmental code) under the hood have not been changed too much since Windows Vista, just tweaked. Reportedly, Windows 7 as fast as Vista at least. All and all, it seems if you already have Windows Vista and it is doing its job well for you, there should not be any strong necessity to upgrade. Unless you prefer new shiny stuff anyway.
I was really disappointed actually with new taskbar approach, when icons in the former quick launch bar are becoming tabs when you are running an application the icon represents. That makes them shift to the right (please see the screenshots below).
To me it is the same mistake Microsoft once did when they introduced in Office 2003 menu visibility based on usage. Navigation tools location must be stable, if you let menu items dance — then you create confusion.
Windows 7 Taskbar dance #1
Windows 7 Taskbar dance #2
To grey out file attributes in Windows 7 [screenshot] is another stupid idea. If I want to see details, I want to see details clearly. If I do not want to see details, I select a different view. Simple. What I don’t want to do is to break my eyes with this new system. I hope there is a way to disable this, but this is already too annoying.
![[screenshot]](img/win7explorer.png){kind=link}
Here’s some other new features highlighted on the Microsoft website:
Windows 7 simplifies how you work with the windows on your desktop, for instance, make all the open Windows transparent—making your desktop, and the gadgets on it, immediately visible:
With Windows 7, some features previously included in the operating system are now available for download through Windows Live Essentials: Windows Live Messenger, Photo Gallery, Mail, Writer, Movie Maker, and more.
A new technology in Windows 7 called Device Stage improves how device management is handled. Device Stage helps you interact with any compatible device connected to your computer. From Device Stage you can see device status and run common tasks from a single window.
New theme packages include rich backgrounds, 16 glass colors, sound schemes, and screensavers. You can download new themes and create your own to share with friends and family.
Windows 7 Themes
Other improvements:
Quicker installation (~20 minutes) with less screens and interaction effort from a user.
Media Center has a very slight modification.
Windows 7 has proven to be quite compatible with popular software and hardware in general, another reason to see as a minor technical upgrade from Windows Vista.
I guess that’s all about improvements which we know officially to mention. Not a sensation, of course. As Paul Thurrott said it is just a “better Windows Vista”, and Windows Vista was not bad at all.
There is no thrill so far about Windows 7. However, as we can see now enormously growing interest developing with a speed of a rocket, it is surprisingly a hit. Microsoft must be very pleased.
As for the underground part of the story, Windows 7 will be cracked, no doubt about that, as soon as we get Windows 7 RTM (Released To Manufacture) available.
I already saw Windows 7 PlusPatch 1.0.2 by Orbit30, so it is cooking.
Windows 7 actually makes me think that my next system will probably be one from Apple’s camp.
Tags: Windows 7