Windows 7 Wallpaper Detail
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I think my whole review of Windows 7 should just be: “It’s much faster than Vista or XP and it doesn’t give you any trouble! Go ahead and get it when it comes out in October”.
But, in case you were hoping for more, here is a review based on the last few pre-release builds.
The Look
Windows 7 is very similar to Vista in appearance.
The Feel
The feel however is improved over Vista.
Did I mention the speed and stability improvements? On the same hardware, Windows 7 is faster than XP and much faster than Vista. Office applications and Internet Explorer are positively crisp. The pre-release versions that we have been using have also been very stable. Windows 7 also starts and shuts down more quickly than its predecessors and, at least subjectively, it doesn’t seem to slow down as you open many windows.
A trait of a good tool is that it is in the background of the process. It is unobtrusive to the process. These speed and stability improvements in Windows 7 are important, because they allow the PC to recede into the background of your process.
When a carpenter uses his framing hammer to build a structure with wood and nails, thoughts about the hammer are not foremost in his mind. He is thinking about the assembly process and how each part contributes to the desired end result. If you were to replace his framing hammer with a sledge hammer, his process would slow down and his work would suffer because he would be thinking more about manhandling the tool and his aching arms and less about the end product. Thoughts about the hammer would now be foremost in his mind. This is what I mean by: A good tool is one that is unobtrusive to the process in which it is being used. Windows 7 allows the PC to become unobtrusive to the process.
Other improvements include:
1 - A thumbnail preview of current windows. Just run your mouse over the minimized windows in the new larger taskbar and you will see thumbnails of the windows. This helps you find your work if you have many windows open at the same time.
2 - More imaginative wallpapers. Plan on needing extra time to choose one.
3 - More information about files in Windows Explorer.
4 - No more sidebar. I have no proof, but I always had the feeling that the Vista sidebar was a resource hog. Sidebar fan? Don’t worry; you can still get the sidebar tools by themselves.
5 – There is now an easier means to control (or stop completely) the number of notifications appearing in the bottom right corner of the screen.
6 – More security options. Google “Windows 7 UAC settings” and "Homegroup" for more.
Other changes include
1 - WordPad and Paint now have the same menu bar structure as Office 2007
2 – More touch screen support.
For you old timers out there: I haven’t been this happy about an OS since Windows 3.0 came out. Anybody remember Windows 3.0?
Comments
Gotta love it. Having been running Windows 7 RC for quite a while, I agree with your take completely. It's absolutely awesome and worth checking out. It's my primary system now. I am a techy and have yet to see a more refined OS.
For a couple of more days, Windows 7 can be pre-ordered at half the price (I think it's a Microsoft promotion). Since it won't ship until October, there is really no harm in pre-ordering it to get the price at 50% off right now and you can always change your mind later. I already ordered a couple of copies.
By the way, in case anyone is interested, I read about the promotion to get Windows 7 at 50% off initially at www.uberi.com
Maybe someone will find it useful too.
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