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Microsoft Windows 7
Update
Windows 7 is Microsoft's latest client operating system, and its final RTM
release is likely to be timed to attract Christmas shoppers.
Whereas it was easy to find fault with many aspects of Vista, there has
been nothing but praise for Windows 7. Microsoft have soaked up the
punishing criticism of Vista and tackled each and every shortcoming with
zeal. The result is it's now a pleasure to use Windows 7 whereas
grappling with Vista made many users hanker for their old XP.
Windows Version 7 Topics
Before I discuss the specific improvements of Windows 7 rationally, I want to give you three emotional
reasons why you should have faith in Microsoft's latest operating system.
I realize that after experience of Vista some people are going to find it
hard to regain confidence in Microsoft.
1) Bloggers of Windows 7 are so impressed that they want to use this
operating system on their production desktops, even though
they know they should only use beta software for testing.
2) My pappy always says, 'Never buy software before it
reaches version 3'. Well, if Vista RTM was version 1 of Microsoft's brand new operating
system, then Vista with SP1 may just count as version 2. Following
this logic, Windows 7
reckons to be version 3 and thus it's time to get serious with this new
operating system with its Aero Graphics.
3) Another
indicator that you should give Windows 7 a chance is that, unlike Vista,
no-one is saying after using Windows 7 for a week, 'I want to go back to XP'.
After trying Windows 7 for half an hour I could see how Microsoft
has worked tirelessly to overcome every criticism of Vista. As a
result, not only will everything that worked on XP now work on Windows 7,
but also they have introduced neat refinements that should have been in
Vista in the first place.
What makes Windows 7 a joy to use is that there are no stutters where menus hang for 5 seconds, or
worse, the program crashes - and this is only the beta version. One
day it dawned on me that there was less intrusion by the UAC and associated
'Wizards' than there is in Vista.
People are not too concerned if the
operating system's boot time is 60 seconds rather 75, but it is irritating
when the battery life is reduced from 300 minutes to 240 minutes. It is
evident that extra features such as Aero Graphics will mean more power
consumption. Hence Microsoft faces a tough
challenge to make a battery on a Windows 7 laptop last as long as the same
battery on XP. One solution has been to try new technologies such as
to dim the display and slow to down the system timer.
Talking of laptops, entering and leaving 'Sleep' was a lottery in Vista
RTM, matters improved after applying SP1, and now Sleep is rock solid in Windows 7.
Another tiny but welcome improvement is that the battery % indicator is
accurate rather than a work of fiction.
To achieve this transformation Microsoft has tackled dozens more features that lacked
perfection in Vista. For example, changing the screen resolution
quickly, and configuring IP addresses with minimal clicks. These, and a
hundred more refinements, are not worth commenting on individually, but the whole improvement
is greater than the sum of the individual parts. Moreover these are
real gains because whichever 20% of the features you use the most, in Windows 7 those
features will work better than they did in Vista.
Taskbar - It is fractionally easier to position the
icons, and keep it the way you
like. There are also better previews, and also easier access to the
Windows Explorer. On a related matter the Navigation Area is better
behaved.
Start Menu - The jump list has a bigger list of recent programs. Tip, do remember
to pin those programs that you want to stay on the list.
Desktop Search - This has come of age. In Vista, you can type a
word into the
Search box, and you get a list. However, if what you are
looking for isn't there, you have to click Search Everywhere. The
improvement in Windows 7 is that each heading
is a clickable link for you to investigate.
Resource Monitor - This is real techie's delight.
It's also better than Vista's Process explorer at tracking down a program that
is hogging CPU, memory, or disk
resources. The killer new feature is the ability to filter a
list of processes so you can see which files they are reading and writing.
Better Device Management - Every version of Windows claims 'Better Device
Management'. I await the perfect system, meanwhile it is
handier to have the mouse, monitor, and camera in the same 'Folder' as the
printers.
IE8 and PowerShell 2.0 - As expected, these latest
versions of these programs are built-in. However, there is a new
twist, an ability to disable features such as IE8 should you want to replace
it with Mozilla Firefox.
Windows Live Essentials - Messenger, Photo Gallery, Movie Maker. Share your music and videos.
Gadgets - Now embedded in the desktop
HomeGroup - I call this Home Network, and it is useful for controlling wireless
communication, configurable through the Network and Sharing Center.
Backup - Let us take backup as mini-case study. With XP you could select
individual files from the backup menus, whereas in Vista you could only backup the whole system.
Windows 7 reverts to giving the user the choice of what to archive.
Staying with backup, here is an example of progress. In
XP, if you wanted to back up to an external drive, then you needed a third-party program.
In Vista the procedure was indeed a little better, after plugging in the external device,
it was possible to backup but only if you could ferret around and
connect to the backup program. Now in Windows 7, once you plug
in an external hard drive, its AutoPlay produces a menu item: 'Use This Drive for Backup'.
It then guides you through the steps needed to automated backup.
I cannot emphasise enough that this is not a one-off improvement; there are dozens of
other small but time-saving improvements in Windows 7. As a result
Window 7 not only catches up with everything that XP could do, but also
delivers the improvements that we had hoped Vista would provide with its
brand new operating system.
3rd Party Software
It always seemed a most reasonable expectation that programs which work on XP
would work on Windows 7 (and Vista). Rumour has it that some programs failed simply because XP reports 'Major Version = 5'
whereas Vista and Windows 7 report 'Major Version = 6'. If this is
true then it could not
be hard to modify the run routine to say 'If Major Version greater than 5
then proceed and launch this app'.
An indication of Microsoft's commitment, worry, sensitivity - call it what
you will, is that they are extending testing to include 50% more 3rd
party applications for Windows 7. What impressed me was that each
application warrants its own project.
Hardware and Drivers
When we are in between major operating system changes we take for granted that
all software works on all hardware, at the very worst you may have to right
click and update a driver. Thus in 2007 Vista bore the brunt of user
dissatisfaction caused by lack of drivers, or else hardware not delivering
the full range of features that Microsoft designed.
Two years on from Vista's launch the technology the partnership between
Microsoft and the hardware manufacturers has resulted in a more effective
interaction between operating system and peripherals. Consequently,
even if Windows 7 brought no improvements, it would have ridden on the coat
tails of product development aimed at Vista. This is because Vista and
Windows 7 share the same core operating system code.
I never feel the need to follow the crowd, but it is fascinating to see
how other react to Vista and Windows 7.
Microsoft's critics will tell you that corporations have completely ignored
Windows Vista. However, Forrester's survey shows that 11% of large
companies have already installed Vista. Meanwhile, 30% of respondents have
at least trialled it and a further 25% have plans to begin deploying within
2 years.
15% -perhaps the most savvy - are going to bypass Vista and go straight from
XP to Windows 7.
Once again, this pattern is uncannily like what happened when
Windows 2000 replaced Windows 98. There were unexpected complications
when operating system version 5.0 replaced version 4.1. Microsoft
reacted quickly and brought out XP (5.1) to usurp
Windows 2000 (5.0). Vista doom and gloom merchants may have also forgotten that took XP
at least 3 years to replace Windows 98.
Tales from the Training Room
Take a new feature, such as the Control Panel. When I am training I
have to steel myself to take the 'Management line', and tell delegates "The
new Control Panel is better, please give it a chance". After a while I
was convinced that the new Control Panel truly was better.
It may shock you that I am talking about the change from Window 3.11 to
Windows 95. And I have seen the same resistance with each
successive reorganization of the Control Panel. The present generation are
extremely resistant to a changes in Windows 7, just as the previous
generation did not like the switch from Window 98 to XP. My points are
these:
- Resistance to change is normal human reaction.
- The young embrace new ways more easily than the old.
- If such cosmetic changes are the only complaints about Windows 7, then it's a good
system.
About Guy's Involvement with Beta Programs
Let me start by saying I haven't updated my phone for 2 years and I drive
a 2005 model car, but when it comes to beta software I am a sucker for the
allure of a new program. That said, every time I vow 'never again',
it's just not worth all the hassle, the bugs and the fact the final version
is much changed from the beta releases. It's as clear as day that smart
move is to wait until service pack 1 before you use any software for work as
opposed to messing about for pleasure. Sorry I meant testing!
The Source of Microsoft Beta Software
If you totally disregard this advice about avoiding beta software, then
you can download all manner of test software in various states of
development from connect.microsoft. I registered years ago, so I have
no idea if the rumours that it's difficult to get accepted by Microsoft Connect are
true.
Tools4Ever provide not one but a host of handy network utilities.
They have a professional stable of products for example, SpaceGuard Disk
quota manager, Self Service Password Reset, and my favourite FreePing.
Tools4Ever use the popular internet utility model where we download a trial
version, and if we like it, we return and buy the full version.
Check out the network utilities from
Tools4Ever.
Guy Recommends: SolarWinds LANSurveyor
LANSurveyor will produce a neat diagram of your network topology. But that's
just the start;
LANSurveyor can
create an inventory of the hardware and software
of your machines and network devices. Other neat features include dynamic
update for when you add new devices to your network. I also love the ability to export
the diagrams
to Microsoft Visio.
Finally, Guy bets that if you take a free trial of LANSurveyor then you will
find a device on your network that you had forgotten about, or someone else
installed without you realizing!
Download a Free Trial of LANSurveyor
Will and Guy's Humour
April Fool's Day is around the corner. It's always worth keeping a
lookout for the latest spoofs both in the newspaper and on the T.V. Here
is will and Guy's advice for
April
Fools 2009
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