21 October 2009

Tomorrow sees the general availability of Microsoft’s flagship operating system Windows 7. The release will be accompanied by a series of launch events around the globe, as well as a wave of new PC models designed around the revamped operating system.

Microsoft says that its latest operating system is built around customer feedback and thus addresses the most popular areas for improvement. As such, Windows 7 is designed to be more responsive and simpler to use – it makes PCs start up, shut down, resume from standby, and respond faster. New functionalities supporting this ethos include Action Center, which replaces the myriad of interuptions and icon pop-ups that an operating system can sometimes throw in the user’s way.

Microsoft has also worked a lot on ease of navigation acrosss the system. The improved taskbar allows you to pin any program directly to it for quick access, as well as rearrange icons just by clicking and dragging. The new ‘Jump Lists’ functionality also eases navigation by enabling users to quickly reach files they’ve been working on by right clicking on the relevent program icon on the taskbar. So, right-clicking on the Word icon will show the most recent Word documents.

Improved visibilty is also a key ingredient of Windows 7, so now, when you hover over an icon, you’ll see thumbnails of every file or window that open in that program. Likewise, two open windows can be easily compared using ‘Snaps’. Drag one window to either side edge of the screen to fill that half, then Snap the other window to fill the other half.

The operating system’s search functionality is also much improved. Microsoft says that Windows 7 makes search results more relevant and easier to understand, as well as using libraries to show all content of a particular type, such as photos, in one spot.

The emphasis on increased usabilty extends to entertainment, with Windows 7 making it easier to stream music, videos, or photos to networked media devices, such as a audio-video system. This ability to share is further enhanced by ‘HomeGroup’. This is set up automatically when the first PC running Windows 7 is added to a home network, and enables the exchange of files and printers with all of the PCs on that network.

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