The Hindu Business Line : Looking through Windows 7

After the delays that plagued the launch of Windows Vista, Microsoft has surprised us by announcing the launch of the next version — Windows 7 — ahead of schedule.

We had high expectations of Vista. The expectations increased as the launch got delayed. And when it finally happened, we realised Vista was not really a worthy successor to the old workhorse Windows XP. Vista was bloated and resource-hungry. And the world started looking at Microsoft for something better than XP but without the drawbacks of Vista.

Now comes Windows 7. By the time you read this, Microsoft will have officially launched Windows 7. If you still think nothing can beat XP, or if you have Vista and are desparately looking for something better, will Windows 7 satisfy you?

We were able to boot and log in within 90 seconds, which is really good, as we installed the new OS in a machine that is two years old. We installed Windows 7 in a machine that had XP. The old files were backed up in a folder called Windows.old. For someone used to Vista, Windows 7 looks like an upgrade with a few, but significant, bells and whistles. The Start menu has a familiar look. The default theme looks like the Vista’s Aero. When you click on the Windows icon on the left, it opens up the Start window, which is again similar to that of Vista’s.

Taskbar

This is one of the most important changes in Windows 7 as this is one feature you will be using often. You realise this is not just an upgraded Vista once you look at the taskbar. The changes in the taskbar make it extremely user-friendly. Microsoft has done away with the puny icons and replaced them with bright and big icons. You soon realise the change is not cosmetic. You can pin programs — both opened and from the Programs menu — to the taskbar. If you want to unpin the programs, you can right-click on the task bar icons and click on ‘unpin’. The right click also gives you the various options related to the program. This new feature is called Jump List.

For instance, when you right-click on an Internet Explorer icon, you get options to open a new tab or browse ‘In Private’ mode. Similarly, right-clicking on a Windows Media Player icon on the taskbar opens a list of frequently played tracks. You also have the option to ‘Resume previous list’ or to ‘Play all music’. Right-clicking on the Windows Explorer icon allows you to open frequently opened programs. If you frequently work on Word, it is enough for you to right-click on the Windows Explorer icon and select Word from the list of the frequently used programs.

If you have opened several programs and minimised them, just hovering above the icons opens up a small thumbnail of the program. You can see a full-sized preview of the program bringing the cursor over the thumbnail. You can also close the program without leaving the preview by clicking on the ‘x’ button on the thumbnail. There is no need to go to the program to close it.

You can also shuffle around the icons in the task bar according to your preference. Right-clicking on an empty part in the taskbar opens up the usual menu.

What about Quick Launch? No. Windows 7 does not have it. But with the improved taskbar, you don’t feel the need for it. What if you are in a program or have opened several windows and want to go to the desktop screen? Windows 7 has a blank rectangle on the extreme right. If you just want to have a look at the desktop, it is enough if you hover on the rectangle — you will see a preview of the desktop in full size. If you want to go to the desktop, click on it.

As you move to the right, you have the usual System Tray. Wait, you realise there is none of the clutter you find in XP or Vista. Yes. You have the option to decide what programs should be displayed in the system tray. Click on the small arrow and click on the ‘Customize’ icon. Or right-click on the time and date and select ‘Customize notification icons’. For every system tray icon, you have options to:

1) Show icon and notifications

2) Hide icon and notifications

and 3) Only show notifications.

While on the system tray, there is a minor tweak in the clock settings. You can have up to three clock settings. Though only the default clock is visible in the system tray, the other two clocks can be seen if you click on the time and date display.

Gadgets

If you have used Vista and liked the sidebar, but felt it was occupying too much real-estate, Windows 7 has come up with a solution. It’s called Gadgets. You can select the gadgets you want from the Desktop Gadget Gallery. The default gadgets available include calendar, clock, CPU meter, currency conversion, feed headlines, slideshow, stocks, weather, Windows media, picture puzzle, etc. There is also the option to get more gadgets online. The difference between the Gadgets and the Vista sidebar is that you can select just the gadgets you want, keep them wherever you want on the desktop, and delete them if you don’t want them.

Resizing programs

One feature that is sure to take the pain out of working in two different programs side-by-side is the resizing option. For instance, if you have to use data from an Excel sheet in a Word document, you can open both the programs. If you move one of the windows to the side, it will dock to the side and occupy half the screen. Similarly, you have to drag the other program to the other side. You will now have both programs side-by-side. There is no need to constantly minimise windows to switch between programs or waste your time resizing the windows to the correct size. This is possible with any program, including Windows Media Player or Internet Explorer. If you want to compare two Web sites, you can have both side-by-side.

Parental controls

Windows 7 allows you to set parental controls for other users. You can set time limits, control games by ratings, content or title, and block specific programs. Turn the controls on and off by clicking on a radio button.

Themes

Switching themes has been made easy. There is no need to click multiple buttons and get a shock when you realise the settings you have selected are not what you really wanted. As you right-click on the desktop, click on ‘personalise’. This opens up a screen with the different themes. Just clicking on the theme immediately changes it. If you don’t like the theme, change to a different one in seconds. The personalisation screen also allows you to change the desktop background, window colour, sounds, and screensavers. The desktop backgrounds you get are related to the theme you have selected.

Libraries

An important change is the introduction of libraries. Your documents, music, pictures and videos can be accessed across all drives and folders from the library. Wherever the files are, you can find them all at one place.

Windows Media Centre

If you keep missing TV programs, use Windows Media Center to record programmes and watch them at leisure later. You can also pause, rewind or just watch Live TV without the need for set-top boxes or monthly fees.

Sticky notes

Windows 7 obviates the need to download a third party program for sticky notes. It’s right there on the Start menu. Choose the colour of individual sticky notes, and also cut, copy, or paste the text across notes.

Default programs

If you have struggled to change or set a browser as default browser, you will realise the importance of the Default Programs option. This sets defaults for any program you use. If you want to use Media Player to open all media including TV, music and pictures, set it with a click. You also have the option of choosing the specific file types and protocols the selected program should open. You can set MS Paint to open only jpg and png files. The other picture file types such as BMP can be set as default for another program.

Autoplay settings

When you insert a pen drive or CD, you usually get a prompt asking you what to do with the media. With autoplay settings, you can configure what different media should do when you insert them. You can make a folder open every time you insert a pen drive. If you get confused, you always have the ‘Take no action’ option.

Should you upgrade?

Windows 7 is what Microsoft failed to do with Vista. If you have Vista in your machine, and if your machine is unable to cope with Vista, waste no time to switch to Windows 7. It uses less resources, is faster and more stable. If you have XP, you can upgrade if your machine configurations permit.

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