On Tuesday at the Professional Developers Conference in Los Angeles, Microsoft released details about their upcoming Windows 7 operating system. Windows 7 is the next version of Windows that will replace Windows Vista and is expected to be released late next year.
The operating system will contain several improvements. If you hover over an item in the task bar, a preview of the Window will appear. You will be able to rearrange the order of the items in the task bar. The Aero affect will be applied to the task bar.
Microsoft has put a lot of work into making Windows work with touch screens. They have incorporated the work they have done with their Surface technology into Windows. You will be able to operate any program with your fingers, just like you are using a mouse. If you want to scroll down on a Word document, you just drag your finger down the screen.
Another enhancement is the organization of different folders into something called libraries. Say you have pictures in several locations on you computer and on a few networked computers. You can create a library to associate all those different folders together. You can then browse, search and manage all the items in the library together.
If you have a laptop that you use at both home and work, and use a different printer at each location, Windows 7 will be smart enough to switch you default printer depending on which network you are connected to.
If you have dual monitors and you use Remote Desktop a lot, you probably want the ability to use both monitors in you remote session. Windows 7 will provide this ability.
Microsoft has listened to their Vista feedback and they will provide more options on how you see User Account Control security popups. Right now you have to respond to every security notification. In Windows 7 there will be a slider on how strict the security notifications will be.
In general, Windows 7 looks like it will be a incremental improvement to Windows. There will a lot of great features that make the use of it more fun and productive.
Tony P
Software Developer
SoftCom Technology Consulting Inc.
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What about Video support? Will continue being instable like always or will make competencce to Mac?
I love how it switches your default printer for you. Maybe that’s a small detail, but it’s tripped me up in the past.
It’s funny that the Windows 7 OS was only an incremental improvement, and Windows Phone 7 was such a massive improvement.
Yeah, I love the tiles concept. I think the work Microsoft did in touch development was well worth it.
I didn’t realize that Windows 7 and Windows 7 OS were 2 different things. Thanks for clearing that up, Randy5.