Windows 7

[dentist90]

What are system requirements for Win7?


edit: nevermind... found it on Microsquish website.

[RWebb]

rumor is that the biggie with WIn7 will be when Intel releases its new laptop chips -- the claim is a huge reduction in power consumption

- also said to be useful for servers...

or is that just the complement to FUD being put out to push the things onto our backs?

[MysticLlama]

Originally Posted by exitwound

I wish the ribbon would just autohide itself. Wouldn't that solve its real estate problem?

Hit the down arrow by the Quick Access Toolbar at the top, select minimize the ribbon.

Also can be done by double-clicking a tab to hide and unhide it, or pushing ctrl-F1 for the people that like keyboard shortcuts.

[MysticLlama]

While the last post was an Office '07 thing... I did do a Win7 related thing today.

Officially moved over my office computer. Since it's been in full use for about a day, I did notice some things I hadn't noticed from just laptop use.

The Devices and Printers thing is really cool, the options for printers actually made sense for what I wanted to do, as opposed to the control panel category things being hard to decipher.

The jump lists are pretty cool in practice, once you have some real docs you use often.

The search for some reason feels like it works better than Vista too, even though it's mostly the same thing. Could be that it's a recently built box without a lot on it, so most of my results are gonna be relevant at this point anyhow.

The new calculator is pretty cool too, even though that stuff can be found anywhere, I like things that are built in.

Oh, one more thing, Microsoft actually released the server admin tools for Win7 at release time, vs. posting a technet article on how to screw around with the not quite functional XP installer on Vista and taking forever to provide stuff that worked easier. The admin tools also don't trigger the UAC popup anymore, they just have the little icon. At least the ones I've used so far.

[slodave]

Have you played with the UAC slider yet?

[MysticLlama]

Nope, haven't actually tried it, I should do that. It's pretty good as it is it seems, I got used to what things expected it in Vista, and when I'd use those I'd instinctively hit and arrow and enter anyhow, and when I didn't expect it I'd actually pay attention.

It comes up less in 7, and actually Vista did get better over time once apps were set up right.

I fooled with an MS RMS Ops app a couple years ago, and it was a signed app, but didn't have the secondary launch file set to bypass UAC, so I switched that to be aware and it would work just fine without triggering it. I'll have to dig up the docs on how that stuff works, but basically if the executable has a couple of options attached in the additional data or include a launch file and is signed with a certificate correctly, UAC is happy and doesn't pop up anyhow.

So while a bit of a pain in the ass at implementation, it was a good thing going foward. It's essentially getting Windows users used to running something with higher authorization, like a sudo on UNIX/Linux, instead of just defaulting to that all the time. If the apps were written correctly (and lots of line of business apps are notoriously bad about this) it wouldn't trigger it because it wouldn't need to be run as an administrator, yet a lot of that software tells you that it works best that way right in the docs, so most people end up being local admins.

[slodave]

The default setting of the UAC, seems to be a step lower than Vista. It gives you four levels Highest is Vista like, the lowest seems to be like 2000/XP.

Good for the users, pain when having to install the same program on 50 computers. Memory utilization seems to be way down on programs. Firefox would chew up 300 megs under XP, if left open all day, It's been hovering around 100 megs on 7. So far it looks like it has potential.

[gr8fl4porsche]

I have been using the 'flip' feature quite often. That is where you click and flip a window to the right or left to resize it to 1/2 of the screen. If you flip to the top it maximizes.

The taskbar pins with preview are very nice as well. I like being able to close a window from the preview screen.

[RWebb]

Uac ?

[slodave]

UAC = User Account Control. It's what makes those annoying pop-ups come up when you install programs on Vista or 7.

[gr8fl4porsche]

Not sure if previous versions of windows did this but here it is anyway.

Installed Win 7.

Everything has been running very smoothly except my Netgear VPN client which could not be installed due to driver incompatibility. Existing driver is XP / Vista.

All of the following are available through free microsoft downloads.

Installed Virtual Machine by MS.
Installed Virtual XP Mode by MS. This is essentially XP.

Now you can run XP and 7 at the same time. XP is contained in a window much like a remote desktop or any Virtual machine.

You can now install any XP compatible application onto the Virtual XP OS.

Now the cool part.
Create a shortcut to the XP only app and save it in the XP Start Menu>All Programs>All Users account.

Click back to 7 and open 7 Start Menu>All Programs>Windows Virtual PC.
Your XP only app is available for the clicking. When opened, a window will open saying the virtual machine needs to be shut down to use this app. Go ahead and close the VM.
Now when you need the XP only app - it is there and ready - no need to start the VM.
It opens just like any app installed in 7.

A very cool workaround for any application that is not ready for 7.

[rvanderpyl]

I hate Vista, it seems that Microsoft has decided it knows how I should run my system. I get everything setup just the way I want, a security update get downloaded and all my settings are back to defaults, or worse yet, suddenly I can't see any of the other computers on my network. I can't stand the way folder contents are displayed, I just want to see file names and information, but despite all efforts to set that as my defaults Vista keeps changing things around. One day I'll open up a folder and it is fine, the next day it will show up as if it is a music folder, or pictures, or everything is showing as Tiles. I'll have a folder sorted by name, it will show it by date.

Arrrrrrghh

It's enough to make me switch to a Mac.

[Deschodt]

>what's the real business drive to upgrade an entire Company to 7?

Sunset dates... I think XP expires in 2014 for support... And sooner than that, you'll run into licensing issues (right now new PCs come with a Vista license but you CAN downgrade to XP instead if you prefer, which most do). I think that loophole stops in 2011... In other words, if you are in a big company, you don't have a choice, you have to switch to either vista (Err) or preferably 7 or lose support/patches and leave yourself open to attacks..

That's a big deal... You need more memory, you need to upgrade tons of legacy apps, most fols don't realize how old some legacy software is for a lot of businesses - we still have to have IE6 for a lot of apps... It'll stimulate the economy for sure!

At home, Mac OS (Snow leopard) all the way...

[rammstein]

Originally Posted by jyl

Oh, another gripe, what is the point of the xlsm file format?

It makes it so that when someone with Office 2007 sends a file to a person with Office 2003, they can't open it. Yes, you can downconvert these to .xls files, which I do, but people like my boss who don't bother to figure things like this out get really angry and presumably feel compelled to upgrade.

I have NO desire to upgrade to 2007- that friggen toolbar change up top would drive me completely bonkers.

[RWebb]

xlsm saves HDD space & is more secure w.r.t. corruption

[mikester]

Installed Windows 7 myself recently - I'm dual booting back to XP though. I installed the Win7 64bit and it does seem very snappy. I recently upgraded my system hardware prior to the OS upgrade and between the older AMD Sempron I was using vs the newer Core 2 Quad 9550 CPU with 4 GB of RAM I noticed very little difference in the user experience.

With the older AMD the CPU would clearly get bogged down with intensive things and the new Intel chip doesn't but my computer overall feels the same.

With windows 7 it does feel better, faster - what I wanted.

I hate the new UI.

Hate. I really am comfortable in the Windows Classic interface, it is simple and usable and nice. I hate the windows search (indexing) feature (I think you can turn that off). I've gotten the UI to look about how I want it but I had to really read about doing it.

I hate the UI. I hated the Vista UI. Maybe I'm backwards or boring; I use computers daily. They are my tools and I don't like this new tool fancy.

[exitwound]

People fear change.

[masraum]

I also still prefer most aspects of the classic UI, but there are a few bits and baubles from the new UIs (Windows and Office) that are nice. It's just a shame that they couldn't just be added to the old stuff. But then, if it still looked the same, the unwashed masses wouldn't upgrade. Just like all of the idiots that upgrade their phones based on what looks cool instead of what works.

Still, if it was up to me, I'd convert Office back to the old style menus. Some things are much harder to find in the new menus, sometimes to the point that I have to go to help to figure out where to access a particular function.

I've got Vista Ultimate 64bit. It runs really, really well on my $270 Dell.

[exitwound]

Originally Posted by masraum

Just like all of the idiots that upgrade their phones based on what looks cool instead of what works.

The XP start menu does not work as fluently as the Windows 7 menu plus the taskbar. Just because it's familiar doesn't mean it's better. The ability to search the start menu with one keystroke is infinitely more powerful than the cascading menus.

[LakeCleElum]

Bought a new laptop on Black Friday that came with Win 7.....I've never been one to jump up and buy a new MS product. Rather wait a year or two while they sort it out....But, must say, Win 7 is working great right out of the chute and working trouble free........

If a non-techie guy can ask a stupid question: What is the ribbon I keep hearing about?