7 Thoughts for Windows 7

The iMac, my main desktop, primary system, love it, love OS X. Can't get any better for me. (Well maybe if I upgrade and trade it in for the new 27" model). But anyway, I also have a Gateway NV series notebook, when I purchased it I qualified for the free Windows 7 upgrade. Today - Tuesday November 24, 2009  I receive in the mail my copy and upgrade software. Here are my thoughts, seven thoughts to be exact.

1 - Very long setup and upgrade time.
The process of upgrading, installing both the Windows and Gateway discs, to running the OS smoothly took about 5 hours. Now, I know that installing a new OS on any computer isn't a quick task. But guys, 5 hours!? It took about 3 hours for the installation discs to do their job. The other two hours will be explained in the thought below.

2 -  BSOD before first boot-up!? Double you tea eff.
This really frustrated me. After the first and second disc were done installing. I was prompted to take out the Windows 7 disc and to re-insert the first disc (Gateway Upgrade Wizard). Once I attempted to do that, BAM! BSOD, right there. I said to myself, "no, no this can't be happening". My system then rebooted itself into safe mode and I diagnosed the problem was not Windows, but my own. (Or so I believe?) Apparently I could not install the upgrade because I had my hard drive portioned for Ubuntu Linux. I had no clue this would effect the portion of the hard drive that Vista was running on, and running the Windows 7 install on. But after some quick trouble shooting, I got it all working. I am now enjoying playing with Windows 7.

3 - Wallpaper Transitions
This is a feature I didn't really see myself using. I felt it would not be of any use to me and it is strictly aesthetic. Well, this is true, it is an aesthetic feature. But after using it for a few minutes and watching these beautiful wallpapers transition with fades, I fell in love.

4 - Side by side auto adjust windows.
Guys, this feature has been one of my favorites since I played with it in the RC. Using it to compare before and after HTML changes, shopping online comparing prices, or just watching a video while keeping track of the weather in my town. I really love this new addition to Windows.

5 - Clean, clean, clean.
Compared to Vista, Windows 7's UI is extremely clean and sharp. I love the new user interface, and the new task bar. Being able to easily switch and run through different windows and applications has been great. I find it making me more productive and being able to tackle multiply things at once. This is great for anyone who is a power user and enjoy a clean desktop experience.

6 - Post-Its, ya better watch out.
Windows 7 has this new note feature called Sticky Notes. The title says it all, basically they are little virtual post-it notes. They come in a lot of handy. Typically If there is something I read online, or spontaneously remember and I want to write it down quick so I don't forget it- I'd open up WordPad or reach for a pen and paper. Microsoft's Sticky Notes has solved that issue for me. They work just as needed, nothing more nothing less.

7 - Don't second think, upgrade now.
If you are a Windows user, and are still stuck with either XP or Vista, upgrade. I highly, highly recommend investing the money into buying this OS. It is without doubt, the best solution for Windows users who are frustrated with their current OS. Even running it for only a few hours now, I can sincerely say that is is awesome! You will definitely not regret it and you won't be disappointed. Give it a try, you've got nothing to lose!

-Thomas Hayden
http://twitter.com/thomas_hayden

Windows 7 Review

Apologies if I am repeating anything, I just wanted to get my own personal opinions across.

So I've had Windows 7 for near-enough a week now, and I thought it was about time I reviewed the Operating-System that Windows claims to be "Vista but Faster".

There are very few problems for me to discuss, but I am a person who enjoys getting the negatives across first. When Windows 7 first installed, the 'icon tray' was using a different setting than what Vista used, it was in a drop-down box. Personally, I thought this was horrible and changed it right away - but the good news is, that's the only bad thing i've encountered!!

It takes a while to get used to the OS, but overall I think it's a fantastic improvement on Windows Vista (That said, I never had any massive problems with Vista in the first place). I think that Aero is a beautiful design, and now that it has been implemented correctly, it does not cause any lag and this, for me, gets a massive thumbs up!

Another thing, probably the most noticeable change, is the task-bar. The new task-bar is very different to what Windows users are used to. It uses images but with no text, and in my opinion this works very well. You can also pin programs/folders to the task-bar in order to access them quickly in the future - which is very useful. I can see similarities to a Mac Dock in the new task-bar, but that said it is still very, very different. If you right-click on the programs that are running, you will get a mini-menu (depending on the program) which gives you some options you can use quickly without even displaying the window. Take iTunes for example, if I right-click on it I am displayed with a 'Recently Played' section, with about 6 songs that I can quickly play right from that very menu. Pretty cool if you ask me! Programs running multiple times, or that have multiple windows are also grouped now - and if you hover over it you will be shown the windows that are running - which is useful. One simply, yet cool thing that I have discovered very recently is that, say you are installing a program and you minimize it to the task-bar. The task-bar icon has the progress bar on it - which is like a green bar going across it as a transparent overlay, and this is another very very useful feature.

Basic Windows programs have been upgraded also. I have recently used Microsoft Paint and I must say its revamp is superb! Basic features have been added which make it so much more user-friendly, and I enjoyed using it. Created a not-so-bad image too, but don't expect it to compare with the likes of Photoshop!

So overall I love Windows 7 and I'm very glad I upgraded - Congrats on a brilliant OS Microsoft!

www.twitter.com/harr2k9