After a long post yesterday by Steven regarding Windows 7 feedback, which focussed heavily on how Microsoft was gathering the feedback for Windows 7 and the feedback process, the E7 blog has posted the changes that users will see from Windows 7 beta to RC.Steven emphasized in his last post that Microsoft takes users feedback very seriously and are committed to it
"The work of acting on feedback responsibly and managing the development of Windows through all phases of the process is something we are very sincere about. Internally we've talked a lot about being a learning organization and how we're always learning how to do a better job, improve the work we do, and in the process work to make Windows even better. We take this approach as individuals and how we view building Windows. We know we will continue to have tough choices to make as everyone who builds products understands and what you have is our commitment to continue to use all the tools available to make sure we are building the best Windows 7 we can build."
Chaitanya from the E7 team has posted a detailed list of various changes in Windows 7 from beta to RC based upon customer feedback. Though there are number of bug fixes, performance improvements, compatibility fixes, we are more concerned on the changes in these three areas - User Experience, Find and Organize and Devices and Media. Below are some of the impressive changes amongst the various other changes highlighted in the blog post
Aero Peeks meets Alt-Tab
Many users who love aero peek (including me) wanted to have it implemented when flipping windows using the Alt-Tab keys. Now, this change has been added to RC. Users can still quickly flip through all the windows, but when you want to see more information about a particular window, aero peek would appear and this is triggered by a time delay while flipping windows.
More Shortcuts
One of the areas where Windows 7 received positive feedback was the new keyboard shortcuts introduced. As usual, we users wanted more (and still want more!) and here are few more shortcuts added to RC:
Windows Logo + <#> - opens an application corresponding to its order in the superbar (this is already present in the current beta)
- Windows Logo + <#> and Windows Logo + <#> (pressing twice) - Switches to the corresponding application to its order in the superbar
- SHIFT + Windows Logo + <#> - Opens application corresponding to its order in the superbar
- Holding the Windows Logo + tapping the <#> - Cycle through various windows in the same application, like tabs in IE
- ALT + Windows Logo + <#> - Access programs' Jump List
- CTRL + Windows Logo + <#> - Flip back to last active window
- CTRL + mouse click on a superbar button - Flip back to last active window
Needy Window
In the current beta, the flashing animation which alerts when users require attention, like the messenger window when you receive a message, is very limited to 3 flashes. It is very easy to miss the alert and thus now it is increased to seven flashes!
Improvements to Color Hot-Track
One of the ways to differentiate between running and not-running applications in superbar is using the color hot-track. But this color hot-track is lost when the mouse hovers over taskbar thumbnails. In RC, the color hot-track stays active even when the mouse hovers over taskbar thumbnails!
Desktop Icons and Gadgets improvement
In Beta it was impossible to separate desktop icons from gadgets under the View setting available by right-clicking on the desktop. In RC, users can opt to hide just the gadgets or just the desktop icons.
User Account Control
This change was obvious as Microsoft had already confirmed that they are going to implement the change in RC. Due to this change, now users will get a prompt for any modification made to the UAC Control Panel
Cleaner Now Playing view in Media Player
Microsoft has responded with a visual update that is more lightweight and compact to the Now Playing view in WMP, based on customers' feedback. However, there is no screenshot posted to see those changes.
Easier access to advanced settings
I myself was frustrated when I couldn't find the Advanced Settings (equalizer, visualisations, enhancements) options in the Windows Media Player from the main window. However, they were accessible only via the List Pane Options in the Now Playing mode. Microsoft has responded to this and these options are now available via the Now Playing context menu under Enhancements.
Windows Logo+E shortcut
In Vista, Windows Logo+E launches "Computer" Explorer, but in current Windows 7 beta, it launches Libraries which is quite confusing and a change in a behavior which was prevalent for a long time! Microsoft has changed back this behavior and now in RC, Windows Logo+E will launch "Computer" Explorer.
These are not the only changes that are to be made available in the Windows 7 RC. To know more about the other changes, visit the E7 blog post.
Having seen the various feedback submitted by other users and by myself for Windows 7 , I am very much satisfied with these changes for the RC. It is not possible for Microsoft to satisfy every user, but the changes highlighted here clearly shows that Microsoft is indeed taking an open approach to the Windows 7 feedback program.
Lets all hope now that Windows 7 RC gets released as expected and move to RTM soon!
i thought u was gonna say you pirated them.
You still bought them, they not free when buy computer.
He was making the distinction between boxed (i.e. retail) and OEM (i.e. comes with a computer).
I'm with you Sam, this will be the first retail box of Windows I've bought, go Windows 7!
It died away years ago. No one cared.
I think MS for the better has shifted towards cementing the UI and thus the OS's identity at an earlier stage than they perhaps did with previous releases. It's a good thing as hopefully by doing so less things get missed such as areas in XP with ancient icons and the like.
The Start Icon does seem a little weird where it is, but when you're actually using the computer your not going to notice those tiny things like that.
I like the Windows 7 beta, looks like it's gonna be really sucessful!
This has been brought up before by me as well as other members (sorry I can't link to other people's comments, as I don't have the links on me). Many people agree that the Start Button Orb is definitely not the best MS could do for this Windows release.
Heck, just a couple of their designers could do better with a cup of coffee and a few extra hours at their keyboards. And I mean this quite literally.
Last edited by Turbonium on 26 Feb 2009 - 20:27
Doesn't look like it on a static screenshot, but there's been the orb jumping bug when putting the mouse pointer over it, at least on my netbook anyway and looks weird.
And "Improving the headphone experience" is the fix i required ...bcos it very annoying if someone inserts headphone but still sound comes from the main speakers ..!!
So, Ctrl+C & Ctrl+V will work in Touch interface too!!! ;-)
Last edited by guruparan on 26 Feb 2009 - 12:23
That is a driver problem, not Windows
speak to your soundcard manufacturer. The creative drivers have headphone detection built in
I have a feeling it's going to be even faster! ;-)
I have a feeling it's going to be even faster! ;-)
I'm happy with all the changes except this one! :'(
I found it really useful to be able to type Win+E, "doc", Enter to get to my documents library.
can't wait to play with the rc
I have notified MS through the feedback program, but seems no action has been taken... :-S
Further, the links in the start menu like Pictures and Music will still open to the Pictures and Music libraries.
Hurray! In which case I'm happy with all the listed changes.
How about structural changes?.
My dad flipped out when our Vista PC didn't have a My Computer icon on the desktop. I told him that you never really use the My Computer section, you just go straight to your Documents, Pictures, etc. And if he wanted to get to My Computer, he could just press Start, then Computer, which is easier than going to the desktop. But he demanded that there be a Computer icon on his desktop, so all he had to do to get that was press Start and drag the Computer option onto the desktop.
Some people just hate change. But hey, most people love Obama and "Change", maybe that's because most everyone hated Bush, and they wanted something different. Maybe that's why Windows 7 will be such a success. People hate Vista and they want something "better" so Microsoft is giving them some "change" and the people love it.
That's my take.
So for us, it's a useless combination
ie: Windows Logo + 3 brings you the third window on the bar
The old placement required you to look at the screen and precisely click on the icon. The new placement is faster and more accessable.
If you really require the 'Show Desktop' icon on the left on the start menu, just add this icon on the start menu.
http://www.herby.virtualplastic.net/files/MinUnMinAll.zip
I'm very happy having it on the right, and personally reckon it's all about getting used to it!
Well done so far Microsoft, 7 is coming along nicely
The appearance of the superbar is still a no-go for me. It's hideous. And it HAS to have more functionality.
Last edited by GreyWolfSC on 26 Feb 2009 - 16:10
There's already more than enough new functionality there for users to get used to...
Customers are used to resuming a CD or DVD after an interruption. With customers choosing new low-cost, smaller form-factor, machines without optical drives, an increasingly popular scenario is to have content played directly from the hard drive. In Beta, it was not possible to resume playback on such content after a laptop goes to sleep. Customers assume the experience should match that of physical media so we fixed the experience to meet this expectation."
That's something I sent feedback about, so I'm pretty happy.
Mando writes, "In Win7 the Win+E shortcut opens an explorer window but the path is "Libraries" instead (which isn't where I want to go most of the time). Is there a way to configure the target folder of "Win+E" or is there an alternate shortcut that will get me to the "Computer" path like it did in Vista?" RC reverts the behavior and now the shortcut will launch the "Computer" Explorer. Also, we changed the link in Start Menu -> Username to match the Vista behavior.
It only makes sense ... clicking on libraries and your username took you to the same place in beta... glad they fixed it
If I'm playing a DVD in Media Center, I don't appreciate having Media Player spawn in the background and playing the DVD as well... so if i pause the movie in Media Center, the background movie's still playing.
The fix is to simply turn off Autoplay for DVDs. But at least for the sake of computer newbies, don't start Media Player if Media Center's already running.
Last edited by lee26 on 26 Feb 2009 - 17:46
Plus, it adds an extra level of legacy support for older applications. The biggest gripe people had with XP wasn't the 'My' before each folder; It was the fact that 'My Documents' was a junk-drawer for every file, instead of being a separate folder dedicated to just documents.
Last edited by Kojio on 26 Feb 2009 - 20:36
Windows Media Player will now NATIVELY support MOV files now.
I have done this with Acrobat, Excel, Faststone, and other applications. Once it is setup the only chances you need to make are those files you want to delete or add to the icons on the Super Bar.
Since they're pinned to where you put them, surely you'd end up just learning which number applies to which application?
I guess it would be useful when you're doing something on someone else's computer.
And why would they take that out in the first place?
This has in some way gotten easier with the introduction of libraries, but still your files are stored i the c:users folder as default.
Last edited by Doggis85 on 27 Feb 2009 - 01:40
Seriuosly? I better start stretching my fingers before the RC is released.
Let's hope it also works with AltGr, i don't have any windows-button on the right side, using both left buttons is impossible :/
If you have 24 in display, it takes much time to move mouse to the other side (as basically you always keep mouse more in left, right? That's where open programs shows up, etc...
Yes, I could add short cut, but they could just add "quick launch" icon enabling in some settings and all fixed
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