first Screenshot for Windows 7 build 7004 !

[sharp65]

At the rate the development is going, I wouldn't be surprised if the RC came out in only a few months. Especially if the blog writer says this:

Although I'm curious, will Beta 1 be feature complete or no?

Yes, it will be.

[Mr. Dee]

This new superbar and overall desktop looks weird. I use classic size icons for desktop on Vista. Large icons look so strange.

Remember, the buttons on the Taskbar are representative of both shortcuts and running applications. If you want to see whats going on, you hover over a button and you will see a preview of the window with options for closing, seeing a full size preview and opening the desired window. Its quite innovative.

[Kevin.]

Yes, it will be.

Ok. Thanks for the information. If I had to make a prediction for the RC, I'd say around April, assuming it RTMs in June.

[danisflying527]

and full release in July or something?

Because that's what I have been reading all over most sites

[Ytterbium]

The reason why it feel so polished is they have changed they way windows is built, your not allow to check in code to winmain unless it's passed all it's testing. Every build they treat as if there wasn't going to be another build after this one, they just add in smaller chuncks of work.

I'm sure that beta 1 won't have all the features in, I would think that's the definition of a beta?

[Denholm]

and full release in July or something?

Because that's what I have been reading all over most sites

Right. I think it could be very possible.

I'm sure Microsoft has a target date but they would not share that, other than the usual blurb about Windows 7 coming in 2009.

[Denis W. Veteran]

Can anyone else access Scott Wylie's blog? Maybe MS blocked it because of his screenshot of 7004? :hmmm:

Server crash?

edit: He removed his blog post. To the OP: please save that image before it gets deleted :p

[Denholm]

Let it be here forever....... ;)

[Orange Battery]

I like the new taskbar but I don't like how it looks. To me it looks like a basic 3rd part app is trying to improve the taskbar but has just made it look bigger, breaking the ui and making the taskbar buttons into a big clunky square shape. I hope they work on the look of the taskbar, and offer more ui customisation of explorer windows. The whole project seems to be increasing in speed, I would prefer it slow down a little and get the things like the ui right this time.

[danisflying527]

WOW those icons are way too big

They really ought to lower the size =/

[Kevincvz]

WOW those icons are way too big

They really ought to lower the size =/

It is possible to make the taskbar the size Vista has today, with smaller icons, obviously.

[danisflying527]

I meant on the desktop lol

I'm fines with the ones on the superbar

They are awfully huge =/

[Lee G. Veteran]

I meant on the desktop lol

I'm fines with the ones on the superbar

They are awfully huge =/

They're just set to large icons. You can make the desktop icons that large on Windows Vista. You can make them smaller by right clicking on the desktop > View > Medium Icons or Classic Icons.

[danisflying527]

Oh really?

hmm never saw that

[devHead]

The sidebar is back, Microsoft said the removed it a few months ago, something tells me this pic isn't a real build.

It's not back; it looks like he's just aligned his gadgets on the right-hand side of the screen. If you move them to an edge, the click into place. It's a nice feature.

[hdood]

You can click on the desktop, then hold down control and use your scroll wheel as well.

[+Elі Subscriber²]

Oh really?

hmm never saw that

Have you tried Vista/Windows 7 on your computer for an extended period of time? I mean you sound like the classic Mojave experiment type of guy lol, no offenses buddy :D

[chrisj1968]

Let it be here forever....... ;)

to me, the taskbar looks like a "dumbed down" version of the OSX bar. :huh:

[LTD]

to me, the taskbar looks like a "dumbed down" version of the OSX bar. :huh:

Uh oh . . . now look what ya did. In this kind of thread, any mention of the OS X Dock is strictly forbidden. ;)

You'll see what I mean.

[y_notm]

The reason why it feel so polished is they have changed they way windows is built, your not allow to check in code to winmain unless it's passed all it's testing. Every build they treat as if there wasn't going to be another build after this one, they just add in smaller chuncks of work.

I'm sure that beta 1 won't have all the features in, I would think that's the definition of a beta?

MS has already stated that beta 1 would be feature complete, but other than that you are spot on in your description.

[HawkMan]

to me, the taskbar looks like a "dumbed down" version of the OSX bar. :huh:

Uh oh . . . now look what ya did. In this kind of thread, any mention of the OS X Dock is strictly forbidden. ;)

You'll see what I mean.

Well while it does borrow one feature from the Dock, that being the fct you use the same icon for an non running and a runnign app, I wouldn't call it a dumbed down version, for one it's still a taskbar not a dock. I'm still not sure if this is a good thing though.

I liek all the new features of the superbar with the flyouts and other innovative stuff MS added to it. I'm just not sure having the same icon for a running app and a non runnign app is all that good. Though I'll have to actually try the superbar first, and I do believe the flyout thingies even work on non runnign apps, so you can click the cionand choos to open for example a recent document, and it'l lstart the app and open that document all at once, wich does help a bit to blur the line between running and not running, and making the pinned icons make more sense

But we'll see. Either way dumber down I wouldn't call it. it still got all the advantages of the taskbar and new innovations in usability. so it's more of a usability. Taking what's great with the taskbar, taking what's good about the dock, then adding a good sprinkle of innovative new features. and you got the dockbar 2.0, Better than the taskbar, better than the dock.

[Mannlich]

Have you tried Vista/Windows 7 on your computer for an extended period of time? I mean you sound like the classic Mojave experiment type of guy lol, no offenses buddy :D

Agreed. The option to increase the size of the icons to large and scale up or down by using CTRL + scroll wheel is available in Vista.

[9UnknownMen]

One screenshot guys. As usual the its preening few who haven't booted up Win7 spreading FUD and derision. He's customized his desktop and thats not what it will look like after fresh install. The gadgets, address bar and his taskbar list indicates so.

On my 12.1' Laptop I toggle the taskbar to small icons which makes it scale better to small screens. With the new jumplists on the taskbar, I've gone spartan and disabled desktop icons. Kinda calming really. :p

Btw, look up Win 1.0...if anything the new taskbar is throwback to that original program bar.

[hdood]

It's only a dumbed-down or inferior OS X dock if you see it as trying to clone the Dock, which isn't the point. It's supposed to be an enhanced version of the familiar taskbar (which is a list of windows really, not applications), which is why it hasn't gone all 3D with huge throbbing icons.

The new menus are extremely useful as you can now just click and drag up (or right click, then click) and get a list of your most frequent folders. Let go of the mouse and a window opens there. You've always been able to add options to the right-click menu, but it's great that focus has finally been put on it.

Like all new and unfamiliar things it takes a little bit of getting used to, but if you give it a chance, you might end up liking it.

[ATLien_0]

man there are a lot of places now you can place shortcuts for your apps. I dont use Desktop icons anymore as shortcuts, just have all my most used apps on the left pane of the start menu in Vista. Now the Superbar can be used for that also. Im not saying having more locations to put them is bad, but almost feel its a little redundant to have apps on the left pane of the start menu and on the superbar