Sweet. I've been trying to figure out how to use Snap (I was looking through every damn control-panel, trying to find the option to turn it on :P). That's a really cool feature.
A note for those with dual monitors: You'll need to use the windowskey+arrowkey method if you want to snap it to a shared edge.
Unfortunately, Windows Vista forced all of the system’s gadgets into a vertical space called the Sidebar, and the sidebar was stuck to the right side of the screen.
I know I'm the only one here who ever used Vista, but no, gadgets weren't forced to the Sidebar. They're quite happy pulled off of it, and closing the Sidebar while leaving the gadgets open works perfectly as well:
Windows update was the same in vista too. :/ I built my dad's PC on friday and installed 7 and it automatically recognized, downloaded, and installed drivers for all the connected devices and the video card. It was pretty effing sweet.
Thanks a whole lot, I purchased it sight unseen (with $30 student discount) based on Icrontic's recommendation (slight input by UPSLynx as well), and found it everything you said and more. This article gives me a few more things that I will have to check out. I upgraded from xp on a 2003 machine and have not yet noticed a loss in performance at all. My enthusiasm for the OS grows each day I work with it.
Gadgets: Customization is the same, the only one thats new and seemingly exclusive to Win7 is the new Windows Media Player gadget.
Customizable System Tray: All Systray icons can also be hidden in Vista, Win7 just auto-hides all but 3-4 generic tray icons unless changed. Vista will display all and dynamic hide all but 4-5 unless otherwise changed.
OEM SATA drivers: Same as in Vista, although updated with Win 7.
Snipping Tool: Also available in Vista, only difference is Vista uses a red outline by default.
The list is also missing probably the most useful and impressive exclusive feature in Win 7, HomeGroup Networking, which completely simplifies the process of networking and authenticating multiple PCs over a trusted home network. You simply enter the same HomeGroup password on any PC you want to include in the network, then select the libraries you want to share and that's it, no further need for authentication on individual machines and files or folders. If you want to share custom libraries its a simple right-click and choose once you've joined the HomeGroup.
This also ties into the features of Live Sync the article on, but with Live Sync and HomeGroup networking, this also allows you to sync all your personal Live ID files across all of those PCs within the HomeGroup and of course stream any shared media between them as well. Microsoft really got it right between LiveSync, HomeGroup and Windows Live. Simplifying, organizing and enabling the entire sharing process from original media to home network PCs to cloud hosting/sharing is really where Win 7 shines, imo.
Chizow:
Taskbar previews are quite different than they were in Vista, just as you pointed out. Being able to see live previews, switch windows, and even close windows just from the taskbar preview is quite a bit of new functionality.
DX11, while available as an update to Vista, ships with 7. Big difference in design considerations.
Systray in 7 only shows the default white icons that ship with 7 to begin with. It hides all distracting color icons behind the expander. This is quite different from the previous systray behavior that just showed everything and expanded/contracted at the user's request.
The HomeGroup Networking is pretty slick, even though I don't really use it that often. I have my desktop(7) and a laptop(7) and both were able to share media once part of the HomeGroup. Not much different than creating shares the old way, but it does add a anoher level of ui. It also found my Wife's laptop(xp) and was able to share a file, but I had to monkey with permissions. A nice feature worth noting. If I decide to build a HTPC I'd definately start using it.
Chizow:
Taskbar previews are quite different than they were in Vista, just as you pointed out. Being able to see live previews, switch windows, and even close windows just from the taskbar preview is quite a bit of new functionality.
The Live Preview function is identical, the functionality differences come from the revised Task Bar which is already covered as a separate feature of Win7.
DX11, while available as an update to Vista, ships with 7. Big difference in design considerations.
No, not really. Both need to download and update the latest DX runtime libraries for DX11 functionality, which went live and were available at the same time for both Win7 and Vista with the Aug 2009 SDK:
Systray in 7 only shows the default white icons that ship with 7 to begin with. It hides all distracting color icons behind the expander. This is quite different from the previous systray behavior that just showed everything and expanded/contracted at the user's request.
Heh if you find the notification area color icons distracting, you must really hate Win7 as its entire task bar is a hybrid quick launch/notification area now with even bigger icons. :bigggrin:
Again, even in Vista, the expander automatically hides icons after 4-5 and only auto-shows the same clock, network, task manager, sound icons as Win7 by default plus another 1-2 before auto-hide kicks in. You can customize these to show all or show none just as you can in Win7.
I actually prefer the mouse-over expander in Vista as Win7 actually requires you to click to show hidden icons and doesn't automatically elevate active notification icons, like active Virus Scans (Vista does show this automatically).
I agree that homegroup networking is a big win. I didn't really think much of it when I was running the RC, but now that I have 4 and soon to be more boxes running 7, it's pretty nice. I hated the "simplified" networking and sharing in Vista, but Homegroups are very well implemented.
I actually prefer the mouse-over expander in Vista as Win7 actually requires you to click to show hidden icons and doesn't automatically elevate active notification icons, like active Virus Scans (Vista does show this automatically).
To each his own I guess. This is one of the things I really like about 7. I know what's running on my system and when. I don't need to be reminded. I think this ties nicely into the fact that 7 does not allow applications to steal focus.
Thrax
🐌Austin, TX Icrontian
Comments
now i'll go read it.
Great article, Thrax. I think people are slowly starting to realize that 7 is a bit more than just 'Vista SP3'.
A note for those with dual monitors: You'll need to use the windowskey+arrowkey method if you want to snap it to a shared edge.
I have used the drag and drop transcoding with my Zune. Its a dummy proof interface, very nicely done.
I know I'm the only one here who ever used Vista, but no, gadgets weren't forced to the Sidebar. They're quite happy pulled off of it, and closing the Sidebar while leaving the gadgets open works perfectly as well:
- Live Taskbar Previews: Also included in Vista, but only single previews per app instance and you can't select active app from preview.
- DirectX 11: Also available on Vista with a Platform Update that was available last month: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971644
- Gadgets: Customization is the same, the only one thats new and seemingly exclusive to Win7 is the new Windows Media Player gadget.
- Customizable System Tray: All Systray icons can also be hidden in Vista, Win7 just auto-hides all but 3-4 generic tray icons unless changed. Vista will display all and dynamic hide all but 4-5 unless otherwise changed.
- OEM SATA drivers: Same as in Vista, although updated with Win 7.
- Snipping Tool: Also available in Vista, only difference is Vista uses a red outline by default.
The list is also missing probably the most useful and impressive exclusive feature in Win 7, HomeGroup Networking, which completely simplifies the process of networking and authenticating multiple PCs over a trusted home network. You simply enter the same HomeGroup password on any PC you want to include in the network, then select the libraries you want to share and that's it, no further need for authentication on individual machines and files or folders. If you want to share custom libraries its a simple right-click and choose once you've joined the HomeGroup.This also ties into the features of Live Sync the article on, but with Live Sync and HomeGroup networking, this also allows you to sync all your personal Live ID files across all of those PCs within the HomeGroup and of course stream any shared media between them as well. Microsoft really got it right between LiveSync, HomeGroup and Windows Live. Simplifying, organizing and enabling the entire sharing process from original media to home network PCs to cloud hosting/sharing is really where Win 7 shines, imo.
Taskbar previews are quite different than they were in Vista, just as you pointed out. Being able to see live previews, switch windows, and even close windows just from the taskbar preview is quite a bit of new functionality.
DX11, while available as an update to Vista, ships with 7. Big difference in design considerations.
Systray in 7 only shows the default white icons that ship with 7 to begin with. It hides all distracting color icons behind the expander. This is quite different from the previous systray behavior that just showed everything and expanded/contracted at the user's request.
I started laughing and choking on coffee, at work. Thanks a whole bunch Thrax.
No, not really. Both need to download and update the latest DX runtime libraries for DX11 functionality, which went live and were available at the same time for both Win7 and Vista with the Aug 2009 SDK:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=B66E14B8-8505-4B17-BF80-EDB2DF5ABAD4&displaylang=en
Heh if you find the notification area color icons distracting, you must really hate Win7 as its entire task bar is a hybrid quick launch/notification area now with even bigger icons. :bigggrin:
Again, even in Vista, the expander automatically hides icons after 4-5 and only auto-shows the same clock, network, task manager, sound icons as Win7 by default plus another 1-2 before auto-hide kicks in. You can customize these to show all or show none just as you can in Win7.
I actually prefer the mouse-over expander in Vista as Win7 actually requires you to click to show hidden icons and doesn't automatically elevate active notification icons, like active Virus Scans (Vista does show this automatically).
To each his own I guess. This is one of the things I really like about 7. I know what's running on my system and when. I don't need to be reminded. I think this ties nicely into the fact that 7 does not allow applications to steal focus.