Windows 7 - the user experience

In this second article about Windows 7 we walk through some of the neat new user experience focused features of Microsoft's flagship product for the future.

Commercial Manager Seb Matthews reviews Windows 7 from a user's perspective.

Last month I commented on my overall first impressions of Windows 7 (yes, it is still just called "7"!) from a technical viewpoint. This month, I thought it would be useful to run through some of the user focused features that are new to 7 (I really am not sure that "7" works on its own, email me suggestions of what we should call it, a prize for the most amusing!).

Now that I have got over the euphoria of how easy Windows 7 was to install, and how compatible it was with almost every piece of hardware and software I own being thrown at it, I have begun to look in earnest at the user interface (UI) elements that will be making up most of the noise I am certain Microsoft will be making later this year at time of release.

First up, it is important to see Windows 7 for what it is - it is Windows Vista, done right. Personally, I like Vista (see - "Vista" works on its own!), from a conceptual perspective it was the move on it needed to be. Unfortunately, the issues were all in the execution and the desire of Microsoft to meet its release schedule overtook the necessity for really, really good testing.

Microsoft are really not going to make that mistake again, a yearlong Beta program is to be applauded, but more importantly the steps forward from Vista to 7 are really to the benefit of the end user.

I really like some of the new features, they have really been designed (I think for the first time ever from Microsoft, you can almost smell the hint of Apple in the air...) with the user in mind, and significant attention to user behaviour patterns has plainly been given. Bravo.

My highlights include:

New Taskbar (it's just all new!) finally the annoying quick launch is gone. The whole taskbar is a flexible launch mechanism that supports launch, open and park functions with a single icon per application, regardless of how many instances you are running - very neat. The annoying "show desktop icon" - it's no more, there is now a desktop preview/select region on the far right of the taskbar, hover to look, click to access - slick.

Jump Lists take the application preview functionality of Vista to the next level, with only one icon instance per application on the taskbar, jump lists let you preview all of the instances from a single icon; total de-clutter on the taskbar and ability to re-launch applications, pin applications and access functionality within the application right of the taskbar. Think "accessing Internet favourites straight of the taskbar in a single hover/click combination" a huge time saver.

Auto-tiling (move a window to the left or the right and it automatically takes up 1/2 the desktop) is a great user feature. I cannot even contemplate how much time I have wasted over the years juggling 2 windows to fit only my desktop so I can compare content on websites or in documents.

Shake-Minimise (grab the menu bar of an active window and "shake it") closes all the windows you do not need on your desktop so that you can concentrate on a single task. No more click, click, click to minimise the multitude of windows we all have open at the same time.

Auto-maximise is possibly my personal favourite, drag a window to the top of the desktop and it maximises, drag the window away and it restores, the sheer reduction of clicks means the lifespan of a mouse has just quadrupled!

In my previous article I used the word impressive. Windows 7 continues to impress me, so much so that I have upgraded my personal laptop (a top spec HP by the way, highly recommended!) to Windows 7 for everyday use, not a single issue has been encountered apart from a weird behaviour problem with Ebay, but Microsoft have already recognised this as an issue and are soon to release a fix.

With customer focus like that being demonstrated as part of a beta program, it is fair to say that Windows 7 could indeed be the rebirth of Microsoft.

If you would like to know more about new Microsoft products or technologies, or how Ballard Chalmers can help you, please contact Andrew Chalmers on andrew.chalmers@ballardchalmers.com or call 01342 410223.

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