Our hands-on Windows 7 pre-beta review shows that things are looking promising for Windows 7.
Windows 7 will run faster than Vista, and it's breaking new ground with support for multi-touch displays, but we can think of seven more simple things that Windows 7 needs to address.
One way to make Windows 7 a hit is to take a look at what Apple has got right (and wrong) with OS X, to see what Microsoft can learn from its experience.
So, here are seven things we'd like to see in Windows 7.
1. Easier product versions
Keep it simple, please Microsoft. Having too many different versions of your product is too confusing for the buying public to understand. Should they go for the Home, the Professional or the Ultimate version?
Vista shipped in six different editions, while OS X 10.5 Leopard came in just one (if you forget the server edition). If Microsoft can at least halve the number of editions in Windows 7 then it will be a huge step in the right direction.
2. New visual hooks
So far Windows 7 looks pretty much like another version of Windows Vista. That's not such a bad thing: each successive version of OS X had a similar look, but subtle things were changed in each version to give it its own unique visual identity. Apple knows the value of a nifty graphic effect. For example, OS X's widgets drop onto Dashboard with a fantastic ripple effect and Time Machine sends you down a 3D time tunnel.
These visual fancies might not be of any real use, but they wow people enough to draw them in, where they get hooked on the other great features of OS X. Microsoft needs to develop a few interesting new visual hooks of its own if Windows 7 is going to land with a bang.
3. Less alerts
Probably the best feature of OS X is that half the time you don't even know its there. OS X has a minimal (if slightly tired looking) interface - there's no imposing Start menu button or task bar, for instance. Instead, there's a simple Dock that's totally customisable and can be hidden if you find it distracting.
OS X doesn't keep bugging you with warning messages, either - Vista's constant warnings and alerts can feel like somebody constantly jabbing you with their finger. The first indications are that Windows 7 is a step in the right direction in this respect, giving you the ability to choose which prompts you'd like to see. Let's hope development continues in this vein, and that we never hear from the likes of that infernal Office paperclip assistant ever again.
4. Invisible security and backup
The key with security in an OS is to make sure it doesn't get in the way of using your computer. Admittedly, this is a harder challenge for Microsoft than for Apple, but there are still some good lessons to learn from Apple's approach to security.
Microsoft: people don't find it helpful when you block a website because its 'security certificate' isn't valid, especially since this seems to apply to most of the non-Microsoft websites on the Internet. It's just annoying and breeds a culture of fear.
Included in security is backup, again an area where Apple is ahead when it shouldn't be. Why is it that Apple can come up with an easy to use backup system like Time Machine while Microsoft can't? Windows 7 needs a proper built-in backup solution.
5. Clear naming
Microsoft needs to stop coming up with dreadful marketing-speak for different parts of its operating system. A good example is "Windows Genuine Advantage" - what on earth is that?
Your comments (7) Click to add a new comment
stewsofdoom
November 18th 2008
7. Fewer alerts.
Alert a moderator
pksings
November 18th 2008
6. First, Windows 7 is NOT faster than Vista, it's the same, testing has proven that the application performance in Vista is identical to that of Windows 7. The GUI however appears faster.
Second. I personally am a linux user, Compiz is great, wobbly windows, window vanishing in a puff of flame, rotating cube, transparency, all very cool. Productive? Nope, not in the least. More distraction than productivity enhancements. Do I use it? Yup, love the way it looks and works. I Even bought a better video card to make it work properly, although I waited a few years to do so. My point is, a pretty GUI in the O/S will be very attractive. Many will love it, many will not. I personally am open to change, and as a result love Compiz, my wife however is not. She is used to Windows. The standard, generic Windows interface. Any change to that will get me in major trouble. No Vista for her. Yes, I can turn off all that stuff, but if I do what did I gain by going to Vista or Windows 7? A slower O/S, (than XP or 2000). No thank you....
Are the newer Windows safer? I'm not convinced either way yet. Until then, it stays like it is. And I'm sure many, many more feel the same way. That installation of Windows is on it's 3rd motherboard and harddrive combo, and will get another next year. Honestly, it might never get upgraded to a newer version of Windows as long as it keeps working. I still run Quicken 99 on a Windows 98 VM to track finances. It's the smallest window footprint that successfully runs the software and prints checks. It doesn't have or need network access and I just power it off when I'm done. I own it, it works, nope, no more money will be spent on this for upgrades. Same with my wife's machine, works fine, we own it. Sorry, no more money from me. As for everyone else who purchases/rents a new version of Windows with every computer they buy. Sorry. You probably threw away the version you owned a while back, and now you're stuck with the upgrade cycle that keeps Microsoft's revenue stream up. I spend that money on better hardware which I gladly install and maintain myself.
Windows 7? So what......
Alert a moderator
clustertim
November 18th 2008
5. Wow, I would LOVE to see OS X things mixed into Windows 7. Sadly, Windows 7 will be a rehashed version of Vista.
jess
http://www.privacy.cz.tc
Alert a moderator
saatana
November 18th 2008
4. First thing i do is to turn off all the annoying shaking icons and wobbly menus etc if there is any in os that i use. Im not retarded and i do know how to use my system without ques.
I think that its true that there should be less of alerts. Happily thats only couple minutes of tweaking to get rid of them. Its actually same with everything. If you know even little how to use your pc, you can tweak it just like you want it very easily. I agree that search should be better.
Alert a moderator
sbditto85
November 18th 2008
3. @a_pickle
I have used vista, mac, linux, and pretty much any main os out there. When it comes to windows I would use a 2008 server or windows xp before I would use vista. The 2008 server runs off the same core as vista but with out all the "junk" as I will call it, things that aren't really needed and just steal my memory that I would like to use for something like oh gaming or graphics editing. there are some questions I have for you to explain.... like
"the Dock is a less functional, prettier taskbar ripoff" I dont see the dock as less functional, in fact I find it better, I use one in all my linux distros I run as well. So how is it "less functional"?
also I believe the "second point" was that there really isn't any little ooo's and aaaah's as you use vista compared to macs small but noticeable affects. not if there was design changes like the task bar. Thats my take on it though.
with reguards to backups, most my "non-tech" friends, don't even know that there are shadow copies on there computer taking up space and they're always amazed when I clean up 8GB of free space on there computer, my PERSONAL preference leave the backups on an external that's the way it should be.
on your 5th point you said 2 out of 5 isn't bad...were you referring to the ones you agreed or partially agreed to? because that would be 3 out of 5 (point 1, 3, 5) by my count.
as for windows registration, I worked for Dell and would have to say that there were more then a few problems with registration and product keys. Even on my own computer when I swap parts I have to go through it all over again, so for a tech/computer tweaker it can be annoying, but you are right ideally most windows users would do it once and be done(hopefully)
I do agree that the start search bar is pretty amazing, but I was disappointed that my other partitions didn't get indexed(even after manually setting it up) maybe it has problems indexing fat32 file systems, i don't know didn't really look into it. Personally I love the Linux beagle search :)
Personally I enjoyed the article and look forward to testing out Windows 7, even if it was written from a Mac point of view.
Alert a moderator
a_pickle
November 18th 2008
2. I have to ask:
Have you even actually USED Windows Vista? I'm not gonna say it's perfect, or a great operating system. I like it, but it's not a revolutionary departure from the way Windows has always worked and it's not going to inspire people to change their lives...
...but really, most of your points are really ill-found.
The first one is pointed and accurate, I'll give you that. Microsoft really ought to adopt the "one version for all" mentality, but I doubt this will happen for Windows 7, much as I'd like it to (and realistically, most people end up with Home Premium anyways, which is by and large pretty adequate).
Your second point, concerning a new visual look? Well, I'd first point at the... uh... brand new taskbar (it looks a LOT different) and the fact that it's not even at beta 2 yet. Give it some time -- I wouldn't be surprised if we get a new Aero look (plus, Windows 7 will support system theming). I'll give you that OS X has a much more complete set of animations for all sorts of system events (Dashboard widgets, etc), but Microsoft isn't terrible in this regard. They're a bit behind, but Windows 7 will be shipping with the Windows equivalent of Core Animation for developers, they've improved 2D performance and visuals via Direct2D, and they've greatly enhanced font smoothing, rendering and animation. The new Windows 7 taskbar will be more like the Dock in OS X... but uh... the Dock is a less functional, prettier taskbar ripoff. Let's not forget that in the name of making Apple out to be the good guy, mmk?
Your third point has been taken and noted - Windows 7 will have clearer and user-customizeable UAC alerts.
Your fourth point: Microsoft does have invisible backup, and there's never really going to be such thing as "invisible security" as long as Symantec and McAfee are making money off of it's visibility... but invisible backup is something that does exist in Windows Vista. I was reading a Mac zealot's blog awhile back that was typically praising of Leopard while equally critical of Vista -- and he emphasized that the "Previous Versions" feature in Vista was NOT "Time Machine." He's right -- instead of a slick animation, Previous Versions does what Time Machine does without an external hard drive.
Your fifth point, "Clear naming" is an accurate criticism to make. Two out of five isn't bad...?
Your sixth point deals with Windows registration, a process most Windows users don't ever deal with. Those of us that do deal with it, do so on a fairly infrequent basis and, apart from one weekend involving a known WGA authentication server error, my computers running Windows XP and Windows Vista have done so without questioning their legitimacy. Say I'm "not facing the facts" or whatever, but I have NEVER seen WGA go wrong -- which indicates to me that the rate of false positives is actually pretty low (and let's consider that Mac OS X is sold on Macs -- not almost every PC sold).
Finally, you bring up "proper search." Have you ever USED Windows Vista? You hit the windows key, and you have search. I use it all the time. It was nice to have boolean operators (such as AND, OR, XOR, etc.) right from the start, without needing an entirely new OS (Tiger did not have boolean operators, Leopard added that feature).
Oh. Now I see: "An Apple user's take on what Windows 7 needs to succeed." It all makes sense now.
Alert a moderator
Tell us what you think
You need to Log in or register to post comments