Upgrading to Windows 7

Microsoft is now ready to release its new operating system Windows 7, but is it worth making the change to this new operating system? In close observation of the new features and improvements it is quite clear that Windows 7 is in fact a change worth making.

Microsoft does not plan to make major changes in Windows 7 RC1 (Release Candidate). Instead, the operating system has been fine-tuned to improve user productivity and efficiency.

Windows 7 will include a major feature known as Windows XP Mode, meaning it will run XP applications in an XP compatibility box as though it is running directly through Windows 7. If this feature is included in Windows 7 (Which was not included in Windows 7 RC1), then Windows users can have the best of both worlds. So, XP users can purchase Windows 7, take advantage of the new features, and still run XP as if it were apart of Windows 7.

Compared to the previous Windows versions Windows 7 RC1 is faster and more efficient. In addition, it has several subtle user-interface changes. For example, the task bar has a new feature called "task bar thumbnail overflow". Various files opened in an application can be viewed by moving the mouse over the icon on the task bar. This feature provides the user with a sneak peek at the highlighted window once any highlighted. Like the thumbnail view, the window can be closed by clicking a small "X" .

Users who prefer to use the keyboard over the mouse will be impressed with the new keyboard shortcut for the task bar. The new keyboard short cut feature makes it easier for users to jump to a different window in an application without using the mouse. There are even more useful features included in the Windows 7 RC1 task bar.

Additional user-interface changes include a new and improved Windows Explorer and file search utility. As users search for a file, a small amount of information from the file is displayed, many find this quite helpful when determining which file is the correct file when looking through their search results.

Windows 7 RC1 also has a few changes to the desktop. The desktop is now more attractive and useful. Backgrounds included with the operating system are stylish and in some ways entertaining. Also, there is the option of hiding the desktop icons and gadgets. The operating system also includes networking improvements not found in previous Windows operating systems. The most common is called "HomeGroups", which adds structure to the sharing of devices, media files, and various other files within a home network.

Overall, a close examination of Windows 7 RC1 proves that it is much faster, efficient, and a user friendly operating system. In comparison to previous Windows versions it is worth the investment of upgrading your computer to the Windows 7 operating system when it is released.