http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/ Engadget Comments for Windows 7 Release Candidate 1 impressions, insights, and expectations http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/



What exactly are you selling?]]>Apr 30th 2009 9:31AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/Apr 30th 2009 9:46AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/Apr 30th 2009 9:51AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/Apr 30th 2009 9:05AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/Apr 30th 2009 11:49AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/Apr 30th 2009 12:01PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/
Can't come up with one negative feature/benefit
After one year of continued use, KUDOS]]>Apr 30th 2009 12:52PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/
Features and benefits are usually positive things. No wonder you can't find anything negative!]]>Apr 30th 2009 4:05PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/
How did it burn bridges?

They say, "don't believe the hype." The same can (and has) been said about the negative hype surrounding vista. I just don't get it.]]>Apr 30th 2009 4:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/
never got blue screens or lockups in vista either ... but i guess thats because i actually know how to use a computer]]>Apr 30th 2009 4:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/Apr 30th 2009 8:23PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/Its working fine except for some conflicts with Vaio's softwares especially power management drivers. If I install the drivers, it shows battery incompatible if not then it shows 'Install power management drivers' in Action Center.

Overall, I'm loving it. Dual-booted it with Vista, which is great too.
It's damn fast than Vista and the interface is gorgeous. Still learning and getting used to the new features it has over Vista. Will do more when I get back from work. :)]]>May 6th 2009 10:18AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/May 7th 2009 5:08PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/Apr 30th 2009 9:09AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/Apr 30th 2009 10:02AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/Apr 30th 2009 10:10AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/Apr 30th 2009 10:24AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/
http://community.winsupersite.com/blogs/paul/archive/2009/04/29/microsoft-finally-discusses-xp-mode-in-detail.aspx

If you read this you'll see that XPM is designed for small business and MED-V is designed for enterprise.]]>Apr 30th 2009 10:45AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/Apr 30th 2009 11:03AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/
Having said that, I think XP virtualization should be available to everybody (maybe not bundled for home users, but an easy download the first time they want to use it), simply because homogenity is a great thing for support people. And it's not like Microsoft would loose money -- people would have to buy Win7 to have access to it anyhow.]]>May 4th 2009 7:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/Apr 30th 2009 9:09AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/Apr 30th 2009 11:55AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/Apr 30th 2009 12:35PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/
Have to change cversion.inf in /sources/ to 7000 as minClient to get the upgrade working. Spend hours in figuring this out!! I don't understand why did M$ have to do such a stupid thing??

]]>Apr 30th 2009 4:41PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/
Most people would tell you: Even if you COULD upgrade from one to the other, it's wiser to do a clean install]]>Apr 30th 2009 6:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/Apr 30th 2009 6:24PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/Apr 30th 2009 7:24PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/Apr 30th 2009 11:30PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/Apr 30th 2009 9:10AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/
Every major OS release has looked completely different to the previous one - Win98, XP and Vista all look very different. Why has the Microsoft GUI team just done such a minor job with the W7 GUI? For an OS that is gaining so much praise before it has even launched, I would expect the GUI team to work as hard as the team behind the underlining code. It currently looks like a souped up Vista.

Yeah sure, there is nothing wrong with the Vista GUI - it looks pretty slick, but for a new OS - and considering Vista got such a bad rep (arguments aside), I would have thought Microsoft would have made a bigger effort to make this OS look even better than Vista and certainly made it look different. They have always made the latest OS GUI look much better than the previous OS. I guess I am just disappointed.]]>Apr 30th 2009 9:57AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/
The GUI is almost nothing like vista in the way you use it, its a lot better, and its hard to tell how much better just by looking at screenshots.]]>Apr 30th 2009 10:04AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/Windows 98 and Windows Me looked the same, but were VERY different.]]>Apr 30th 2009 10:05AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/
Also, I'd argue that no, not every release looks drastically different. Windows 95/NT/98/98se/ME/2000 were all using what we STILL call the "Windows Classic" GUI. A new "My Computer" icon and a lighter blue default background aren't exactly drastic changes. ]]>Apr 30th 2009 10:27AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/Apr 30th 2009 10:33AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/
Moving away from Vista in a way that's meaningful doesn't necessarily mean it should get a graphic overhaul, but it DOES mean that the OS improves in function and user experience. Microsoft has accomplished this with Windows 7.

Besides, if the graphics bother you so much, just download one of the thousands of 3rd party themes.]]>Apr 30th 2009 10:35AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/
http://windowsteamblog.com/cfs-filesystemfile.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.PostAttachments/00.00.50.26.86/userprofile1.jpg

It still has that Vista GUI-ness. Look at the minimise, close buttons in the top right. Those look nothing like what they do on XP but look EXACTLY like they do in Vista. I don't also need to mention the desktop icons and folder icons etc - all still pretty much the same as Vista. This is the only point I am trying to make. Again, I am not saying anything bad about it as Vista is a very slick looking OS. All I am saying is that the way they moved from XP to Vista in terms of GUI - I would expect they did the same moving to 7. Yeah sure - you dont change what works, but going from XP to Vista was a big change. Lots of things were moved around and re-organised and as a result, nobody died. So it is totally possible for them to do the same moving to 7.

Don't get me wrong - I am no Windows hater. I am not typing this from my Mac. I love Windows and I am a staunch user. I'm happy with my current XP Pro SP3 and I am looking forward to 7 when it is released to put on a new system I will build in the new year. I just expected that they would overhaul the look of the GUI a bit more than they did - that's all. Even if it remains the way it looks now, I'm fine with it. No hate implied, so relax boys.]]>Apr 30th 2009 11:10AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/'98 and from '98->2000 and you saw little to no UI changes there. There's no better tech for them to go to for the UI, no way to make it really better, so I ask again: why change it just to change it? Especially since it'd take a lot more time. Besides, most of the people who "hate" vista have never seen it and won't know that there is a similarity.(There's no hate here either, just trying to explain the probable reasoning behind the lack of a graphic overhaul)]]>Apr 30th 2009 11:36AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/98 to XP - Tried to remove the squareness from 98 add more color, make taskbar bigger
XP to Vista - Continued with the whole make everything rounder and more colorful, combine menus and features, splice in some transparency, make taskbar bigger
Vista to 7 - More transparency and flashyness, combine more features and menus into one, make taskbar bigger
]]>Apr 30th 2009 12:33PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/"Every major OS release has looked completely different to the previous one - Win98, XP and Vista all look very different."

yes, because windows 95, 98, NT4, ME, and 2000 all looked completely different, its hard to tell they are all from the same manufacturer.

/sarcasm

Granted some of those releases would rather be forgotten in the annals of history, but your point is moot none the less.]]>Apr 30th 2009 2:07PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/Apr 30th 2009 2:19PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/
ME looked very different than 98/98SE. Win98 looked like 95 but better; for me, ME just had a blue screen, and I couldn't do anything.]]>Apr 30th 2009 2:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/You have to remember that after the launch of Windows XP, Microsoft began working on Windows Blackcomb (7), slated sometime around 2007/2008. Then, they decided to quickly push a new operating system, Longhorn, in 2003, which eventually got pushed back to 2006. This also pushed Windows 7/Vienna/Blackcomb to where it is now. So, like in Windows ME's case, it (Vista) was just a ploy to introduce "something new" before their next big OS. Since it was Windows 7 that was initially meant to be XP's successor, Microsoft probably just released early stages of Windows 7 as Vista. That's why the UIs are similar. Besides, there are lot of very subtle, but appealing changes in 7's UI.]]>Apr 30th 2009 4:15PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/
Even us Mac fanboys stick together no matter what.

Never thought I would see windows fanboys show that they are worse than us.

OSX4EVA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!]]>Apr 30th 2009 6:00PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/
So you're not running Vista or Win7? How would you know the difference dumbass? ]]>Apr 30th 2009 11:33PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/
Press Start. Just type in the name of the program or document you want.

Improved favorite places links on the left.

Bread crumbs.

Just a few off the top of my head.]]>Apr 30th 2009 11:34PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/
It shares the same UI L&F as Vista and while it might be cleaner and a bit snappier it's still hobbled by poor navigation between folders and far too many dialog boxes, text and windows. Worse than that it's still dragging along the clunkier aspects of XP.

The first and second levels of UI share the updated Vista look but go deeper than that and you are still seeing the exact same tab and text filled windows from XP. Where there is far too much text crammed into too tiny space and clicking on edit and property buttons open further dialog boxes with more edit and property buttons.

If you have to scroll sideways to read information because it won't fit in the panel, it's bad design. If another window opens even when you can't access the previous window anyway, it's bad design. If you are not permitted to interact with the previous window then don't show it. Just change the contents of the window you are already in.

When I was beta testing Vista I noted the exact same thing and in Windows 7 the old design is still there, just below the surface. They should have called Windows 7, Vista 1.5 because until they overhaul every application and the presentation of all the windows it's still just putting new paint on a Windows XP foundation.

If you have Vista there's no reason to upgrade here. Even Vista 64 is stable now and the number of new features found in Windows 7 barely reach double digits.]]>May 8th 2009 12:25PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/
Because vista looks awesome, and they shouldn't change it visually. Changing for no reason other than the sake of "being different" is something APPLE does. Microsoft recognized they had something good and they kept it.]]>May 23rd 2009 1:36PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/Apr 30th 2009 12:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/I assume this is a driver issue as it seems connected to the new home groups, hope it get sorted before RTM, The first beta when i hit "troubleshoot" would fix it but troubleshooter doesn't find anything wrong anymore.

Very impressive Microsoft seems my I.T business might actually get some work this time around from people wanting to upgrade to 7, as no-one wanted an upgrade to Vista.]]>Apr 30th 2009 9:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/windows-7-release-candidate-1-impressions-insights-and-expecta/Apr 30th 2009 10:40AM