When it comes to naming conventions for their operating systems (OS), Microsoft usually takes the less inspired approach. It’s not that Windows 3.1, 98, ME, 2000, XP, or Vista didn’t have reasons behind their names. They clearly denoted the year of their release or the experience you would likely have with the OS. So Windows 7 comes to us as the seventh Windows build, at least that’s what we call it now (that could all change closer to release) and, as we know, the number seven brings about ideas of luck and fortune. Since installing Windows 7 beta, I would have to agree that this is indeed an applicable name for their next generation OS. Windows 7 cuts the fat from the Vista release and promises to correct some of the wrongs found in the former release. But will it be as good as Windows XP?

For consumers, Windows 7 has a lot of win packed in the new release. It’s become easier and more secure to share files across a network, as well as maintain a healthy system. The enterprise users don’t seem to receive as much appreciation with this OS release as I would have guessed, since a major complaint of Vista was its lack of Enterprise support. There are three distinct improvements for business enterprise users, including Power Shell 2.0 being included on every version, Local Security Policy settings, and a feature called Direct Access that will appear once Windows Server 2008 hits the market. The release of Windows 2008 Server should help to close the gap for business users.

The new operating system does remove some of the flubs of Vista, like the UAC and the removal of the sidebar. In place of the sidebar users can simply add gadgets to the desktop. The UAC has been improved to include four distinct settings, so users can set it to only bother then when they feel they need to be bothered. Windows 7 will be missing two key programs from Vista, including Windows Movie Maker and Photo Gallery. The Movie Maker application had plenty of use for video creation for YouTube and other such sites, but Photo Gallery didn’t offer much that Windows 7 or a similar free web applications can now provide.

Vista started off on rocky terrain. Many of the accessories commonly used on a desktop just wouldn’t work. It was months before many manufacturers came out with compatible drivers for video cards, printers, scanners, cameras, webcams, and the like. It’s these types of problems that forced business owners to retain XP.

Vista changed the overall architecture layer of the operating system, which is why many drivers wouldn’t work with the new OS. Through testing of the Windows 7 beta, none of our accessories have had trouble installing. In fact, we had little problem setting up the OS with an HP printer, Zune (obviously), webcam, monitor, and digital camera. Putting together our basic workstation took less time than it would have on a comparable XP or Vista machine. We did not test our installation on an Enterprise network though. Business users should be wary of compatibility issues with deployed software.


Coming from a Vista Service Pack 1 machine to the Windows 7 Build 7000 wasn’t too much of a shock. Many of the graphical conventions of Vista, like Aero, are still in place with Windows 7. The trimmed down taskbar, addition of file libraries, toned down UAC, and touch screen support make this new OS really shine. While I couldn’t test the touch screen performance, I can report that many users have found these tools to be fun, but not quite practical. Touch screen monitors are rather pricey too. It’s possible the prices will fall as the technology becomes more prevalent.

Source: (Jason Frye,2009) http://www.tkarena.com/Articles/tabid/59/ctl/ArticleView/mid/382/articleId/135/An-Introduction-to-Windows-7.aspx