Windows 7

So the countdown is officially on. For what pray tell? Windows 7 of course! What does that really mean to the world... I've heard things like- "didn't Vista just come out and flop? Wasn't it too bloated, required new hardware and no one is using it?" Well... not exactly, in my opinion anyway. Being the techno-g33k I am, I have been running Vista since Beta. There were lots of new features and new ways of doing things introduced in Vista. Some users liked it, a lot didn't. I will be the first to admit there were indeed hardware issues, but isn't that the tech world we have come to know and love now? It's a constant cycle of upgrading hardware, upgrading software. If it weren't we would all be happy little minions running Commodore 64 machines. While those were sweet, I much prefer the modern state of personal computers that exist.

So enough digressing, back to the original post, Windows 7. I am indeed excited because there are some new cool features and toys included. A new and improved taskbar (it's been a while right?), jump lists, working with windows, etc. The list goes on, and as we get closer to release the list will grow. To me the most important updates that have been happening is making the software/hardware intuitive to the way we work. I find most users are apprehensive about IT change, as they are about any kind of change. But even with Vista, I saw many 'non-tech' users pick up and use it on a daily basis with no aversion or hindrence to their needs. That being said, users with aversion to change, really would do good to realize the focus on intuitive updates. Once we realize how we work and why we do what we do: programmers are then able to simplify, make things easier, and more adaptive- thus making us more productive & happier end users.

Windows 7 RC goes out to TechNet and MSDN users on April 30th. Meaning shortly thereafter, my laptop will be running the Release Candidate code full time. I do indeed look forward to it! Just as soon as I get it back from Dell repair, which is another post, another day...

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7