OMG ! Lots of rumors were there…What is next ? after Windows Vista? and answer n “Windows 7″
Windows 7 is the next iteration of Windows operating system that Microsoft will release. It will be the successor of Windows Vista and was previously codenamed Windows Vienna. Well, Vienna is the history now. Microsoft named it as “Windows 7″ officially.
How Microsoft to the numver “7″?
Windows Vista Blog says:
The very first release of Windows was Windows 1.0, the second was Windows 2.0, the third Windows 3.0.
Here’s where things get a little more complicated. Following Windows 3.0 was Windows NT which was code versioned as Windows 3.1. Then came Windows 95, which was code versioned as Windows 4.0. Then, Windows 98, 98 SE and Windows Millennium each shipped as 4.0.1998, 4.10.2222, and 4.90.3000, respectively. So we’re counting all 9x versions as being 4.0.
Windows 2000 code was 5.0 and then we shipped Windows XP as 5.1, even though it was a major release we didn’t’ want to change code version numbers to maximize application compatibility.
That brings us to Windows Vista, which is 6.0. So we see Windows 7 as our next logical significant release and 7th in the family of Windows releases.
We learned a lot about using 5.1 for XP and how that helped developers with version checking for API compatibility. We also had the lesson reinforced when we applied the version number in the Windows Vista code as Windows 6.0– that changing basic version numbers can cause application compatibility issues.
So we decided to ship the Windows 7 code as Windows 6.1 - which is what you will see in the actual version of the product in cmd.exe or computer properties.
October 28th 2008, Microsoft unveiled Windows 7 at PDC’08. The date October 28th has its own improtance, it was birthday of Mr Bill Gates and he has turned 53. Microsoft shared pre-beta release of Windows 7 with PDC attendees. For me, one of the most exciting thing was that I was so lucky and got Windows 7 M3 Build 6801 with Microsoft show cased it to the world for the first time.
Here are few features that I have found so far and differ Windows 7 from Windows Vista. I might have missed something. Let me know if you found something new.
Getting Started: replaced Vista’s Welcome center n no longer appears the first time you boot into the Windows.
Windows 7 - Getting Started
Windows Solution Center: Its replacement of Windows Security Center with more security features, includes maintenace, trobleshooting and system restore. You’ll be get alert with message to take action.
Windows 7 - Windows Solution Center aka Action Center
Aero UI: In Windows 7, aero ui has been revamped with maximize transparent window, aero shake n lots of more (in PDC build). Now aero ui has become more responsive.
Start menu & taskbar: revamped with glassy start menu, orb logo, superbar (in PDC build) with shiny glow n rounded taskbar. Classic start menu has been removed from Windows 7.
Windows 7 - Start menu
Windows 7 - Taskbar
Libraries: User profile which includes documents, pictures, music, dowloads etc recalled with new identity “Libraries”
Windows 7 - Libraries
Windows Explorer: refined with iconless toolbars, more info in detail pane, preview pane, adjustable search box n new navigation pane holding Favorites, Liberaries, Computer and Network places.
Ribbon UI: Microsoft including Ribbon UI of Office 2007 as part of Windows 7. Paint & Wordpad have revamped with RIbbon UI including few more editing n customizing options.
Windows 7 - Paint with Ribbon UI
Caclulator: First impression of any Windows 7 app is lesser than its calculator with new UI n four functional modes, ie. Standard, Scientific, Programmer n Statistics.
Windows 7 - Calculator
DirectX: As in Windows Vista included DirectX 10 for enrich gaming experience, Windows 7 instroducing DirectX 11.
Windows Sidebar: Windows 7 hides sidebar n gadgets are integrated with desktop. This time Windows sidebar become more intelligent. It runs only if one or more gadgets are docked to desktop.
Personalize: The most common place, where every user perform Windows customization with wallpapers, visual styles, mouse pointers etc. Display settings has been separated from personalization.
Windows 7 - Personalize
Display Settings: As I see Display settings has been separated from personalization and placed into desktop context menu.
Windows 7 - Display Settings
Internet Explorer: Windows 7 inlcudes the latest version of IE, ie. Internet Explorer 8 (What’s new IE8)
Windows Media Player: Its my favorite app that is shipped with Windows and I get something different in every Windows release n this time WMP12 with lots of improvement over WMP11. Basically WMP has two views ie. Now Playing view and Liberary view. Full screen locking has been removed.
Windows 7 - Windows Media Player
XPS Viewer: Wise move by Microsoft, usually I work with XPS files and sometimes IE creates a lots of problem while working with multiple XPS files. Thanks to Microsoft ! for de-attached XPS viewing feature from IE and set it as Windows app ie. XPS Viewer.
Windows 7 - XPS Viewer
Windows PowerShell: A powering feature of Windows 7. Windows 7 ships with the Windows PowerShell 2.0 scripting environment and the Windows PowerShell Integrated Scripting Environment (ISE).
Windows 7 - Windows PowerShell
Create Recovery Disc: Its subset of System Restore, faciliates to create recovery disc of backup.
User Account Control: My favorite security feature since Windows Vista. Rumors are everywhere, Some says, “UAC is not a convienient security solution”. But I assure you, you can surf internet without antivirus, plug virus-infected removable drives n etc. You system won’t be affected. Windows 7 has revamped UAC, now no more restart to take effect UAC settings with supressing UAC prompts.
Windows 7 - User Account Control
Reviews, Windows 7
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