Microsoft tweaks Windows 7 after user feedback
In response to user feedback, Microsoft has made numerous changes to the Windows 7 user interface as it readies the operating system–viewed by many as a make or break product for the software maker-for formal launch later this year or early next year. Included in the changes, which number three dozen, is a new keyboard shortcut that allows the user to launch an application simply by pressing the Windows logo key in combination with a number that corresponds to the apps’ order in the Quick Launch menu. For example, if an application is listed fourth in Quick Launch, it could be opened by pressing the Windows key in convert with the number 4 key.
Microsoft also made changes to alerts that signal when an application needs attention. The icon for a so-called “needy” application will now flash up to seven times, as opposed to the previous three, in an effort to grab the user’s attention. Changes also include a more noticeable flashing animation in a bolder color of orange.Other changes include modifications to the taskbar pane that allow it to display a greater number of application icons, a change that makes it easier for users to pin new apps to the taskbar, and more flexible icon and gadget view options. Microsoft needs Windows 7 to be a hit. Vista, the company’s current OS, has failed to catch on with mainstream computer users while businesses have shunned it outright. Many users have complained about Vista’s hardware requirements, intrusive security measures, and lack of compatibility with older applications.
Source: Information Week
Comments(46)
lol looks like microsoft has wised up and started doing what people want.
good job MS !
go on !
WIndows 7 will suck. No matter what they tweak.
hope they change the way win explorer expands folders in the tree
I have been using Windows 7 for several weeks and find it to be a good OS so far. IMO, it is what Vista should have been.
Sounds Promising!
Go on Microsoft, go on
@3
It will be a much greater improvement to Vista, so it will stil suck, but be much better. People will still use it.
quote:
is a new keyboard shortcut that allows the user to launch an application simply by pressing the Windows logo key in combination with a number that corresponds to the apps’ order in the Quick Launch menu. For example, if an application is listed fourth in Quick Launch, it could be opened by pressing the Windows key in convert with the number 4 key
end of quote.
YOU ALL READY HAVE IT IN VISTA!
impress me and i will abandon xp pro. it better blow my mind away or else i buy it.
microsoft needs to understand that it has to WORTH it for the consumer to change OS. who gives a crap if there are minor tweaks here and there. i want my next OS to be the best OS i've ever used.
microsoft u better realize that the pressure is on now: bring me the best goddamn OS there is, make mac osx look like win 95.
@9/koko
man you are right! never noticed that.
might come handy if i get used to it.
never needed it though.
@3 and what OS are u gonna make us that is soo much better lol
vista works fine
might test this on a new HD in a few months.
I just wish they would do something for the gaming community where the OS has a small footprint and loads only what's necessary so that those that game would not need to have 80GB of RAM and so on and so forth. This OS is a step in the right direction, I will always use Windows, just not sure when to abandon XP for the newest OS.
Been running windows 7 for a week. Works great. Uses less resources and my games have higer frame rate. Although tune-up and superantispyware do not work on the 32 bit ultimate version i have.
Screw this, I'm waiting for Windows Mojave.
Agree whit number 3.
"WIndows 7 will suck. No matter what they tweak."
I'm surprised there isn't a pirated version of Windows XP, that removes all the stuff we don't like, kinda like Linex, but people actually use it!
Win7 + i7 + DX11 FTW! Leaves all other OS'es in the dust!
@10 Sorry to say friend but regardless if its better or not XP limitations will have you upgrading whether you want to or not. 3gb max ram doesnt cut it anymore Especially if you convert movies or have a massive media collection you run through a media server which is becoming more and more common. ANY WINDOWS MAKES A MAC LOOK LIKE WINDOWS 95 even windows 95
Everyone complains that the few minor tweaks arent enough but these are the same bloody people that say they wont change from XP cause its perfect.HA ! XP has more annoying nuances/limitations then vista and 7 combined.
I would like to take another 30 seconds here and explain When you should buy a M$ operating system. Every other operating system from microsoft is good. If you look back through M$ releases you will see this isnt just some crazy dude making some crap up its fact. Every other OS they release crashes and burns within 2 months (idiots keep buying it and using it too) then they get the market where they want it, so everyone NEEDS!! a new OS then they release a revised version of the crap they just released that is next to perfect. Its a very good marketing strategy and has made them hugely rich.
If you can sucker 10 million idiots into buying vista in the first year you have just made more then enough money to build a new OS off of vistas foundation. With a huge chunk of pocket change to keep for yourself too. Like I said look back its what they have done for 10+ years and they will continue doing it because people always assume that newer is better and will rush out to spend $400 on garbage.
Im really impressed with the performance and stability of windows 7, been using it since public beta came out and never needed a format, runs smoothly and all programs work well.
I will not be impressed if the number of Vista users almost reach the Zero by the end of the first year of W7 release.
They have done a good work, for a Good change, and i cant wait for the final release.
So far IMO, the only OS that beats W7 is Linux.
"For example, if an application is listed fourth in Quick Launch, it could be opened by pressing the Windows key in convert with the number 4 key."
Does the counting start with 0 or 1 ?
@18
O M F G YOU ARE SUCH A RE_TARD! JESUS GET THE FU_CK OFF THIS WEBSITE AND READ UP ON INFORMATION N00B!
@ #16 Austin Powers:
"Screw this, I'm waiting for Windows Mojave."
Why are you waiting? You could have had it two+ years ago. Mojave IS VISTA! and your mojave you are "waiting" for is about to come out with a SP2 final. So, again.. what are you waiting for?
@10 Sarte, why do people such as yourself always complain about issues but never offer solutions?
Did you say the same when XP was released and found to be completely useless until at after SP2? Insecure, no hardware compatibility, companies with legacy software were screwed, the security was a complete horror show and stability was a farce.
But today, MS has to really beef things up for you to change from what was a crap OS when released? Vista was better than XP out of the box and has seen some good improvements since then, great feature improvements over XP and more.
However I bet you didn't take on Vista even though MS had many useful improvements over XP, such as the ability to manage multicore processors.
MAC and Windows serve different target markets, don't expect one to rival the other.
Let me guess, Vista sux and XP rules? Sure, whatever you think.
@spokeman: it starts at 1
@martin & koko: the feature mentioned was indeed included in vista and win7 beta7000. what's MS is now saying is that you can use win+# to switch between apps as well, not just launch them
@14 Echos -"I will always use Windows, just not sure when to abandon XP for the newest OS."
How about when you find an OS that solves a problem that your current one does not? There's no need to upgrade anything unless it lacks somethign you need and a newer OS solves the problem.
@11,t-bone:
"@9/koko
man you are right! never noticed that. might come handy if i get used to it. never needed it though."
I think that says it all. Nobody "needed" vista.
Who I wonder will "need" Windows 7?
You gotta hand it to MS for making a brilliant OS – Windows XP. Why is it brilliant? Because nobody seems to need an upgrade from it.
@22 You're kidding, right?
If it is listed fourth you press Windows+4. So why would you need to ask if numbering begins with zero or 1 ????
If there was a zero, which shortcut would that be for, the virtual one you cant see?
That's what happens when brothers impregnate sisters I guess.
I can't believe you asked that even after typing it out!
oh and lol @ people still using xp. vista was like a million times faster on my pc compared to xp. win7 > vista > server 2003 > xp
Blindness 2008 BRRip XviD AC3-FLAWL3SS
http://www.bluraylog.info/?p=21
I've been using W7 for a while and unlike many on this forum, I'm not a MS or Linux fanboy (or hater). I just want an OS that allows me to do want I need to do: work, play games and view media.
Windows 7 is REALLY good at all the above. I havent had any problems with day to day applications as well as development environments, etc …
Also most games seem to work without any problems which is essential for me!
As for Chedder's comments about XP and 3Gb limit, this isn't true if you use the 64bit edition. Vista is the new Windows ME … Let's just hope that W7 is the new XP!
If only other huge corporations did that. GM
@ Pop006
"I'm surprised there isn't a pirated version of Windows XP, that removes all the stuff we don't like, kinda like Linex, but people actually use it!"
There is a program that does that, it's called Winlite. Been out for years….
to bad the OS choices are so limited for PC
some competition would be good for the consumer instead of having to use whatever M$ thinks we should use
@ 14 echoes
if only that would happen
@14 echoes
Been thinking the same for a while now, a gaming "mode" for Windows would be awesome. I found setting up a separate Windows logon with only the bare essential services and background programs running improved matters… a bit
@23 Don't be such a flamer. At least 18 was on topic. Your comment should not have even been posted but RLSLOG practices
their own selective form of censorship. uh-oh now they will delete my post again.
"nLite lets users customize and remove components from their Windows install disc, integrate updates, automate the installation process, and install third party programs automatically. nLite is for Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003 while vLite is for Windows Vista and works partially with Windows Server 2008 and Windows 7 as well."
Using XP till it's death and moving on to ReactOS (hopefully) at worst Linux. At this rate XP will outlast Vista by which time Windows 8 will be released or Windows will be no longer.
Stop pestering us with this trash PLEASE!!
vista x64 beats the win7..FTW!!!!i use it and is much better in gaming only if u have 3+GB ram..
A make or break product? You're kidding right? Oh I think Microsoft is already made, big time.
I've been using W7 for a month after using Vista for much longer, the only program that gave me issues was logmein.com however fixed with a bit of research. Loads much faster and I only have 2gb RAM, defiantly a step in the right direction W7 Beta is better than Vista.
as long as it's not a resource hog and a RAM eater, great…
I won't change from xp until they devise an os that has all the features that vista has, but demands at most 10% more of your computers hardware.
What I'd like is an os, where you could really customize the installation – like remove unneeded security features, etc. – and leave a higher performance, faster operating system(more than you can do by disabling services, etc.).
If beta can work great then final will be better. Check what this guy did on 6801
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmVFeNHOagQ
Sigh…as a beta tester for this I can safely say this W7 runs RINGS around any MAC OS as well as Vista and Linux and Unix. It has a barebones copy of XP so you can virtually run any program that will run on XP and since it is virtual,it will be extremely difficult even for the best Viri writers to write stuff for it as all the old viri will NOT work on a virtual machine. It has touch screen abilities so some of you can use your mouse ONLY when you need to, not everytime you boot. My boot time is less then 2 seconds from a cold start. my seek time is less then 0.000000032ms, and that is faster then you can move your finger off the mouse. If anyone tries to install something, the OS notifies you that it is trying to be done and ask if you want to allow it and unless you agree, it stops the install. If forced, it shuts down the app that is trying to have unauthorized stuff installed. It already has built in site checks and will tell you if the site you are going to is an "attack" site or not (if it has been reported to install something the second you load the page) Browser "helper" attacks and homepage "switch" attacks are a thing of the past. Extremely easy to block apps from "calling home". Three button set up for networks-blutooth set up with one click of the mouse, and my fav…256bit digital encryption on Professional and Business editions. What that means children, is NO MORE SCRIPT KIDDIES. The people that have the ability to hack this and make changes are not going to come after you and your silly little box, they are going after banks and wire transfers as you have nothing they want. Not ONE box out there in private hands (except for boxes like Super Blu at IBM) will have the computing power to break a 256bit digital encryption. Even if you had dual 4.5Ghz cpu's and 10GB of memory and all you did was try and break this code, it would still take you well over 100 years time at 24/7/365. name me ONE other OS that can make that claim.
I seem to recall a year before it was released a lot of people were swearing that Vista was the most secure, fastest, most robust, OS and generally the next best thing since sliced bread and we all found out just how much BS that turned out to be.
I wonder if these are the same people who are blowing smoke and now swearing that Windows 7 is fantastic?