Windows 7 in details
link: original article - section: windows
Given that I knew most of you would be virtually blasted out of your chairs by a “shock and awe” of Windows 7 reviews once the news embargo on the OS was lifted (combined with the fact that I only got my hands on a copy of Build 6801 a couple of days later), I decided to take my time to get to knows the OS before I shared with you my thoughts and feelings about Microsoft’s latest OS.
Installation
Installing Windows 7 is quick … very quick! I managed to get Windows 7 installed and ready to go in under 15 minutes on one system - a time that makes Vista seem like a lumbering dinosaur.
Beyond the speed boost, the setup process for Windows 7 Build 1601 is pretty much the same as for Vista in that you interact with it at the beginning and the end of the process, but for the most part it gets on with the install by itself.
OS Speed
Once I’d recovered from shock of the speed of the install (I’d set aside 45 minutes, and was done in 15!), I was next struck by how fast Windows 7 is. There’s none of the sluggishness and lag that I remember with early builds of Vista and XP. Everything is snappy and responsive … Start Menu, Control Panel applets, applications … everything. About the only thing I’ve come across so far that was slow was the Magnifier tool … this tool about 20 seconds to load. Side by side, Windows 7 is far snappier and more responsive than Windows Vista. That alone is promising for the future.
Also, bootup and shut down times are faster. Basic tests show that bootup is some 10% faster and shut down some 15%. Impressive.
UI
If there’s one word to describe the Windows 7 UI it’s this - Unfinished! In fact, using Windows 7 puts you in a wierd wonderland of Vista mixed in changes for Windows 7.
