Children, please. I don't hate Win7, I don't even really dislike it to any degree more than is caused by being made to use something with a lot of pointless changes that get in the way. My problem with it is that it really has so few new features. OK, there may be a huge number of changes in the background, but I really couldn't care less. Let's consider a few examples. There's a new TCP/IP stack? Is that worth my money? No, it isn't worth tuppence, because there was never any sense of being limited by the one in XP. New windows update? Again, the old one didn't stick in my mind as a particular problem. It's just one of those things you start then wander off to have a coffee. Better memory management? Um, OK... perhaps you shouldn't try to use things as a reason to buy 7 if it's actually hard for me to tell whether they're working or not. How am I supposed to know what if anything the better memory management is doing? When does it kick in? Is there a blinking "better memory management" light? A lot of the things that are mentioned as reasons to go to Win7 also come off as having been deliberately excluded from XP, simply to make people upgrade. Recent versions of directX and TRIM support spring to mind as examples of this. OK, so it's easy to say, well, they could have done most of it as service packs for XP, but... ...but... ...well, yes, they actually could have done that, couldn't they, technically speaking. The only reason we're all paying MS again for very nearly exactly the same thing, the reason we're buying almost the same windows again, is because they're desperate to get us all onto a software rental model. There's not really many features they can add to an OS now. It does what it needs to do; the model is mature, there's nothing left to fix. I think windows 7 proves that. There's nothing left to add. If they want us to rent it, they should be upfront about it, at least. P PS - and UAC is an unmitigated disaster. PPS - What, no more toolbars? The asterisking asterisks!
As a user of multiple OS's I niotice the good and bad points of all the systems I use. It can take months to get to grips with the finer points of any system but usability issues can be identified within a few hours. It is pleasing that so many people are taking up Win 7. Considering how widespred the actual target audience is wouldn't it be nice if Win 7 had different user interface options to suit the differing levels of competance. I'm not talking about skins or changing colours or boxes so it looks like XP! I have already had to deal with many minor problems friends have had with their new Win 7 systems. They are simple problems but the solutions are hidden away from sight. I would prefer if they could solve these issues for themselves but the interface does not allow (or they perceive it does not) for novice users.
I am trying the new methods you guys have explained to me here. The search function can be a little problematic. Just a little example: trying to launch AMD OverDrive which I use from time to time but not that often. I pressed the Win key on my keyboard and type amd overdrive. It can not find the program even though it is listed in the AMD folder inside OverDrive as AMD OverDrive. I even search for just overdrive but to no avail. So I have to: Press the Start key Move mouse to All Programs Click All Programs or wait for it to collapse Move mouse to AMD folder Click on AMD folder Move mouse to OverDrive folder Click on OverDrive folder Move mouse to AMD OverDrive Click AMD OverDrive to start the program. I fnd it easier in XP as I just move the mouse until I get to the program then click once. I already explained I do not wish to have loads of icons on my desktop like I have had before in earlier Windows versions. It is not a major problem just an annoyance.
Read the start of this thread for a simple network issue of wifi connection. It takes a few more steps to get the same info I could get to before in XP. Not a massive problem but to novice users a few steps too many.
A novice user will not need to do this. This is advance user features. Even I, don't complicate my life for this. I just click on the wireless icon, pick my network, enter the code ONCE and voila, it's done. I won't need to touch it EVER again.
Checking network status is a function for all laptop users, even novices, as well as all wifi PC systems. It took me over 40 minutes down the phone trying to get a friend connected on his wifi for his daughter's new laptop. It was much simpler in XP. Sad but true.
I've connected a few computers to wifi networks using Windows 7. It takes all of 30 seconds. To be honest having to click once on the network icon and then again on "Open Network and Sharing Center" doesn't really add that much time onto the process so i'm guessing that if it took your friend 40 minutes on Windows 7 it'd probably have taken just as long on XP. No it works fine but Windows needs time to actually create an index before it can do instant searches. Or have program writers write their programs properly.
It supposed to runs perfectly fine all the time. If you have a lots of files, as Indexing only occur when your system is idle (do you Fold?), I recommend to leave your computer turned ON, idle (no folding), over night when you sleep. You don't need ti guve it THAT much time for it to do it's job (time varies on what you have in the locations that being indexed).. but you'll be sure it's done once and for all when you wake up. You can take this moment to also defrag your computer with Windows defrag tool in your way. If that doesn't help, then perhaps rebuilding the index table might help. To do this, go to Control Panel > Indexing Options > Advance, and click under Troubleshooting section, the button Rebuild. If that doesn't help, then maybe a system file related to search system is broken. Have no fear. As Windows Vista/7 has many of components removable, you can uninstall and install back Search system of Windows. To do this, simply then go under Programs & Features panel, on the side column you have Turn on or off Windows features, click on it. A small panel will appear. From there uncheck the box Windows Search, click OK. Restart your computer when the process is done, and go back to the same panel, and check the box, and click OK. Now it will install it back. Restart your computer, and leave your computer over night, idle, to allow Windows to index everything again.
I can kind of understand the comments by DarrenH about the changes but I must have simply got used to it. I use both an XP and Windows 7 system daily at work, I support XP, Vista and Windows 7 machines for customers. Of the three I infinitely prefer the Windows 7 ones because it is definitely easier to get a novice, technophobic user to the area you want them to be via the search than it is to walk them through each sub menu. As far as networking goes, when it works it's great. I find troubleshooting it a PITA but I can live with that because it is generally very reliable. The default power profiles are daft but a couple of minutes tinkering sorts that out, it's actually very easy to walk a user through it over the phone. One thing I would suggest that you try though is customising the start menu. I have Windows 7 running sweetly on a netbook with everything set to best performance, 25 items on the start menu and small icons. Everything I regularly need is either pinned to the task bar, start menu or in the recently accessed list and if it isn't I just type the program name in the search. Yes, it took a little bit of getting used to but now you would definitely have a fight on your hands if you wanted me to go back to XP. This was definitely not the case with Vista!
It simply can't find it on mine. Not the most reliable function then.. I will be using Win 7 for the next few years at least. I also have other OS's I can use as well. Time will tell which systems get used the most.
As Goodbytes said earlier it sounds like AMD haven't coded their program correctly so you'll have to wait for Windows to index the drive before it'll locate it rather than it being available as soon as you've installed it.
I am sure the program is well coded.. I was saying the shortcut that the setup generates on the start menu is maybe busted or uses old deprecated code. I suggested to simply delete the shortcut, and make a new one.
All the time I was using XP I used to keep the 'my computer' toolbar open on the right hand side of the screen, kinda bugs me I can't make tool bars in 7 in this way. About my only beef with it though.
The idea with Windows, is not to browse inside your folders to do things. Remember: - You can pin any folder/drive you want on the folder navigation (under Favorites section[/B). This is how I did mine: - Also, you pin anything in the task bar. Including a website (so far, only IE 9 Beta allows that, where you can just drag a tab and drop in on the task bar and the website icon appears).
There is surely a limit to the amount of things you want to PIN to the taskbar? I respect GoodbBytes input on this thread as he has a history of good insight and thoughtful comments. You should not have to create manual shortcuts in 2010! I know Dell had a good Dock system in Vista, does Win 7 come with one?
