Is the New Windows 7 a Step Forward?

Microsoft doesn't always have the best track record when it comes to releasing new operating systems. While Windows 3.1, 98se and XP were generally well liked, other Windows versions such as ME were usually looked upon poorly by users and critics alike. With Windows 7 coming out, many people are wondering if this generation of the operating system will be a hit or a miss.

Early indications for Windows 7 are looking to be very positive. Right off the bat it seems that Windows 7 doesn't eat up system resources quite the way Vista was notorious for. So now more of your memory will be available for running programs that you are currently using and less will be used for the system tasks that are running in the background. This translates into just better performance overall from your system. Other things seem to be faster as well, such as USB device detection and loading the system from sleep or hibernation. The later is especially nice as it will encourage people to use power saving settings more since it will be less of an inconvenience for users. These power setting improvements are also great for laptop users looking to get more battery life in between charges.

Windows 7 also makes a move to being more network friendly. With the new Windows, sharing files and network devices is easier than ever before. With just a couple clicks you will be sharing movies, music and even your printer with everyone in your household. Wireless networking has also been greatly improved making it even easier to detect and connect to wireless networks.

The new Windows 7 is also a very forward thinking operating system. Out of the box, all levels of Windows 7 supports 64-bit systems. This allows for Windows 7 to utilize larger amounts of system memory and lets you get the most out of your system. Another interesting investment in future technology is the Windows Touch feature. This allows Windows 7 to fully integrate with systems that have touch screens such as all-in-one PCs and tablets.

The desktop experience has also continued to grow. Windows 7 is more customizable than ever. The gadget system that was introduced with Vista has been grown and improved. Other options such as snap, peek and shake allow you to explore and organize your open windows like never before. The taskbar in Windows 7 has also been retooled to allow for better organization and even thumbnail previews of items before they are opened. To top it all off, Microsoft added a "Jump List" feature that allows you to quickly visit websites, open documents and other files that you frequently use. All these features come together to make the desktop work better and faster for users in a highly customizable environment. Finally, Windows 7 themes have received an update and are now more user friendly to create and share.

It is clear that Windows 7 performs better, looks better and allows users to make their Operating System as unique as they are. It is an improvement from Windows Vista and XP that will quickly become the standard for Personal Computers. It is a must have upgrade for all PC users.