What's New in Windows 7
Is Windows 7 a major upgrade or just a collection of refinements? The answer depends on your starting point. If you've been using Windows Vista, the upgrade to Windows 7 should be relatively straightforward. Windows 7 is built on the same foundation as Windows Vista, so you've already sorted out compatibility hassles with programs and devices. After you learn the basics of the revamped Windows 7 desktop and adapt to changes in search and file management, you should feel right at home.
For those who are moving to Windows 7 from Windows XP, the learning curve will be steeper. You'll find fundamental changes in nearly every aspect of the operating system, and many of the expert techniques that you've learned through the years won't work any longer. Three feature sets that were originally introduced in Windows Vista will be of particular interest to anyone upgrading from Windows XP:
- Search capabilities are a key part of just about every Windows task. In Windows XP, this capability is available as an add-on that installs a search box on the taskbar. In Windows 7, you'll find a search box on the Start menu, in the upper right corner of any window or dialog box based on Windows Explorer, and in Control Panel.
- For anyone obsessed with performance and troubleshooting (we suspect most of our readers fall into this group), Windows 7 includes an impressive set of diagnostic and monitoring tools. Collectively, they offer a level of detail about system events that can be eye-opening and overwhelming.
- User Account Control was one of the most controversial and misunderstood additions to Windows Vista. This feature has been greatly modified in Windows 7, but anyone upgrading from Windows XP might be surprised by the extra layer of consent dialog boxes required for some common administrative tasks.
If you've upgraded from Windows Vista, you'll notice changes throughout Windows. In most cases, these refinements fall into the "fit and finish" category. Many of the changes are subtle enough that you might not even notice them at first. Some longstanding Windows annoyances are fixed, although others remain. You'll notice that some everyday tasks require fewer keystrokes and mouse clicks, and we predict you'll see fewer warnings and notifications as you go about your daily Windows routine. Regardless of where you come from, our goal in these tutorials is to help you navigate through this period of transition as quickly as possible, so that you can unlearn old habits, discover new features, and become comfortable and productive with Windows 7.
In this tutorial, we take you on a quick tour of noteworthy features and capabilities in Windows 7, with appropriate pointers to tutorials where you'll find more detailed information and advice.