What to expect from Windows 7

Part 3

The desktop, Start menu, and taskbar

Windows 7 makes its most noticeable changes right on the desktop, fundamentally changing some core interface elements that had previously stayed pretty much the same since Windows 95.

At the top of the list of changes is the new taskbar (aka the Superbar). For generations, the taskbar has been defined by its text label. In Windows 7, the default taskbar arrangement ditches text completely. Running programs and shortcuts you pin to the taskbar get a big icon and nothing more. You can drag icons to rearrange their order, whether the program they represent is running or not. When a program is running, it gets a subtle shading that makes it appear to be sitting just above the taskbar. Jump lists enable quick access to recently used documents, and thumbnail previews make it easier to find the window you’re looking for.

The left-brainers among us might prefer to restore those text labels, a customization that takes all of a few seconds. The instructions, along with before and after pictures, are here.

Over the past few months, I’ve switched back and forth between the default arrangement and the “Combine when taskbar is full” option, which looks more like the XP\Vista taskbar. I’ve found that I prefer the default icons-only arrangement. I’ve learned what each icon looks like (it took a while to learn to recognize some of the more obscure ones), and I appreciate the fact that programs I pin to the taskbar stay in the exact same position. If you enable text labels, then pinned program icons become larger taskbar buttons when they’re running. That shifts the arrangement and makes it harder to find programs by their location on the taskbar.

The window management tricks in Windows 7 are among the things I miss the most when I temporarily go back to XP or Vista. In general, I find that most people are delighted by Aero Snap, which resizes and positions a window automatically when you drag to the edge of the display. I’m occasionally startled by the Show Desktop button (part of te Aero Peek feature), which hides all open windows temporarily when you aim the mouse at a spot on the far right side of the taskbar. And I’m bemused by Aero Shake, which you activate by clicking on a window’s title bar and moving the window swiftly left and right a few times. That minimizes all open windows except the one you’re annoying. Shake again to restore the minimized windows to their previous positions.

The wacky Windows wallpapers have gotten more than their share of attention. Personally, I like the ability to build my own themes using a collection of pictures I’ve shot as a desktop background that changes every 30 minutes. If you’re a photography buff, give it a try.

In the gallery: The new taskbar, Jump lists and previews, the Notification area, and building your own theme.

Source: http://blogs.zdnet.com