Windows 7 beta tests prompt 36 tweaks
Microsoft has announced 36 changes to Windows 7 as a result of the beta testing. With the next stage being a release candidate, it’s likely these will be the last changes of features rather than bug fixes.
The changes listed in a blog post mainly cover features which users will notice in practice. Technical changes and bug fixes aren’t part of the listing.
Changes to the desktop itself include Aero Peek being implemented for the Alt-Tab window, a new keyboard shortcut where the Windows key plus a number opens the relevant program from the Quick Launch list, and a redesign of the taskbar to allow more icons to be displayed.
There are several changes to the handling of touchscreen inputs including giving users the ability to combine multiple keystrokes simultaneously on touchscreen keyboards and the removal of a barrier which made selection and dragging impossible with a touchscreen for pages which scrolled both horizontally and vertically.
Control panel changes include the previously-announced security enhancement to prevent rogue applications changing User Account Control settings and the ability to set machines to auto-lock after a set period of inactivity without having to use a screensaver.
There are also tweaks for Windows Media Player, an expansion of the Device Stage driver management system to cover more devices, and a return to the traditional set-up of the Windows key plus E bringing up Windows Explorer with the computer displayed rather than libraries, as happened with the beta edition.
The timing of the announcement is interesting. It comes after several leading tech sites, including CNET and ZDNet highlighted complaints by beta testers that they were getting little or no response to their suggestions. Microsoft had argued it had received more than half-a-million feedback reports and that it simply wasn’t practical to make individual responses.
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February 28th, 2009
“The timing of the announcement is interesting. It comes after several leading tech sites, including CNET and ZDNet highlighted complaints by beta testers that they were getting little or no response to their suggestions. Microsoft had argued it had received more than half-a-million feedback reports and that it simply wasn’t practical to make individual responses.”
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Microsoft should have kept their employees instead of laying them off. These people could have been helping MSFT with these feedback reports and in turn helping MSFT fix the bugs.
Yet another case of mixed up priorities IMO.
Windows 7 is important to MSFT, which IMO is hell bent on burying the Vista fiasco. If they screw up the Windows 7 release, and release it with bugs not fixed…they could have another problem on their hands.
I hope Win 7 is a success, we all know MSFT can do better than Vista…but can they deliver in the final release?
Time will tell….