Windows 7 jettisons features, you can download them instead

Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Tuesday, 23 September 2008 15:00

Opinion and Analysis

Separating these programs isn’t quite the “componentisation” that some want Microsoft to employ with Windows 7, but it certainly is a start.

It even encourages Microsoft to deliver much better email, photo gallery and movie maker programs, amongst the rest of the “Live” suite, as it competes with Picasa, Thunderbird and many other programs.

So, what is Windows 7 looking like these days? Well, new screenshots of Windows 7 have come via a Chinese website called ThinkNext.

The screenshots show a mainly Vista-like operating system, although close inspection of each screenshot shows all kinds of little improvements to the menus and screens we’re all familiar with when using Vista, all-up resulting in what is looking like a very nice evolution of the graphical user interface thus far.

Of course, there is still a long way to go before Windows 7 is released, but as some have already said online, Windows 7 really is shaping up to be a Windows Vista “second edition”.

Well, given that I really much prefer Windows Vista to Windows XP, and think that especially since SP1, Windows Vista is better than ever, and something that takes Vista to the next level will be fantastic.

Looking at the screenshots, and seeing the Office 2007 ribbon being used in programs such as Paint and even WordPad, we’re clearly going to see even more of the ribbon bar in Microsoft software, and a continuing evolution of the graphical user interface.

Microsoft surely stumbled with the launch of Vista, but over the past 18 months has really made great strides into making Vista far superior to XP, with its vastly improved driver model, easier operation and other features that regular Vista users are all well aware of.

Windows 7 will, as previously stated, take that to the next level, while purposefully omitting software that can be downloaded, if desired, or replaced with software from another company instead.

I wonder what other Windows 7 surprises are yet to come? We should find out at Microsoft’s Professional Developer Conference from October 27 when the first official beta should be unveiled. Can’t wait!