| Windows 7 Beta Review - It's Time To Get Familiar - | | | | machine to test drive Microsoft Windows 7 on, you |
| Will You skip Vista SP2? | | | | can use Vmware's free desktop virtualization |
| I've got two computers running Windows 7 Beta. | | | | software to set up and start exploring. |
| They are very different computers in that one is | | | | It's coming fairly soon. It's going to be good and if |
| almost 5 years old and one is absolutely cutting edge | | | | you work in a corporate IT department, you'll have |
| with all the latest graphics cards, etc. Both run | | | | to support it. To set up Windows 7 on Vmware, just |
| Windows 7 Beta very well and without any errors. | | | | tell vmware that you will be using Vista. This works |
| The new Windows 7 Aero theme is pretty and a bit | | | | well because one of the explicit goals of Windows 7 |
| more organized and intuitive than Windows Vista | | | | is driver and hardware compatibility with Vista. |
| Aero. Enabling the mouse gestures makes Windows | | | | Installation is a breeze. It basically looks just like the |
| 7 much nicer. An example mouse gesture that I use | | | | Windows Vista installer with upgraded graphics. Like |
| is to wiggle the mouse back and forth like you are | | | | all new Windows releases, Microsoft has tried to |
| scratching something off a list. This instantly clears | | | | appeal to users on the current platform. The result is |
| the desktop by hiding all the open windows. The new | | | | that there is a lot going on under the hood that has |
| interface also allows you to click the thumbnails of | | | | changed but that you won't see until you're in a |
| the programs that are running. It's a bit Apple OSX | | | | support situation and relealize that some of your tried |
| like, except not so animated and annoying in my | | | | and true debugging rituals no longer work. |
| humble opinion. | | | | Conclusion:I think it's wise to start preparing to |
| I am still concerned about compatibility issues, but | | | | support this operating system now, especially if |
| even the few games I've run have been no problem | | | | you've been holding off corporate users waiting for a |
| for Windows 7. Even the latest Fallout 3 ran | | | | better version of Vista. By the time Windows Vista |
| flawlessly. Given that a Windows 7 beta will be | | | | SP2 Beta is stable and out the door, you'll be on the |
| readily downloadable in the near future and given that | | | | heels of Microsoft's Windows 7 release date. At the |
| the apparent quality of the release exceeds that of | | | | least you should install a virtual machine on Vmware |
| Vista SP2 Beta, I have to ask who will bother to | | | | for familiarization. |
| upgrade to Vista SP2? | | | | If you have applications that need to be tested on |
| In addition to frame rate increases in games, the | | | | Windows 7, the time to start that is right now. |
| internet connection scores nearly 10% higher | | | | Developers should have their beta copy very shortly. |
| throughput. On our 1GB connections, the difference is | | | | Read more about Windows Vista SP2 Beta and |
| even more noticeable. Even if you do not have | | | | Windows 7 at boutnewtech. |