World gets to put Windows 7 software to the test

May 4, 2009 by Glenn Chapman
This undated handout image courtesy of Microsoft, shows a screenshot of a desktop background for Microsoft Windows 7

Enlarge

This undated handout image courtesy of Microsoft, shows a screenshot of a desktop background for Microsoft Windows 7. A nearly-final version of Windows 7 makes its world debut on Tuesday, giving people a chance to tell Microsoft what they like or hate about the new-generation operating system.

A nearly-final version of Windows 7 is making its world debut, giving people a chance to tell Microsoft what they love or hate about the new-generation operating system.

The release will be available at microsoft.com/downloads in a move intended to signal that the software giant is putting finishing touches on an operating system that it hopes will escape criticism heaped on its predecessor Vista.

"It appears that they are on target," said analyst Michael Cherry of private firm Directions on Microsoft, which specializes in tracking the US software giant.

"I think we need to be cautious though. is still in development. While Microsoft is certainly moving on to the next logical milestone, this is still a test version of the operating system."

Copies of the Windows 7 Release Candidate (RC) software were made available to developers last week and early reviews have praised the operating system for its stability and for avoiding problems that marred Vista's image.

"Listening to our partners and customers has been fundamental to the development of Windows 7," Microsoft senior vice president for Windows business Bill Veghte said in announcing the RC release.

"We heard them and worked hard to deliver the highest quality release candidate in the history of Windows."

Complaints about Vista included that it was not compatible with some software designed for the previous-generation Windows XP operating system and that it was too much for netbooks or older computers to handle.

Cherry is testing Windows 7 on netbooks, increasingly popular low-cost mobile computers designed essentially for accessing the Internet and running a few simple programs.

"That is one of the places where Vista didn't do a good job," Cherry said. "I think Microsoft has been very cautious with Windows 7."

The RC release indicates that little is likely to be changed in the final version of Windows 7 and that companies can begin tailoring software or hardware to the operating system, according to Microsoft.

Touted features include compatibility with touch-screen computer controls, faster video handling and being friendly to even light-weight hardware such as netbooks.

"Windows 7 is everything that Vista should have been," said analyst Rob Enderle of Enderle Group in Silicon Valley.

"It's less annoying and it's a fraction of the size. The only thing working against them is the economy; people without money aren't going to buy no matter how good the product."

Enthusiastic early reviews of Windows 7 are stoking speculation that Microsoft will release a final version of the new operating system in time for the year-end holiday shopping season.

"It makes sense that Microsoft should have it pre-Christmas," Cherry said of Windows 7.

"I think you need to keep in mind that if something comes up in testing they are going to take the delay and get it right. Microsoft doesn't need a problem on their hands."

Microsoft and some analysts have advised people to prepare for the Windows 7 release by upgrading to Vista instead of trying to leapfrog the maligned version of the operating system.

Cherry ignores such advice, saying he sees each new operating system as a chance to clean out his computer and start fresh.

He will back up his data, install Windows 7 on his computer and then transfer files a bit at a time, getting rid of files he hasn't opened for a while.

"I use it as a complete housekeeping move," Cherry said of installing a new . "I will always do a fresh install; this way I know I am not bringing any baggage with me."

(c) 2009 AFP

1.9 /5 (17 votes)  

Filter


Move the slider to adjust rank threshold, so that you can hide some of the comments.


Display comments: newest first

Bob_B
May 04, 2009

Rank: 4.8 / 5 (4)
Back in the days at Digital Research we used to actually test our operating systems before we released them. Once Microsoft had beaten us down, they started to export their testing to India and Asia. At least they tried to test then, even though most of the tests were just following steps. Then we get to today...let customers do the testing.

No thanks.
Mercury_01
May 04, 2009

Rank: 2 / 5 (4)
side effects may include itching, diarrhea, tightening of the loins, or uncontrollable retardation. women who are pregnant or mac users should not try windows seven because of the risk the rare but serious smug and permanent snarky smirk syndrome.
georgert
May 04, 2009

Rank: 1.5 / 5 (4)
Bob B. - "Back in the days of Digital Research..." With CP/M how many lines of code did you actually have to test? A few hundred thousand? When you're talking about a product like Vista with an estimated 50 million lines of code, ultimately the only way you're going to be able to test is to put it out there, let the users re- and de-configure the rat out of it, and see what breaks. You're comparing a Model-T with an F1 race car.
S_Bilderback
May 05, 2009

Rank: 2.3 / 5 (3)
Benchmarks prove windoes 7 is same crap - different wrap.
Too bad 45 million lines of the code are compensation for the flawed shell.
Neima
May 05, 2009

Rank: 5 / 5 (1)
Most people I've found that bash Vista and the new Windows 7 are those that don't actually use it, those that have never used it in fact. Instead, they go along with the rumors they hear. I have been using Vista for over a year, and have been using 7 for over a month (Beta and RC) and they are great. Much better than XP was; more stable, more features, easier to use. Yes, Vista required some initial tweaking to remove the annoying UAC prompts, but 7 has done away with that. The install for 7 was effortless. Bilderback - "Benchmarks prove windows 7 is same crap..." Ok, where are these benchmarks you are referring to? Give us a link.
Sirussinder
May 05, 2009

Rank: 1 / 5 (1)
F'U Micro$oft is the best thing I can say about it, and Neima, its an opinion made from years of frustrating experience.
physpuppy
May 05, 2009

Rank: not rated yet
Let's hope that Win 7 will put an end to totally inexcusable exploits such as this:

Botnet Hijacking Steals 70GB of Data
http://www.physor...834.html

One can only dream, eh?


JayVenter
May 05, 2009

Rank: not rated yet
I hated vista , but win7 is actually quite good...
installed in just over 10mins and boot times are super. hadn't had one crash or BSOD..
but then again, i prefer using ubuntu.
Rank 1.9 /5 (17 votes)
Related Stories
Relevant PhysicsForums posts
  • Need help reading 3-D
    created13 hours ago
  • A way to send and receive wireless data
    created19 hours ago
  • Tabletop Cold Fusion Reactor
    created20 hours ago
  • Calling function with no input argument
    createdFeb 10, 2012
  • Force free body diagram problem on gym equipment
    createdFeb 10, 2012
  • Empirical data regarding shower heads and water
    createdFeb 10, 2012
  • More from Physics Forums - General Engineering

More news stories

Google might launch Drive for cloud storage soon

(PhysOrg.com) -- Google's next big move, according to the Wall Street Journal, is a cloud storage service called Drive. Hardly first to the plate, Google is simply catching up to introducing its cloud reposi ...

Technology / Internet

created 1 hour ago | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0 | with audio podcast report

Love a click away in Indonesia's Twitter Republic

He was a geeky kid from Yogyakarta, she a glamorous city girl in Jakarta. In a country with one of the world's most vibrant social networking scenes they fell in love on Twitter.

Technology / Internet

created 2 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Walney offshore wind farm is world's biggest (for now)

(PhysOrg.com) -- The Walney wind farm on the Irish Sea--characterized by high tides, waves and windy weather--officially opened this week. The farm is treated in the press as a very big deal as the Walney ...

Technology / Energy & Green Tech

created 21 hours ago | popularity 4 / 5 (11) | comments 33 | with audio podcast weblog

GPS court ruling leaves US phone tracking unclear

A US Supreme Court decision requiring a warrant to place a GPS device on the car of a criminal suspect leaves unresolved the bigger issue of police tracking using mobile phones, legal experts say.

Technology / Telecom

created 22 hours ago | popularity 4 / 5 (2) | comments 0

Europeans protest controversial Internet pact

Tens of thousands of people marched in protests in more than a dozen European cities Saturday against a controversial anti-online piracy pact that critics say could curtail Internet freedom.

Technology / Internet

created 18 hours ago | popularity 4.6 / 5 (9) | comments 0


Latin America mining boom clashes with conservation

Latin America is experiencing a mining boom as prices rise fuelled by a hike in global demand, but the region is also being hit by a wave of violent protests, strikes and rallies by environmentalists.

Europe stakes billion-dollar bet on new rocket

A pencil-slim rocket is scheduled to lift into space from South America on Monday, carrying a billion-dollar bet that Europe can grab a juicy slice of the market to place satellites in low orbit.

Study finds that anti-diabetic medication can prevent the long-term effects of maternal obesity

In a study to be presented today at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine's annual meeting, The Pregnancy Meeting, in Dallas, Texas, researchers will report findings that show that short therapy with the anti-diabetic medication ...

Netflix settlement trims 14 pct off 4Q earnings

(AP) -- Netflix pressed the rewind button on its fourth-quarter earnings after settling allegations that the video subscription service violated a consumer-privacy law.

Navy to begin tests on electromagnetic railgun prototype launcher

The Office of Naval Research (ONR)'s Electromagnetic (EM) Railgun program will take an important step forward in the coming weeks when the first industry railgun prototype launcher is tested at a facility ...

Explained: Sigma

It's a question that arises with virtually every major new finding in science or medicine: What makes a result reliable enough to be taken seriously? The answer has to do with statistical significance -- but ...