Windows 7: An Overview For JMLS Students

Windows 7 is formerly codenamed Blackcomb and Vienna!!!

Why Microsoft decided to rename his latest Windows to 7?

Windows 7 is the seventh release for Operating System pushed by

Microsoft. Count only the OS that is a member of NT family :

Win3.1, Win3.5, Win NT, , 2000, XP and Vista, This makes the next

release number is 7.

Windows 7 has succeeded over both windows XP and windows Vista in its performance in several focal areas. Boot and shutting downtime, working with files and loading documents is much faster in Windows 7

Windows 7 includes a number of new features such as Touch panel ability, speech and handwriting recognition, support for Virtual Hard Disks, Windows 7 also adds support for systems using multiple graphics cards from different vendors. Windows 7 comes with a new version of Windows Media Center.

Microsoft released Windows Vista: Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, Home Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/compare/default.aspx and is now referencing an entirely new SKU, Windows 7 for Small

Businesses.

Windows 7 versions

Processor Speed: 1 GHz or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor

Memory (RAM): 1 GB of RAM (32-bit)/2 GB of RAM (64-bit) Hard Disk Free space: 16 GB of available disk space (32-bit)/20

GB (64-bit) Graphics card: DirectX 9 graphics device with Windows Display

Driver Model 1.0 or higher driver (to enable the Aero theme)http://windows.microsoft.com/systemrequirements

Hardware Requirement

Improved User Interface◦ Enhanced Dock◦ Jump Lists◦ Window Peaking◦ And a rich array of other features

Applications and its function◦ Less memory hungry applications and features

Multimedia features◦ Window Media Player 11

Security◦ Featuring a ‘smart’ User Account Controll

Networking◦ DirectAccess to replace VPN◦ Improved file syncing for offline files and slow connections

New Features

Aero Desktop is new feature. The most interesting enhancement is the support for Windows Desktop is the full Aero glass effect. (All open applications can be displayed as floating 3D windows and rotates. Clicking the window brings it back into 2D form. The desktop also becomes a floating window. Selecting the desktop minimizes all open applications).http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/What-is-the-Aero-desktop-experience

User Interface

Aero shake: if you want to focus on one windows, shake your window and all your other open windows will be hidden, shake it again and they all coma back.http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/products/features/aero-shake

Aero Peak: Turns open windows translucent so you can see what is on your desktop with a move of your cursor.http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/products/features/aero-peek

Snap: size and arrange your windows by dragging their boarders to the edge of your screen. Instantly arranges your windows side by side.http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/products/features/snap

• Windows touch screen: support multi touch allowing you to use more than one finger.

• Improved speech and handwriting recognition, supports handwritten math terminology.

• Pin taskbar feature: Keeps programs and file available by pinning them to the taskbar or the Jump Lists ( automatically populated links in the start menu to frequently accessed objects for faster access.http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/products/features/windows-taskbar

Side bar and Gadgets: the gadgets now placed on the desktop and they are resizable.http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Customize-desktop-gadgets

Windows search: Allows you to search on your PC the same way you search on the internet. Search results are grouped according to libraries also windows contain improved search filter to narrow down the results.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/products/features/windows-search

Libraries: Similar to folders, their content is based on file properties such as file type, date created etc..http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/products/features/libraries

Windows Themes: Improved from Vista and they include sound set and desktop slideshow.

Scenic Ribbon: this is new in Windows 7 . Paint and WordPad now have a ribbon similar to the one in Office 2007.

• Home Group: Home Group in Windows 7 simplify the tasks associated with sharing music, pictures and documents. Home Group also allows you to share your USB connected printers, if you have a printer in the living room that's shared by Home Group it will be automatically installed into your other Home Group enabled PCs. Domain-joined computers can be part of a Home Group too. http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/products/features/homegroup

• New Battery life , New power configuration tool • Ready boost is improved, This allows you to use multiple flash drives.• Improved Internet explorer 8.• Improved calculator, new user interface, keeps track of your calculation history,

Date calculations and new templates for calculation. Calculator can also operate by touch screen.

• Process reflection: this is a new feature: Crashed processes are cloned in memory Windows 7 tries to recover the cloned process and diagnoses the failure conditions of the original process. It should reduce the disruption caused by diagnosis of failed process

• Fault tolerant heap : is a new feature: The new fault tolerant heap reduces the number of crashes significantly.

Applications and thier function

Windows Media Player (improved)Supports more media formats , Improved performance, Taskbar thumbnail (displays titles, and offer more controls) . Jump list ( recent documents) in the Windows Start Menu and the taskbar. Stream media to other PCs at home .

Media Center (improved)New user interface, Broader support for global TV standards , Share TV shows at home via TV Libraries.

Sound (improved)New standard Bluetooth audio driver, Automatically streams music or voice calls to the active output device, Control volume independently for each device.

New Color depth Supports color depth of 30 bit and 48 bit. Support multiple modes

of RGP.

Multimedia features

• Action center: Windows 7 Action Center is a one stop place where you can find system maintenance information, security information and also troubleshoot computer problems. http://www.neowin.net/news/main/09/01/09/windows-7-action-center-overview

• AppLocker: Keeps unwanted programs from launching.• User Account Control ( UAC): there are two settings in

Windows 7 for the new improved User Account Control.• Program based change only• Notify only

Users experience in UAC is smoother by reducing prompts, allows them to control what legitimate software can modify their system, and still accomplishes UAC’s goals of enabling more software to run without administrative rights and continuing to shift the software environment to write software that works with standard user rights.

Security

Windows Firewall: Improved platform that allow third party firewalls to add custome feature. Allows multiple active firewall profiles.

Biometrics Security: support finger print reader and smart card. DNS Security Extensions( DNSSEC) : This new feature prevents

DNS spoofing and other unauthorized actions.

View Available Network (VAN): new feature allows one click access to available networks

Wireless Device Network : New feature allow Windows 7 to act as a wireless access point.

Mobil Link: New feature allows the installation of wireless data cards without the need of additional software.

Networking