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At the Professional Developers Conference
2008, Microsoft gave the first full public
demonstration of its much anticipated
Windows 7. This latest version is a
technical pre-beta for developers wishing to
create new applications and services for the
Windows platform.
So after a mixed reaction to Windows Vista,
will its successor, which is due for beta
release in 2009, prove any more successful
in wooing UK businesses?
Windows Touch
Among the new features of Windows 7, the
most spectacular promises to be its Windows
Touch user interface. This new support for
multi-touch technology will offer users new
ways of interacting with their PCs such as
zooming in on images by simply moving two
fingers further apart on the screen. Indeed
several people could control images at once
using the same screen, opening up new
possibilities for collaborative working.
From an ergonomic viewpoint, Windows Touch
will require Microsoft to modify its Start
menu, review its taskbars and increase the
size of icons. The software giant is due to
launch a development kit to assist in the
writing of “touch ready” applications as
well as tools for manufacturers of PCs and
mobile devices wishing to use this new
interface.
Direct access to your business systems
and home networking
Microsoft is also planning “Direct Access”
for professional users which will enable a
direct connection via IPv6 between the PC -
wherever that may be - and the company’s
server. In a similar vein but for home
users, Windows 7 will also incorporate a
feature called “Homegroup” which will
facilitate the sharing of multimedia data
between all of a family’s PCS and mobile
devices.
'Lighter' online versions of Word and
Excel
Microsoft has also announced that Office 14
is to be launched at the same time at
Windows 7. This next version of Microsoft
Office will include Office Web applications
that will help improve productivity and
enhance the desktop experience by enabling
people to access, create, edit, share and
collaborate on Office documents across
multiple devices.
Based on the same principle as Outlook Web
Access, these online versions of Word,
Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote will enable
users to work from anywhere although these
web versions may have reduced features.
Delta Comtech comment:
Windows 7 is still in its development phase,
and the impressive features it is sure
to include are merely the the continuing
evolution of the personal computer. There
will certainly be advantages and useful
features and eventually (Microsoft hopes)
Windows 7 will become the mainstream
operating system.
Back in the here and now, computer hardware
has largely caught up with the demands of
Windows Vista and some of its features
(notably around security) are proving
increasingly useful and necessary. There are
still some incompatibilities and Vista
requires users to make changes to their
working practices, but in general Windows
Vista is now the sensible choice for any new
computer or laptop.
Meanwhile, Windows XP remains a perfectly
adequate system and will continue to be so
for many years to come. So there is no
urgent need to replace an XP computer until
it ceases to be able to perform the tasks
required of it. Ultimately, however,
computer technology continues to evolve at a
rapid pace and change can not be held back
forever.
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