Windows 7 is the Operating System that fixes a number of issues found in Vista. It adds some new functions, it is a bit easier to use and it does work a bit quicker.
The revamped desktop is an improvement. Icons adorn the taskbar rather than text, and all items relating to a specific program are grouped under one, with its own jump list.
From a Word icon, you can look at whatever documents you have open, or launch new ones directly from the taskbar. It's a slightly different way of doing things for Windows users, but an intuitive one after a while. There are plenty of personalisation options, such as your desktop background effectively being turned into a slideshow, but how much you make of those is inevitably down to personal preference.
Libraries now allow you, for instance, to group together all pictures under one folder. That's irrespective of whether they're on a network drive or stored locally: now you only need to go to one folder to find them.
One nice touch is that you can minimise all the open windows apart from the one you're working on with a simple mouse shake, while you can also quickly and simply snap two windows to align them side by side. The option to quickly and easily push media around a network is interesting too, and like most of the new additions to Windows 7, it worked well.
In operation, Windows 7 certainly seems brisker than Vista, although the true test will come further down the line. For now, we were content that we got to a usable desktop screen quicker from booting, and there seemed to be less hanging around waiting for the operating system to catch up.
We offer three levels of training for Microsoft Windows 7 - Introductory, File Management and Upgrade.
