The Complete Guide to Windows 7
By: Shawn RobertsSunday, May 24, 2009
This week, Gizmodo released their complete guide to Windows 7. This guide includes 8 chapters of useful information every PC user should know about the new OS.
Below is a quick summary of each chapter and what you'll learn:
Chapter 1
Figure out how to get your hands on a copy of Windows 7 and install it on your machine (PC or Mac). There are several options for upgrading your OS. Choose from an upgrade install, clean install, netbook install, or boot camp install. You'll also learn where you need to navigate for setting up a backup drive, indexing folders, and adding a second monitor.
Chapter 2
Windows 7 has had a huge overhaul in its UI. This section of the guide will tell you everything you need to know about the change. The coolest feature change you may notice is Aero Peek. This feature makes it super easy to preview windows, compare windows, and make all windows transparent to view the desktop and gadgets.
Chapter 3
This chapter guides you through the device stages. Usually, adding a printer or a digital camera just doesn't work as easily as it should. It seems that Microsoft has done its best to remedy this. There is also a little info on more useful productivity tips, like ISO burning, dealing with XML Word Docs, Send To.
Chapter 4
Windows Media Player has never been the best, and it still isn't even in Windows 7. However, Microsoft has added some cool new features in this version. "Play To" gives you the option to send files like MP3s, WMVs, and JPGs over to any supported device on your network. Meaning, you can transfer files over to you Xbox and play them from there. Pretty cool, right?
Chapter 5
Windows 7 Media Center has gotten a nice interface change as well. Playing your music, movies, and pictures all from the comfort of your couch couldn't be easier - or nicer looking. Media Center now lets you make slide shows on the fly, has very unobtrusive video menus, and connect Media Center to your Xbox (similar to "Play To").
Chapter 6
Windows 7 makes an attempt at providing better security and networking support with wireless networking, user accounts, and firewall/virus protection. All this can be controlled from the taskbar, too. Just open the settings in the new Action Center.
Chapter 7
This section will fill you in on all the amazing "natural" interface support in Windows 7. You'll read about everything from touch and mutitouch technology to really awesome handwriting, math, and shape recognition.
Chapter 8
The final chapter gives you tips on troubleshooting. It explains how to use Windows 7's Troubleshooting Tool and how to make your older programs run properly, but maybe not 100% of the time. It also gives a few good hints on diagnosing performance issues, scripts for fixing known bugs, and preventive measures you should take while using Windows 7.
I hope this helps a lot of you better understand the new features of Windows 7 and maybe it made you change you mind on upgrading. I am not much of a PC guy myself, but with everything I read - it's worth testing out.
