Windows 7 – Shortcuts, hints and thoughts
Ok So I have installed windows 7 (7100) on my little EeePC 900, the EeePC has 2 gigs of RAM and a small 1.6 Atom, with this small combo 7 smashes the pre-installed XP.
Boot time is better by about 5 seconds and general performance to open applications and general processing is just far better, while it uses substantially more memory than XP, but lets face it all new entry level PC’s have 2 gigs of RAM these days.
But with saying that I would blame a lot of the memory usage on the rotten IE8 that is bundled with windows 7, I have many complaints about this browser, so rather than complain I am finding I am using Chrome more regularly, faster better on the memory and processor. MS if you read this use the KISS principle (Keep it simple stupid) Google has done this very well for years.
Anyways lets get to the shortcuts and handy little functions that windows 7 has added!
- My absolute favourite function has to be the if you have multiple screen configurations, you can click on a maximise screen and drag it to your other screens. Previously we had to resize / minimize and then move the open window to a new screen and then maximize… very annoying.
- Next is the many many windows short cut keys, also work with multiple monitors or even single display :
- Windows key + Left: docks current window to the left side of the screen.
- Windows key + Right: docks current window to the right side of the screen.
- Windows key + Up: maximizes and/or restores foreground window.
- Windows key + Down: minimizes active window.
- Previously running an app in administrator was a right click, and then run as admin , while that still exists there is a quicker better way of doing this with keys: It’s now as easy as holding CTRL + SHIFT when you open the application.
- Another one for those with multiple monitors: Windows + SHIFT + Left (or Right) will shift a window from monitor to monitor.
Some handy things windows 7 includes:
- Windows 7 now includes Gabriola. This is an elaborate display typeface that takes advantage of OpenType layout to create a variety of stylistic sets.
- Windows 7 now burns ISO files themselves instead of making us install unwanted third-party apps.
- In the case that something happens to your system, you can make yourself a system repair disc. Just search “system repair disc” in the start menu.
- For the advanced users finally a desktop OS that gives us the ability to setup software RAID, one of my favs!
- Advance defrag for windows 7, read more here : http://blogs.msdn.com/e7/archive/2009/01/25/disk-defragmentation-background-and-engineering-the-windows-7-improvements.aspx
- Multi-Threaded File copy, this is by use of the command line robocoy which is included within windows 7, this is something I personally use on a constant basis, and is very powerful, if you haven’t used this before you are missing out!
- UAC is substantially improved, where there is no need to turn this off any more, it only disturbs you on install of applications. this is something I turned of on VISTA as soon as I could, but one windows 7 I Have found that its something that’s not annoying and have left it on its default setting. Its also now provides us with a toggle bar where we can increase or decrease the default UAC settings.
- A new calculator- about time it only took about 10 years!
- Owh yeah an codec’s to play AVI Divx and other regularly used formats FINNALY!!!!!!!
- And the whole OS is touch friendly!
Another feature I will be talking about in more depth is the default install XP with program integration as a virtual machine. I will be blogging about business reasons as to why corporate should go the distance and install windows 7.
there is so much more they have done windows 7 is really all that and a bag of chips, its got my 2 thumbs up, I just hope they don’t bloat the final release with unnecessary junk
