7 Things About Windows 7
Windows 7 was released late 2009 as a replacement for Windows Vista. Here are 7 new features.
Snap
Snap is a quick way to resize open windows, simply by dragging them to the edges of your screen. Depending on which edge you choose - top or bottom, left or right - the window will expand vertically, fill the screen, or you can even position windows side by side.
Pin
A lot of us have a fairly small group of programs and files we use a lot. So it makes sense to be able to keep them handy all the time. With Windows Vista, you can pin your favourite programs to your start menu.
In Windows 7, you can use pinning to make your PC work even more the way you want. One big improvement is the ability to control where your programs appear on your taskbar. Always want your web browser right next to the start button? Drag the icon where you want it, and it'll stay there till you move it. You can also pin your program icon to the taskbar, so it's there all the time. You can even pin specific documents and web sites to Jump Lists on your taskbar.
Shake
Just click on a window, hold down, and give your mouse a shake. Every open window except that one instantly disappears. Jiggle again - and your windows are back.
Peek
New in Windows 7, Peek lets you peer past all your open windows straight to the Windows 7desktop. Simply move your mouse over the little transparent rectangle in the lower right corner of your screen - and watch open windows instantly turn transparent, revealing all your hidden icons and gadgets.
Sticky Notes
Like their real world counterparts, these colourful notes are a great way to stick a reminder on your desktop.
Windows 7 improves Sticky Notes in several useful ways: you can format sticky note text, change its colour with a click, and speedily resize, collapse, and flip through notes.
Calculator
Calculator has new features, including new Programmer and Statistics modes. Unit conversion translates Celsius to Fahrenheit, ounces to grams, and joules to BTUs. Handy calculation templates can help you compute stuff like fuel economy and auto lease payments.
Libraries
Libraries make it easier to find, work with, and organize files scattered across your PC or network. A library makes it easy to search one place - no matter where files are actually stored
In Windows 7, you simply create a library, name it something (perhaps, "Family Photos"), and then tell Windows which folders your new library should include. Your photos are still physically located in different spots - but now they show up in a single window.
Steve Douglas
