Because geek is cool and clever

Windows 7 January 30, 2009

As I write this I’ve spent maybe an hour dipping my toe into the beta of Windows 7, Microsoft’s last great hope operating system to replace the disaster that is Vista.

The company may just have done enough to buoy up its sinking credibility. The positive reviews for Windows 7 are so far as plentiful as the pounding negativity that hit Vista in its early life.

I’ve not used it long enough to warrant anything approaching a fair review but I’ll say this with honesty – it feels like Vista but with all the annoying things fixed.

As well as simply being ‘Vista done right’, Windows 7 does have one or two noticeable interface changes. For the first time since the introduction of Windows 95, Microsoft has changed the look and functionality of the taskbar which is now twice as deep and features icons for active applications – which have a slightly embossed look to distinguish them from the other icons of user-chosen shortcuts.

If that’s a familiar sounding concept, the chances are you’ve used a Mac at some point in the past 10 years as it’s a blatant copy of the dock in Mac OS X.

Windows 7 could be unleashed as early as the summer. If you fancy trying the beta for yourself, Microsoft is making it available for another couple of weeks.