Windows 7

So you heard about the upcoming upgrade to your OS (Operating System) and thought you could get a head start on what to expect before it's your turn. You have come to the right place!

I have been upgraded to Windows 7 here in the office and I LOVE it! I am using this page to track a few of my observations as I went through the upgrade and encourage you to share your thoughts, concerns, trials and triumphs below in the comments section below as well. Your suggestions and feedback help all of us learn and grow to use the new features that Windows 7 has to offer!

Taskbar

The task bar is bigger and better and I love it! After you watch this cool (4 minute) video by Microsoft on task bars, you will understand why l love the new features available now in Windows 7. If you are like me, and appreciate the single-click launch of commonly used apps from the taskbar, you are going to love the new features:

More settings in Properties

If you never customized notifications or set the icon size in XP, you will appreciate this options in W7. (more to say)

Easy Pinning (i want a way to add a pin graphic here)

In addition to you can pin things to the taskbar in more ways (i have more to say here)

Access to Recent files

Finally, Microsoft has reorganized recent files so that they are logical and easier to get to them, by the application they were created in. As you add shortcuts to the taskbar, a right click displays your recent (and favorite) files within each icon, but more on that in my next topic: Jump Lists!

Jump Lists

As I mentioned in Task bar section, you can access your recent and favorite files in a little popup over each icon, called a Jump list. Check out Microsoft's video on the convenience of this new feature.

Snap

Another feature I love in Windows 7. You can shake a window or drag it to a corner to resize it in one simple step. This Microsoft video on how to use the Snap feature in Windows 7, is short and sweet.