Unfortunately for Microsoft, Vista was a big debacle.
Their lack of execution pushed some of their user base away to alternative systems.
Windows 7, however, was executed really well.
I guess that's what you get when you rewrite the OS from the ground up.
Vista was the beta version and Windows 7 refined it.
Windows 7 brings some great features to the mix and does it all really fast.
The first thing I noticed was a fast loading OS.
It didn't take anytime at all to get the operating system running.
The Windows 7 interface is also very nice.
The desktop is great looking and it has some very nice default themes.
Like Vista, 7 has the nice search feature when looking for programs.
I've used that more times than I can count.
My computer includes an HDMI output and I've used it many times.
It's great to be able to plug the thing in and get a high resolution output to the TV.
I did have a little problem trying to get sound outputted through HDMI, but that didn't take long to figure out.
Windows 7 makes it easier to do things.
The Aero Peek feature allows you to see what is sitting underneath those stacks of internet explorer windows.
Then you can simply hover over the one you want and click it.
7 also features nice jump lists.
These are found on common applications, like windows explorer, on the bottom taskbar.
Clicking on them brings up a context menu of commonly used features.
Aero Snap allows you to quickly and easily snap a window to the top, left, or right sides of the screen.
Snapping it to the top will maximize the windows.
Simply drag it down again to minimize.
If you drag the window to the left or right, the it will take up half the screen.
This is great when you are comparing windows.
This is something I complained a lot about in previous versions and I'm glad to see it incorporated here.
Aero Shake is a hilarious feature.
It reminds me of a dog with a bone.
You grab the window you want and shake it back and forth.
All other maximized windows will then minimize.
Many other tasks and options have been made easier in Windows 7.
Adding printers is easy.
And their printer support is vast, something Vista had issues with initially.
Backups are done much better in Windows 7.
7 also has support for virtual disks using VHD file format.
Security is also handled much better in this iteration.
The feature set is extensive and far too broad to be covered here.
Windows 7 is a great OS release after the Vista debacle.
It delivers on what it promises.
It loads faster, makes things easier, and is visually appealing.