The best and the worst things about windows 7

Discussion in 'Windows 7' started by TECHNOMAN, Feb 26, 2011.

  1. TECHNOMAN

    TECHNOMAN MDL Senior Member

    Jan 19, 2009
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    Hi all
    Now most have been using windows 7 for sometime

    i thought i would ask what most user like about it & dislike

    also what improvements could been made in the next generation of windows

    most know windows vista was a let down that promise alot but failed to deliver

    So please share your likes & dislikes & possiable improvements that could be made
     
  2. Gremo

    Gremo MDL Member

    Feb 19, 2011
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    Like: all; dislike: TDR issue.
     
  3. tia

    tia MDL Novice

    Nov 22, 2010
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    worst: removal of classic StartMenu, Windows explorer
    best: anything else
     
  4. tcntad

    tcntad MDL Guru

    Oct 26, 2009
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    uhm we're talking W7 right?

    In my opinion there's nothing bad about 7.. Its a great OS.
     
  5. Enigma256

    Enigma256 MDL Senior Member

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    #5 Enigma256, Feb 27, 2011
    Last edited: Feb 27, 2011
    Worst (and the one and only reason why my primary machine is still XP): Windows Explorer is completely FUBAR in Vista and Windows 7.
    Best: Everything else

    What's wrong with Explorer? It's a long list, but the ones that piss me off the most are:

    * Loss of selection preservation when sorting. This is fracking Listbox Design 101: selections should be preserved. And it was preserved in every Explorer prior to Vista (and in File Manager before that). Whoever was the idiot who broke this *basic* UI function should be lynched.

    * Inconsistent behavior with new additions to a directory; sometimes new files appear at the bottom (and by "new", I don't necessarily mean that the timestamp is newer, but that the file was just added to the directory; could be an old file moved from elsewhere, for example), and sometimes additions to a directory are automatically sorted in. In XP, not only was this consistent, but it always did the right thing: put new additions at the bottom until you selected a different sort order or refreshed the view. Makes sense from a workflow perspective: I just moved a bunch of files in; maybe I need to process them immediately afterwards. That doesn't work well if, the second they come in, they are lost in the mix.

    * Combining the two REALLY annoying behaviors above, changes to the contents of a directory--additions or removals of items--will sometimes (but not always--there we go again with the consistency!) destroy your current selection. So let's say I select a bunch of files. I create a 7z file out of them. Sometimes, after that 7z file has been created, everything becomes deselected.

    * Full row select that can no longer be toggled off (at least in Vista, you could disable it). Makes dragging files into a directory harder because if you drag something onto an item, you are invoking an action on that item, and with full-row select, there is far less "empty" space with which you can drag onto without invoking such an action.

    * The removal of the search UI. Yea, we get that the little search box at the top is cute, but sometimes, I want to search for all *.c files that contain the string "foobar". I can't do that any more. Not to mention the loss of other search functionality, like easy-to-specify date ranges and file sizes. And no, the special search operators don't cut it: their functionality is limited and, really, it's far easier to specify multiple parameters with a UI (esp. when you need to frequently modify search parameters). You know that you've taking too much from the UI when the only way to do what I used to be able to do is to install grep to %PATH% and do such searches from the command line, Unix-style.

    * The status bar is replace by an info pane that, in some cases, gives me less information. When clicking on a DLL, at the very least, you should tell me who the author/publisher is. And it'd be nice to have the version and component name. I got all of that in NT 5.x. In NT 6.x, I need to open up the file properties to look at this info! Update: I forgot to mention that this info pane no longer tells you the total size of all the files in a directory. And if you select a lot of files, it won't tell you what the size of that selection is until you check on the "More details" link. Okay, I get that enumerating certain types of information for 200 files is time-consuming so you hide that behind a link, but file size information is not one of them, since that's information that you can get without accessing the file itself (in contrast to, say, a NTFS stream; in fact, it's information that was retrieved in the process of showing the directory).

    Other annoyances (though not as bad):

    * The folder navigation pane. This is another one of those compromises that I hate. By default, MSFT disables expanding the folder view tree in the navigation pane and syncing your position in that pane with the location that you are currently in. On the face of it, this makes sense because syncing with the tree is a slow, high-latency operation. Always has been (though it's seems worse in NT6 than it was in NT5), so, understandably, MSFT disables it by default. In NT5, this was handled by hiding the navigation pane by default, but it could be easily toggled on or off with a click of an easily-accessible toolbar button. In NT6, that toolbar button is gone, and toggling the navigation pane on or off is now a tedious menu-digging process. So now MSFT shows the nav pane by default, but just disables syncing by default. The correct solution, from a UI design standpoint, to this particular problem is to make it sync on command. So that you don't incur that high-latency sync when you don't care about it. This is, after all, what the MSDN Library and Microsoft's own HTML Help system has always done. The problem is that, while Microsoft did add this feature to Explorer, it's hard to discover and harder to invoke. It's accessible only through the context menu of the whitespace in the nav pane. And not just any whitespace, because full-row select in the nav pane means that whitespace to the left and right will give you that items context menu, and only small slivers of whitespace at the very top, very bottom, and between groups are eligible for the nav pane context menu. No keyboard shortcuts. No toolbar/commandbar buttons. But a hard-to-discover, hard-to-invoke command that requires at least two clicks (more if you need to scroll around to find an eligible piece of whitespace). WHO THE F*CK IS IN CHARGE OF END-USER USABILITY ON THE SHELL TEAM?!?!

    * Details view: NT6 tries to be "helpful" by selecting an appropriate mode, whether it be thumbnails or details mode, for a given directory. This default is better than NT5, which was to show everything in large icon mode by default. But what NT5 had was the ability to make the detail view the default for every folder, regardless of content or context. AFAIK, I can't do that in NT6's Explorer. And that SUCKS. Because I want everything in that nice, columned detail view, even if it's a folder of pictures or videos (if I want a preview of the pictures, I can easily switch into thumbnail view, but 90% of the time, the detail view is the most appropriate for me, esp. if I don't want to incur the preview costs--and no, disabling the preview feature is unacceptable, because I still want to be able to get previews on-demand by switching to thumbnail view).

    Yea, Explorer is prettier and all, but there was no need to go around breaking basic functionality (e.g., selection preservation) and f*cking up usability to accomplish that. And, frankly, it reeks of sloppiness. I've done work in user interface / user experience design before, and is the kind of poorly-designed crap that would get a person fired.

    And the sad thing is that I really like Windows 7. But I'm the kind of person who does a lot of stuff around the system, and this amount of brokenness with Explorer is simply unacceptable and is a deal-breaker for me. So while I've upgraded all my secondary systems to W7, my main system remains XP and will remain XP for the forseeable future, especially since, instead of getting better, Windows 7 made the Explorer situation (which was broken in Vista) even worse.
     
  6. burfadel

    burfadel MDL EXE>MSP/CAB

    Aug 19, 2009
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    With Explorer, who selects 'Details' view over tile or icon view?
     
  7. Enigma256

    Enigma256 MDL Senior Member

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    I do, for every folder. :p Call me old-fashioned, but I like having size and date information handy and the information presented in a way that allows for quick scanning. Details view is also faster. I switch into thumbnails view only if I actually need/want a preview (which I often do not).
     
  8. burfadel

    burfadel MDL EXE>MSP/CAB

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    Same here, I think the icon/tile view is useless for any folder other than with images.
     
  9. cibomatto2002

    cibomatto2002 MDL Novice

    Jan 30, 2011
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    I like everything about Windows 7.
     
  10. burleymr07

    burleymr07 MDL Junior Member

    Dec 24, 2010
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    the only thing i dont like is how windows updates is done in windows vista and windows 7

    i like how in windows xp you went to internet explorer and the updates where there and you clicked on them to install.
     
  11. Myrrh

    Myrrh MDL Expert

    Nov 26, 2008
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    +1 all the complaints about Explorer.

    How about: the green ribbon of death. Or how long it takes to think about doing something like copy a large number of files, before it ever actually starts doing what you asked.

    I also use detail view quite a bit. And I get quite annoyed when looking at a folder full of files that are obviously not in any way related to music, but it insists that the columns I want to see include "Contributing Artists" "Rating" and "Album" but not "Size" or "Date Modified"
     
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  12. Trinket

    Trinket MDL Senior Member

    Feb 20, 2010
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    I do think it's a mistake to have taken the classic style start menu out of Win7, but then again even if they left it in they probably wouldn't have made an aero option for it. But ClassicShell does a great and better job, and I would run it even if the classic start menu from Vista era would be present in Win7 (h t t p://classicshell.sourceforge.net ). It is highly customizable and you can add in extra skins and change anything about it, really. It also adds functionality to explorer itself. If you have not tried this app you really need to check this out! Honestly, I loathe the Win7 start menu and NEVER use it.

    I also had to get used to the automatic sorting of items you drop into a folder, and for a long time I wished it would keep the latest file on the bottom of the file list, but after I while I got used to the Win7 way, which is just to have Date Modified and Date Created sorting tabs present and click on those to see what's when.

    I also had to get used to the slow double-clicking of files where it only selects the file name itself, not the format/extension. I think they might have made it an option to select the entire file name plus extension if you choose to allow file extensions to show (not to be hidden).

    I guess there's a lot of things I don't particularly like about default Win7 settings because I have literally 100's of reg tweaks automatically apply with every install of my customized discs, so... yes, I'd say there is a lot in a vanilla 7 install that is not desirable as such.

    Another thing I don't like is all the 'tags' and 'rating' crap for multimedia files as it does by default in explorer windows for multimedia folders. I use specific (and preferably small) apps for certain files, so I like either AIMP, WinAmp, or XMplay for audio files, I never use WMP for music at all. It is so cumbersome and intrusive (all this automatic adding to libraries crap), I like lite and functional.

    I do like the Library concept and use it, as it's so easy to heap multiple location under the header "Music" and it be so easily accessible through the navigation panel. But I do remove all default locations for the Libraries and have them point to my own locations instead.

    I do NOT like the "Include in Library" and "Burn" in the Explorer bar, to me that is so random and the Burn part is pushy to me because I don't use Windows burning at all, and I really doubt a ton of people are looking for that, but OK. But at least make it easily customizable then, that bar, and not hard-code it in there like everyone wants that.

    Personally I find it kind of dumb of MS to not promote Windows Visual Style mods... why don't THEY make a nice site for that to stimulate this area of interest that so many people are into? (Better yet, why don't they make a good skinning app???) Just like Winamp has a skinning page, why doesn't MS do this? Yes, agreed, skinning an OS is a little more intricate than an app, but nonetheless people are doing it successfully. I'm just saying, by not promoting or showing an interest, MS itself is causing all this OS interest to fall into soil that only distances people from MS and makes them appears stand-offish to the people's interest in their product. In other words, why not create a wave of public interest and celebration out of it, rather than just scuffing at win mods? Give people what they want, connect everywhere you can, don't be the big corporation. I mean seriously, why does a 14 year old kid need to develop a tool to change out the start button orb for Win7? MS can make stuff like that work flawlessly and without problems.

    Who's with me about the GIGANTIC shortcut arrow? Really, does it need to be that big to take over 1/4th of an icon? I didn't think so either... Sure, keep that size for Accessibility mode, but not for default mode, make it small, make it look good.

    But I guess tweaking is part of the fun, tho I'd have to say a lot of that type of fun could also be fun doing other things, so who knows, maybe MS is reading this thread. I don't think that's that improbable. If I wanted to know what someone thought I'd go somewhere where people speak plainly. But, then again, maybe the sales numbers are good and they don't care...
     
  13. Enigma256

    Enigma256 MDL Senior Member

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    Thanks; I didn't know about ClassicShell. I was thinking that I'd have to hack up Explorer if I'm ever going to migrate from XP, but it looks like other people had the same thoughts! :) There are some features missing, like a search UI. :( But it's open-source, so if nobody adds that feature in the near future, I could add it myself. Adding selection preservation to ClassicShell should be possible, too; intercept LVN_COLUMNCLICK, probe the current selection state, and then restore that state after the sort is done. Would really like to also interdict the auto-sort, though I doubt that would be very easy to hook into...
     
  14. TECHNOMAN

    TECHNOMAN MDL Senior Member

    Jan 19, 2009
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    Hi All
    Thanks For Your Response & Views Most Seem To Hate Internet Explorer Which Is Package With Most Version Of Windows Vista & Windows 7

    I Guss Most Of Us Use Other Browser Like Firefox Opera Chrome & Others

    But As User & Customers Of M$ OS What Improvements Would You Like To Be Added To Windows 7 Or Windows 8
    As There Is Alot Of Talented People On This Site What Scripts Can Be Use To Improve Say Speed Performance & General Enjoyment Of Using Windows

    Should Developers Improve Certain Features Also As Most Homes Now Have More Than 1 Pc It Must Be Time Microsoft Follow The Example Of Kaspersky,Norton & Many More Antivirus Companys & Offer a 3 or 5 Licence Pack As Most Familys Have One Desktop Pc & Son/Daughter Laptops

    So Anymore Rspones Would Be Great

    Thanks Inadvance
     
  15. Enigma256

    Enigma256 MDL Senior Member

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    #15 Enigma256, Feb 27, 2011
    Last edited: Feb 27, 2011
    Um, when people talk about "Explorer", we usually mean "Windows Explorer" (a.k.a., the shell). We do not mean "Internet Explorer" unless we explicitly specify the "Internet" (Windows Explorer predates Internet Explorer and is the original "Explorer" after which other Microsoft "[something] Explorer" products--like IE--are named). Besides, if we hated IE, that's easy to fix: just install a proper browser like Firefox. There really aren't any viable alternatives to the shell.
     
  16. Myrrh

    Myrrh MDL Expert

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    By the way, please learn proper use of capital letters and especially learn to add some punctuation to your posts, it goes a long way for readability.
     
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  17. piercekalton

    piercekalton MDL Senior Member

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    what's stopping you from using XP explorer in windows 7? jw... I honestly don't know the answer.
     
  18. piercekalton

    piercekalton MDL Senior Member

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    #19 piercekalton, Mar 1, 2011
    Last edited: Mar 1, 2011
    I agree here 100% and I do agree with some of your other points...

    I wonder if Gates resignation from CEO has something to do with these issues? he may have had more of a role as CEO than we think. now he's gone, or maybe specific people that worked with him have been given lesser roles? something to think about

    I agree here, but I disagree it's a deal breaker, I like Windows 7.
     
  19. piercekalton

    piercekalton MDL Senior Member

    Apr 2, 2010
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    I always use list or details