The Student News Site of Central Oregon Community College

The Broadside

The Student News Site of Central Oregon Community College

The Broadside

The Student News Site of Central Oregon Community College

The Broadside

Windows 7: Microsoft’s best Operating System to date

Bethany Hargrove
The Broadside


Computer nerds always get excited about a new operating system. It’s just the way things are. So when I heard about Microsoft’s newest exploration into the realm of operating systems, I was ecstatic and more than a little skeptical.
Microsoft’s last OS, Windows Vista, is widely regarded at the second biggest flop in the history of operating systems. Vista is unusually susceptible to viruses and system failures, and is not compatible with most video games and programs, making it only useful for the casual computer user.
However, Microsoft listened to their user complaints about just about every OS when they created the masterpiece that is Windows 7. Firewall, security, ease of sharing files, software compatibility—Windows 7 has it all. What XP lacked or Vista had but was poor, Windows 7 makes up for and more.
Windows 7 is streamlined, classy, and very pretty to look at, unlike Windows XP. Filesharing between computers is very easy, thanks to the HomeGroup setup, but only between machines running some form of Windows.
Also new with Windows 7 and the Shake, Peek, and Snap features. Shake allows you to minimize every window on the screen except the one you’re working on, which is fun and saves time. The reaction time is fast.
Peek hides all the windows but the one you want to view via a simple mouseover, saving time and bother. The other windows don’t disappear entirely, though, which can be annoying. They simply turn glass-colored.
Snap is probably the most useful of the whiny new features. Snap minimizes and resizes your windows just by moving them around. For example, if you’re working on a research paper and you’re copy-pasting direct quotes from a source, mousing, clicking, and minimizing and restoring takes up a lot of time. Snap allows you to simply move the windows side by side without hassle.
Windows 7 is also the leader in customization. Everything can be changed to suit your taste, from sounds to taskbar color and opacity to how often, if ever, your desktop image changes automatically.
Overall, Windows 7 is by far Microsoft’s best operating system to date.

You may contact Bethany Hargrove at [email protected]

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