I've been using Windows Control Panel since about 1990 or so. Each successive iteration of Windows brings new features dreamed up by the brains in Redmond, and also includes applets that are installed by other applications not part of the operating system.
One neat applet that comes with Windows 7 is the Windows Experience Index. This checks the hardware that makes up the PC and scores it to provide the user with a benchmark to rate the PC's relative performance. Since I bought a new PC with Windows 7 as part of gearing up to go back to school, I have wasted entirely too much time in trying to raise my hardware scores.
Another useful part of the management tools that come with Win 7 is the Resource Monitor "snap-in" that gives information about how the computer's resources are being used. While this was present in Windows XP, much of the information given as to how system memory calls were being made was not very useful. This has been changed in Win 7, now memory hooks are clearly labeled as to the system service that is using them. This should make troubleshooting the presence of viruses and malware on a machine easier and less time consuming.
Yay for Microsoft!
Sunday, November 24, 2013
Sunday, November 17, 2013
November 17, 2013 - Chapter 5 - Personalizing Your Work Experience
Another week too full of other things means that once again I am skirting a deadline to get this entry in. This was another interesting chapter, full of new takes on old ways.
I have to say, the more I delve into Windows 7 using this textbook, the more impressed I am. For instance, it has been possible to change colors and themes in the desktop since Windows 3.1, but I had no idea that Win 7 allows you to change the color by altering hue, saturation and brightness.
Other personalization ideas, like desktop photo screen savers have been around awhile and still work well.
I read somewhere recently that the difference between Vista and Win 7 is that Vista was produced by teams working independently with no communication , and that 7 was produced by teams with a great deal of intercommunication. I believe it.
Color me impressed - in hue, saturation and brightness!
I have to say, the more I delve into Windows 7 using this textbook, the more impressed I am. For instance, it has been possible to change colors and themes in the desktop since Windows 3.1, but I had no idea that Win 7 allows you to change the color by altering hue, saturation and brightness.
Other personalization ideas, like desktop photo screen savers have been around awhile and still work well.
I read somewhere recently that the difference between Vista and Win 7 is that Vista was produced by teams working independently with no communication , and that 7 was produced by teams with a great deal of intercommunication. I believe it.
Color me impressed - in hue, saturation and brightness!
Sunday, November 10, 2013
November 10, 2013 - Chapter 4 - Personal Information Management and Communication
This chapter was a good, basic overview of using Microsoft's suite of tools for communications purposes including e-mail, calendaring, newsgroups and instant messaging.
I'm not sure that I would ever be in the position to use their somewhat kludgy tools like Windows Live mail and Windows Live Messenger, but the calendaring tool is pretty useful. Now that my life runs on Android and GMail, I think Microsoft has missed the boat. I literally don't know anyone who still uses their email suite; using Windows Live Mail to read newsgroups, forsooth!
Having said all that, it is possible that I will be stuck in a corporate environment someday where an incredibly short-sighted or cheap (or both!) management mandate the use of these very basic tools, so it was helpful to get to know them.
Other nuggets of knowledge in this chapter including subscribing to, viewing and deleting RSS feeds and Web Slices using Internet Explorer. Again, I will continue to use the other browsers out there like Chrome and Firefox (99% Chrome, really) to view RSS feeds, and as I had never heard of the Web Slice technology until I read through this chapter it doesn't seem to be taking the world by storm or anything.
The chapter also gives a brief brushing by the concepts behind chat rooms, blogs, wikis and social networking. As Microsoft doesn't have any purposed software for those platforms it does not go into any great deal, however.
Have a great week -- until my next installment in the wild, wacky, wonderful world of Windows 7!
I'm not sure that I would ever be in the position to use their somewhat kludgy tools like Windows Live mail and Windows Live Messenger, but the calendaring tool is pretty useful. Now that my life runs on Android and GMail, I think Microsoft has missed the boat. I literally don't know anyone who still uses their email suite; using Windows Live Mail to read newsgroups, forsooth!
Having said all that, it is possible that I will be stuck in a corporate environment someday where an incredibly short-sighted or cheap (or both!) management mandate the use of these very basic tools, so it was helpful to get to know them.
Other nuggets of knowledge in this chapter including subscribing to, viewing and deleting RSS feeds and Web Slices using Internet Explorer. Again, I will continue to use the other browsers out there like Chrome and Firefox (99% Chrome, really) to view RSS feeds, and as I had never heard of the Web Slice technology until I read through this chapter it doesn't seem to be taking the world by storm or anything.
The chapter also gives a brief brushing by the concepts behind chat rooms, blogs, wikis and social networking. As Microsoft doesn't have any purposed software for those platforms it does not go into any great deal, however.
Have a great week -- until my next installment in the wild, wacky, wonderful world of Windows 7!
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Chapter 3 - File and Folder Managment
Well, this week poor time management practices have me hard up against a midnight deadline. This chapter covers the basics of working with files and folders in the Windows 7 graphical environment.
It's much the same as earlier versions of Windows, but tweaked to keep things fresh. I liked the 'Aero Shake' feature, which allows a user to minimize all the windows except the active window by shaking the title bar of the active window. Neat-O.
See you next week!
Well, this week poor time management practices have me hard up against a midnight deadline. This chapter covers the basics of working with files and folders in the Windows 7 graphical environment.
It's much the same as earlier versions of Windows, but tweaked to keep things fresh. I liked the 'Aero Shake' feature, which allows a user to minimize all the windows except the active window by shaking the title bar of the active window. Neat-O.
See you next week!
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