Trial and error
By Charles Miller

The big news in the computer world this month is that Microsoft Windows 7 RC-1 made its official debut. Windows 7 will be the next major release of the world’s most popular operating system. RC stands for Release Candidate, shorthand for the trial version now being made available to beta testers worldwide.

The commercial release of Windows 7 is expected sometime in 2010. But when?

Nobody knows the answer to that question yet, and the reason is that Microsoft is going all out in an effort to avoid a repeat of the debacle which was the launch of Vista, the last major Windows release almost three years ago. Microsoft insists the exact timing of the next release will be based on quality above all else.

Microsoft says “Vista is the fastest selling operating system of all time.” You have to ask if that would be true if buyers had not been forced to buy Vista after Microsoft stopped selling Windows XP. Spokesman John Curran is quoted as saying Vista had proved to be a success for Microsoft, despite the negative press. I do not see anyone buying that.

The last time around, Vista was issued five months after the release candidate was made available. This time Microsoft promises Windows 7 will be released only when it is ready. To be sure, they would only be saying that to avoid another disaster.

So, what can we users expect to see when Windows 7 is eventually released?

First, Windows 7 has been designed to have system requirements compatible with existing hardware, so that users with up-to-date systems do not have to invest in a brand new computer. Last year’s computer will do okay.

The same goes for software. Windows 7 includes “Windows XP Mode,” which is a virtual machine that can run older software applications that would not run under Vista.

Windows 7 promises usability improvements on Vista, and enhanced security measures. More than that, indications are that Microsoft has been reexamining every aspect of its operating system to make improvements, even showing a willingness to reinvent the wheel.

Beta testers reported Windows 7 is faster than Vista in the start-up and shutdown sequence. Microsoft concedes they were able to shave 400 milliseconds off the shutdown time by shortening the music. This indicates the level of detail and scrutiny applied to streamlining and eliminating unnecessary bloat in Windows 7.

A lot of the programs, such as Windows Media Player and Internet Explorer, are always updated to the latest version with each iteration of Windows, but programs like Paint, Calculator and WordPad usually remain the same. This time around, even these core applications have received makeovers to add features and improve their usability.

A big part of the usability improvement in Windows 7 is its built-in troubleshooting. A computer that is self-healing would put programmers like myself out of work, but I am not worried. Nothing can fully maintain itself forever, and Windows 7 is no exception. However, the built-in troubleshooting feature is very good at finding and fixing common problems. That leaves it to technicians such as me to deal with the uncommon issues.

Microsoft says they have “learned lessons” and have been working to ensure mistakes will not be repeated. So far, every indication is that this time Microsoft is getting it right!


Charles Miller is a freelance computer consultant, a frequent visitor to San Miguel since 1981 and now practically a full-time resident. He may be contacted at 044 (415) 101-8528 or email FAQ8 (at) SMAguru.com.