How To Use Windows 7 To Your Advantage
Chances are you’re going to be using Windows 7 at work if not at home within the next couple of years since it’s a new, fairly successful Windows operating system. Windows 7 comes packed with new and improved features. If you’re upgrading from Windows XP, a lot of it will be unfamiliar to you and even Vista users will have a few new things to learn. I’ve put together this small guide to the new operating system so you can start to use it effectively from the first day – without the help of IT support.
If you’re a business user upgrading from XP, one of the first things you should install is the Virtual XP mode. This will ensure that all of your previous applications continue working on your new operating system without any of the typical upgrading snags. This option is only available to professional and business users, however, so those at home will have to find other options for older software.
Second, the search function is different. When you open up the start menu in Windows 7, there is a small search bar at the bottom. This bar will search your whole system and has replaced the previous search function. Windows 7′s search is called Federated Search and it doesn’t just find files. It also finds programs and functions that match your keywords. This is an easy way to track down buried files or programs hidden behind layers of folders.
Another relatively new feature is the pin function. This was introduced for programs in the start menu in Vista but Windows 7 has expanded its functionality. If you have a program or file you use most of the time, you can pin it to your start menu and taskbar for easy access and visibility at all times. You’ll never have to hunt through all of your files for your CV again.
Windows 7 also introduces the Libraries feature. This is a new way to organize your files and folders, making them easier than ever to access and edit. For professional users, Libraries are a fantastic way to organize projects or to share data between employees – a feature worth trying out.
Microsoft has updated Windows Aero, the user interface for the Windows Operating System. They’ve added three new ways for you to control your open windows. If you shake a window, all other open windows will fade into the background, making it easier for you to focus on the task at hand. Shake a second time and they’ll all appear again. You can also snap windows alongside one another, allowing for easy comparison without the hassle of resizing and moving two or three windows around. Lastly, you can see through windows and preview windows on the taskbar, so you’ll never lose your most important documents.
Security is one of a modern business’s big concerns and there are a few new functions in Windows 7 to help you out. For one thing, your computer’s security information is all displayed in one place, the Action Center. This makes it easy for you to check that everything is okay. If something has gone wrong, though, the Problem Steps Recorder will take a snapshot of your issues and send it to your IT team, eliminating confusing and frustrating phone calls for good.
If you’ve made or plan to make the switch to Windows 7, I hope these tips will help you to reach your full potential with this new operating system.
About the Author
Meghan Burton is a professional copywriter writing on behalf of Octavia IT services.
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