What’s new in Windows 7 RC’s taskbar
Posted on May 31, 2009 at 5:37 am
Windows 7 release candidate has arrived. I have it installed on my desktop and just like the previous releases – I had no problems with the installation. The installation experience is much easier than Windows XP or Vista. I only needed to choose if I want to upgrade or install a new Windows 7 system.
Then you need to choose which disk partition you want it to be installed and then that’s it! The installation wascompleted in less than an hour.
There are also cool useful enhancements on the taskbar. Now you can pin a program on the taskbar by dragging the program’s icon to the taskbar.
If a program is running it’s icon in the taskbar is lightly embossed. So in the example above you can tell that I have IE, Yahoo Messenger and Windows Live Writer open. All other icons are inactive – they act as a shortcut to the programs. I think this is a great way to bookmark favorite programs. Users won’t have to click the Start button first just to access their favorite programs as in Windows XP.
If you hover on an active program’s icon you will see a thumbnail of all windows used by that program. Immediately users can see a preview of what is loaded in the active program.
If you right click an item on the taskbar, context sensitive shortcuts will appear. This is also called a Jump List. For example an IE window will show you your most frequently accessed websites:
The jump list is different for each program. If you right click Word, all frequently opened Word files will appear. If you right click Media Player, all frequently opened media files will appear.
Removing an icon on the taskbar is done by right clicking the icon and then choosing unpin this program from taskbar:
For users who are used to seeing the program labels on the taskbar, this new taskbar features might take a while for them to get used to. I guess the Windows 7 developers are assuming that users are familiar enough with their program’s icons that they don’t need labels anymore.
Windows 7 has a lot more cool features. Make sure to visit us again for more Windows 7 reviews.
If you want to try out Windows 7, I have an article posted before that will guide you on how to legally get and burn a Windows 7 ISO on a bootable disc.
Ben Carigtan shows you how it’s done.
» Filed Under Windows 7
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I only wish it would also allow to *minimize* a program by dragging a running one onto a taskbar. This would follow the suite of maximizing it by dragging it to the top or “half-tiling” by dragging it top a side.
Is it just me or is this nothing more than moving desktop icons to the taskbar? So far, everything I’ve seen in Windows 7, Windows Vista, XP and even ME, 98, 95 handled as well…
We already CAN drag and drop icons to the taskbar to the best of my knowledge. There already is a show desktop button (instead of the bottom right corner idea)…
What’s going on here?
Hi,
Any damn fool can right click to pin, as long as that option is there. I would like you to be MORE helpful by telling me how to pin when the option is NOT there on the right click!
If your knowledge extends beyond the obvious, I’d appreciate your sharing it. I haven’t found anyone on all the windows 7 sites who can go beyond the obvious. I’m getting tired of trying on my own, and also searching the internet for an answer!