Windows 7 Advantages and Disadvantages



Windows 7 Advantages and Disadvantages

Introduction

The Windows 7 operating system is essentially a sturdier version of Vista, with a few bells and whistles added in for good measure. Features that distinguish Windows 7 from the Vista experience, and considerably from what was provided with XP, are centered around streamlining the user experience, maximizing every last drop from the graphical user interface, improving hardware management and the development of new security measures. As an added bonus, WordPad has been completely overhauled and now conforms to an Office 2007 style asthetic convention.

Advantages and Disadvantages

As we approach the release of Windows 7 this October, what advantages and disadvantages exist for firms, legal practitioners, and the thousands of IT & litigation support professionals who assist them in their efforts?

Advantages to Upgrading Windows 7

Interface earns users

The relative ease of a user interface, whether it's a car stereo or a computer, will ultimately determine the success of the product in the eyes of the consumer. As exemplified by products such as the Apple iPhone or a Garmin GPS unit, the environment that the user operates in can ultimately differentiate the success of one product versus another. Windows 7 is an exceptionally well done graphical interface and the glossy “web 2.0-ish” style effects and animation add to the overall experience for end users. The inclusion of the Sidebar area, introduced in Vista as an information center, can be expanded internally for firms to include critical information and content, such as immediate access to Court decisions right from the desktop or breaking news that could impact a client. This iteration of the Windows interface offers the greatest possible chance for business users to connect to routine information directly from their desktop.

XP Mode

“XP Mode” within Windows 7 is basically an emulator running a virtual instance of the Windows XP API/kernel. Personally, I think users would have appreciated a slightly more streamlined system - preferably one that didn't entail requiring support professionals to explain the concept, methods and limitations of software virtualization! Despite this fact, this feature can provide an advantage to firms that utilize litigation specific software that might not be fully supported by Windows 7, or older legacy software not supported at all. This can be of a particular advantage for many government or public agencies that are considering the upgrade to Windows 7, yet own or license software that is no longer supported or maintained.

Windows 7 includes features

Almost every firm purchases additional software beyond what is offered directly from Microsoft, such as applications for Blackberry servers (BES), virtualization, encryption and remote desktop access. Microsoft has attempted to create a comprehensive package in terms of an operating system - one that provides more than a “shell” for installing other applications. Instead, while Windows 7 does not eliminate the need to utilize the resources of other software providers (such as running a Blackberry Enterprise Server) it does include more software and features than have been found in previous versions of ...