Cyber Dimensions....

Microsoft is currently moving onward with the development of Windows 7, having passed Milestone 3 with the operating system. According to Steven Sinofsky, senior vice president, Windows and Windows Live Engineering Group, the Redmond company is now cooking the Beta 1 release of Windows 7. But even as early as Windows 7 Milestone 3 pre-Beta Build 6801 and 6801+, discernible details, components and features across the next iteration of the Windows client come with the promise of making users forget all about Windows Vista Service Pack 1 and even SP2, or even Windows XP Service Pack 3.

"We’ve had a pretty incredible couple of weeks at the PDC and WinHEC. Based on what we talked about you can imagine we are all rather busy as we transition from milestone 3 to beta. We trust many of you are enjoying 6801 (or perhaps we should say 6801+)," revealed Sinofsky earlier this week.

With Windows 7 pre-Beta Build 6801 changes stretch from the surface to under-the-hood optimizations, with the client evolving from both the perspective of the graphical user interface, user experience and interaction model but also in regard to the actual architecture of the operating system, with repercussions on performance, new capabilities and features, as well as compatibility and support.

The Windows 7 Desktop:

At the Professional Developers Conference 2008 in Los Angeles at the end of October, Chaitanya Sareen, a senior program manager for Microsoft, delivered a session in which he emphasized the evolution of the various elements on the desktop from Windows Vista to Windows 7. Sareen was already running a Windows 7 development milestone higher than Build 6801, namely Build 6933, which, of course, is still in pre-Beta stage. The entire presentation packaged as a WMV is available for download via this link.

According to Sareen, the key goals with the Windows 7 desktop include: "things you use all the time are at your fingertips – it is easy to get the programs and destinations you use all the time, with less mouse movement and fewer clicks. Manage your windows with confidence – you can switch to the right windows quickly without mistakes and effortlessly position windows the way you want them. You are in control – the desktop reflects your style; you get to personalize the experience, choosing what is important to you, including how and when you receive notifications. Clean and lightweight – the desktop experience feels organized, light, open and is a pleasure to use; visuals and animations are delighters the first time and every time."

more @ http://news.softpedia.com/news/Windows-7-20-Features-to-Make-Users-Forget-Vista-SP1-SP2-and-XP-SP3-97979.shtml