The Digital DoorMatt : Windows

Windows – from evolution to revolution

digitaldive — Fri, 29 May 2009 15:54:48 GMT

I was speaking to a customer the other day about Windows 7, and it really got me thinking about how the Windows platform has evolved.

Back in the day, the operating system used to be all about doing other ‘stuff’, running applications, accessing websites and so forth. It was almost ‘transparent’ to the user, and this was certainly the perception of customers and users. It was a springboard so that we could do all the other things we needed from a PC, and everything on the OS was there to support this notion.

Even as the OS evolved from 1, 2, 3.1, 95 and the like, the advancements and evolution were there to make the experience of everything running on the PC more seamless, secure, stable and rich.

Then we take today, with the new generations of Operating System, like Vista, and soon with Windows 7. Yes they have evolved to the point where they are far more secure, stable and rich then they have ever been.

However, the OS isn’t just about enabling you to do ‘other stuff’ any more. Now it really is a platform of capability. Take some of the new features in 7 for example, a lot of which I've already blogged about, like Direct Access, AppLocker and BitLocker. Whilst these aren’t applications as such, it really shows how the OS has become a solution platform in itself, adding distinct and tangible value before we even start thinking about everything else we can add (install) to do the other things we need from our PC.

From a personal point of view, I’ve certainly seen and felt the benefits of the new generation. I feel more productive with Direct Access for example, knowing I can truly work from anywhere, with access to all of the resources I need, without having to worry about dodgy VPN connections and the like.

It’s an exciting time, bring on the release of 7!

Windows 7 - they now have a blog

digitaldive — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 13:50:45 GMT

The next release of Windows, currently code named Windows 7, now has it's own blog. Set up by Jon DeVaan and Steven Sinofsky, two senior engineering managers for Windows 7, the "Engineering Windows 7", or E7 blog, will begin divulging insights around the Windows 7 project.

You can visit the blog at http://blogs.msdn.com/e7/

P.S. Above logo inserted for nostalgia's sake only :)

Clear your desktop....

digitaldive — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 20:02:00 GMT

Things have been a bit quiet on my blog recently, mainly due to attending TechReady 6 in Seattle to learn about the latest and greatest Microsoft technologies, and also due to various training engagements I've been involved in. However, I'm back to blog!

When looking at your cluttered, document covered desk, did you ever just want to sweep everything off your desk, either for the pleasant feeling of a clean desk, or because you had an important visitor coming? A great feeling, but easier said than done.

Have you ever thought the same of your Windows desktop? There are so many people who store practically every document they have on their desktop, for "convenience" (but then struggle to find the document they need!) Well, with Windows, it's easy to temporarily clear your desktop, whether that be for a customer meeting, or simply for that "minimalist" feeling. Select "Show Desktop Icons" by right-clicking the desktop, and hover over "View" in Windows Vista, or over "Arrange Icons by" in Windows XP, and boom, a nice, clean, clear desktop. You can restore your desktop to its original "state" by repeating the above.

Enjoy a clutter-free desktop!