Top Windows 7 Features?
Over on Betanews, Scott Fulton, one of the main writers, has started a list of the top 10 features he thinks are making Windows 7 better than previous versions. Most of the features are debatable either pro or con, with some points possibly made for either side, but his #4 point, where he asserts that the Windows Explorer (file manager) is superior to previous versions, the train comes off the rails. Even the Windows 7 fanboys think he’s nuts.
He begins by excusing Microsoft for never having a decent file manager with the statement -
Over the last few decades of Windows’ existence, Microsoft has wrestled with the problem of how much control it should give users over the arrangement and organization of files on their computers. In a perfect world, users shouldn’t have to care about their \Windows\System32 or \Windows\SysWOW64 directories, so a good file manager shouldn’t make the mistake of exposing users to information they don’t know how to deal with. On the other hand, knowledgeable users will need to have access to system directories in such a way that they don’t have to jump through hoops to find them.
Here he is exactly right about the latter point, but as to the former, who cares? The users that Microsoft wants to attract are the idiots who want to be so protected from everything that they never use the file manager view of Explorer, instead using the Computer (for Vista) or My Computer icon for XP. That is, the ones who look at files other than when called by a program that acts upon them - there are scads of these users – totally oblivious to everything, and wondering why the computer drive is full, as none of the temp files, from improper shutdown, have been removed in years, along with all the other cruft left behind by their daily onslaught to good sense and computer usage.
Next, Mr. Fulton speaks of the fact that, after the many user tests, and confirmations of, file managers are best formed with at least 2 window panes, Microsoft has still not seen fit to give the user of Windows 7 two panes.
To my way of thinking, this undoes any statements of how the Microsoft designers give a damn about usability, and with that little enclave from Redmond, it’s always “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!” In short, if they cared about usability, Windows would have had a 2-pane manager back in the days of Windows 3.1, because it was known back then. In those days, as now, the replacement file managers that are well used by people who also use Windows, have a 2-pane interface. (I’ll refrain from restating them, you either know what I speak of, or you are of the ignorant hordes, who probably are disgusted already that you’ve been classified according to your file management capabilities.
Nonetheless, the apology for Microsoft continues with the explanation that two windows of the file manager can be brought up, side by side – newsflash – this has been available since Windows 3.0. What the author thinks makes this different somehow, is a feature called AeroSnap, described thusly -
You open the first pane the usual way — for instance, by selecting Computer from the Start Menu. Then drag that new window by its title bar over to the left side. (By the way, contrary to what we’ve been told and what we’ve read, the behavior we’re actually seeing in Win7 is that you cannot drag a window by its title bar past the screen border.) By default now, there is a folder tree along the left side of each pane; you don’t have to pull it up manually as you did with XP, and you don’t have to pull up folders from a hidden frame as you sometimes did with Vista. So you open up a second Explorer window by right-clicking on the destination directory in the folder list, and from the popup, selecting Open in new window. Drag that to the right and release, and the second pane semi-maximizes to fill the space.
Well, golly Bob, howdy, and shucks too – we certainly didn’t know that such sophistication was possible – or even necessary, as the intelligent among us found a better file manager almost immediately, after 10-15 minutes of frustration with previous versions.
Somehow, Mr. Fulton thinks that this window snapping feature ameliorates all the problems of the Explorer interface, remaining annoying over the past decade and a half.
It does not.
Next.
§
.
.
•
 | Enjoy when you can, and endure when you must.• Johann Wolfgang von Goethe |
12 Comments
Top bWindows 7/b Features? ~ Revelations From An Unwashed Brain « Windows 7 Live Info
May 20th, 2009
at 9:07am
[...] the oracle wrote an interesting post today onTop bWindows 7/b Features? ~ Revelations From An Unwashed BrainHere’s a quick excerpt [...]
Top Windows 7 Features? ~ Revelations From An Unwashed Brain | DONG'S BLOG
May 20th, 2009
at 10:11am
[...] Over on Betanews, Scott Fulton, one of the main writers, has started a list of the top 10 features he thinks are making Windows 7 better than previous versions. Most of the features are debatable either pro or con, with some points … Read more here: Top Windows 7 Features? ~ Revelations From An Unwashed Brain [...]
Top Windows 7 Features? ~ Revelations From An Unwashed Brain « 天下 THe World
May 20th, 2009
at 10:12am
[...] Refered by: http://www.lockergnome.com/theoracle/2009/05/20/top-windows-7-features/ [...]
You Foo
May 20th, 2009
at 2:20pm
If all it takes is 10-15 mins to get another file manager, what the heck are you ranting about?
The imaginary studies about how users find two panes better must have been pulled out of someone behind, because in my daily job as a support for people who DO use computers, but are NOT experts at it, this would be far too confusing and results in a ton of support calls.
You need to face it you’re a niche. And if, as a niche, you find it too hard to drop two windows side by side via AeroSnap, or to spend 10 mins installing another file manager, well, you may be a niche not worth caring about at all.
Brandon
May 20th, 2009
at 2:42pm
Two list views in one browser window? What a nightmare! That totally destroys the concept of a browser window, where the window is navigated to a single location. If you had two list views, you’d need two breadcrumb bars and two search boxes. You’d end up duplicating most of the window. What a waste.
You seem to be unaware that you’re in a very miniscule minority when it comes to what you want from the Explorer. Most users, both the novice and advanced sort, would consider your suggestion a huge step backward.
Stu
May 20th, 2009
at 3:56pm
I was initially confused when I first read about the AeroSnap feature in Windows 7, as it wouldn’t do what I thought it was supposed to on my machine.(I thought the ’snap’ was supposed to happen when the edge of the window hit the edge of the screen….It turns out that the ’snap’ happens when the pointer reaches the edge) A quick google search turned up the following youtube video that shows how it works. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sS7a0xDwvlM
WindowsObserver.com » Windows 7 Google Alerts for 20 May 2009
May 20th, 2009
at 7:36pm
[...] Top Windows 7 Features? ~ Revelations From An Unwashed Brain By the oracle Over on Betanews, Scott Fulton, one of the main writers, has started a list of the top 10 features he thinks are making Windows 7 better than previous versions. Most of the features are debatable either pro or con, with some points … Revelations From An Unwashed Brain – http://www.lockergnome.com/theoracle/ [...]
the oracle
May 20th, 2009
at 8:27pm
You Foo, you must really deal with dummies. Most people prefer two or more panes, hence the unstated file managers like XTree Gold, Norton Commander, Xplorer², ZTree Bold, Total Commander, and the list goes on.
You seem to miss the point, I should not have tosnap two windows, there should be two windows.
I have been doing work on people’s computers for over 20 years, and I’ve never found a single person, that was interested in doing serious file management, who did not immediately love two panes.
Why do you think there are so many kludges t get 2 panes? And 2-pane managers?
I’m not the niche, you are, and your people serviced are unenlightened.
the oracle
May 20th, 2009
at 8:30pm
Brandon, this is apparently a foreign concept to you, try downloading Xplorer² (there is a totally free, nag free version) and see for yourself.
Woody
May 30th, 2009
at 9:35pm
Is there something that will actually REPLACE windows explorer in windows 7 / vista? I can use replacements stand alone, but I want something that will pop up when I want to save something when downloading. I absolutely hate what they have done to explorer it used to be at least usable but now its just utterly annoying
the oracle
May 31st, 2009
at 12:31am
Woody, are you taking about the File Save dialog, which has little to do with Explorer, or Explorer itself. Not sure what can be done about File Save, but Explorer², and Directory Opus, are two file managers that will work fully in place of the Explorer. It is an option on the paid version of Explorer², and, as far as I know, there is no unpaid version of Directory Opus.
Directory Opus is from an Aussie company, and isn’t well known, but it is very powerful, if you are willing to customize it. I did it once, with an older version – the standard colors are like angry fruit salad and it takes a while to get that sorted out, but it is worthwhile. However, the price is steep, at about $70. Explorer² is easier to use from the start, and I find it very nice – it is what I use .
Buying Paintings: Romanticism | Antiques as Art
July 11th, 2009
at 3:24am
[...] Top Windows 7 Features? lockergnome.com) [...]