Better, Closer, but not quite.

So I have been switching back and forth between XP (SP3) and 7 (7000/7022 x86 and more recently x64 7048) and while it's been one of my best M$ OS experiences ever there are a few things that I have issues with (and I figured I would share them here in case I am missing anything).

1. Explorer window sizes: I have it set so each window opens in a new one and with XP it will remember that folders size, but with 7 if I resize a window all the windows open to that size, I do a lot of copying between folders so I often have many open so having to make them all the same size is a pain.

2. Wireless network usage: This may have more to do with my set up, but again I don't have this problem with XP, when I transfer a large file (say a 700MB movie file from my fileserver PC to the laptop running 7 it seems to utilize all of my available bandwidth and I have to wait till the transfer as stopped to continue web browsing. Task manager shows my 54Mbs connection as about 50% utilized, but my router is bridged with another one.

3. I have a shared drive on another computer mapped to the S: drive on my laptop. But every time I reboot I get a brief popup saying it cant connect. I then open it and am asked for a username and password. Since I only have one account and no password assigned, it wont remember the credentials I put in since there is no password.

4. Maybe it is unrelated, but 7 seems to play havoc with my Office 2003 installation (which runs problem free on XP), it will corrupt it, delete outlook as the default mail client (mailto: links just cause errors and even a reinstall doesn't fix it or the various registry fixes that work for vista), errors when I try to do a full uninstall.

5. Lastly IE8 (crashes on random sites, not customizable, etc) just isn't as good as FF3, but I am stuck using it since it's the only browser that supports the individual tab preview in the task bar.

They may not seem like big issues but they do cut into my productivity and while I love several features (the search built into the startmenu, the new UI with the taskbar and taskbar preview thing, the way all the drivers are updated and adding printers and stuff is so easy and that it is so low on resources. But the issues above put too many checks in the con column. Hopefully 5. will be resolved once the Mozilla team get a hold of the new API anyway if anyone can help with anything I would love to give 7 another shot.

 

Well, it still is a Beta. Several of those issues will probably be resolved at some point in the future.

 

You might want to save your time by just submitting these problems to Microsoft directly, and perhaps omitting #5.

 

I fully understand that it is a beta and my point wasn't to complain, I was just seeing if maybe anyone knew of ways to fix these issues, so I could use the OS I like so much day to day. Don't get me wrong I will definitely be giving 7 another shot once it is finished just was hoping to enjoy it before then. I will let M$ know about these issues, tho I suspect they already know about a couple since I think others have had similar issues.

 

Regarding IE8, there is a "compatibility button" next to the URL entry box which seems to help me when I have issues. Chrome so far has worked well too.

 

I tried the compatibility button (actually adding it to the list of sites to use that mode) but it still freezes IE before the site even renders just stays on a white screen. I'm sure it's poor code on the website, but IE7 and FF3 handle it ok.

 

The version of IE8 (RC) included with recent builds (after 7000) does not crash. Also, here is an interesting article from MS on comparing speeds between browsers - they assert that IE8 comes out on top:

http://windowsteamblog.com/blogs/wi...e8-gets-you-where-you-want-to-go-quickly.aspx

 

They say it's difficult to measure how quickly pages load due to ISP's routers and servers. I understand that.

But can't they set up their own controlled "mini-internet" with their own servers and measure performance that way? That seems to be easily achieved especially with big budgets like MS has.

 

I didn't watch the video or read the white paper from that link, but I understand that they did figure out some sort of controlled environment to do their testing in.

I've read many previous tests that indicate that FF is a lot of hype and not much substance. Personally I really dislike FF - I think a number of people use it simply because it isn't Microsoft and *assume* that it is a better browser.

 

It crashes nearly never to me, ie in all it's versions always crashed more on me. Often (espencially on xp) in ways that locked my system, or forced me to reboot (or cut power) to get it to normal behaviour again. firefox is fast, and customisable.

It definitely is, from my expirience, the much better browser. I don't see your reason to dislike it. The only thing where ie rocks is in corporate networks, in that it is fully configurable from the group policies (like anything microsoft). but that's the only big + (and i think there is a version of firefox with group policy, but it's not free)

 

just run chrome it works perfectly on win 7

 

To the OP, while I don't think that these issues are detrimental to Windows 7's success..I can see how they do cut down on a user's productivity as you said...they are very good observations..Microsoft should definitely see them in a feedback.

 

True, they aren't major issues but I can definitely do the same tasks quicker in XP than 7. For example, for work I have a folder containing many other folders and each of those folders contain different amount of files and I frequently copy or move these files around the folders but having to have the same size window for each folder regardless of it's actual amount of contents fills my screen up pretty quickly and leads to a lot of minimizing restoring.

I recently tried build 7057 and while all my issues still remain IE8 is getting better, but I never had a huge issue with it, I think I'm just missing my customization I'm so used to with FF3. But hopefully when W7 is released FF while have adapted the new API and individual tab previews on the taskbar will work, or at least being able to select individual tabs from the taskbar.

 

uhm for copying around, how about aero snap? it's more or less made for this very task.

 

Aero snap? Never heard of it, but will google. OK I knew what it was just not by that name. I think my problem is (and correct me if I'm wrong since I don't have W7 running right now) is that it doesnt remember those settings, once I close the window I will have to drag to each side next time I open them and often I am moving/copying stuff between more than just two folders and sometimes to/from the desktop too. Using aero snap I am limited to just having 2 visable windows at a time, now if I could drag a window to each corner of the screen and have them each take 1/4 that would be great. Thanks for the suggestion tho.

 

why do you need to have more than one window open? just copy more than one and reuse the window for the next source/target. the copy-dialog will work on it's own.

you just need two windows for the start of the process, then browse to the next, and start that process.

and no, it doesn't save the window state. it would have to save more than one state for technically one window (explorer). that doesn't make sence.

 

Definitely old dog new tricks things, I have it set so every folder opens in a new window and then I just drag and drop (or Ctrl drag and drop) between the folders. See screenshot, but achieving something like this in 7 is near impossible without resizing the windows each time I open them.

 

oh the mess....

how about not opening in a new window each time but using the explorer bar (that thing on the right that shows the folders) to go trough them and drag drop as you wish. that way, you don't need that many windows at all, just tons of copy-file-dialogs

i don't think microsoft will try to help your habit. it really dates back to nt4/win95 where folders by default opened in new windows. there's a plan from them to not have this as default anymore..

 

I know it's a bad habit but it's how i've always done things and I don't see that changing Anyway I think it may take more mouse clicks to do it the 'new' way than my way. Anyway it would just have been nice to have the option of being able to do things 'my' way

 

sure thing.

on the other hand, it needs less "targeting" if you do stuff the new way. (new since 11 years hrrhrr ). you don't need to retarget to the new window that opens at a random place.

and i do that stuff mostly with keyboard anyways, much faster.. if i need to be fast

edit: btw, do you do that really very often? why? some backup-purpose or what? maybe you can automate your task? maybe, just maybe it's completely useless? i had to train away quite some peoples bad habbits that had no use..

anyways i do understand that you'd like to not have to learn new stuff. then again, that's what new stuff is all about..

 

I use it for work, maybe there is a better way, but basically I have one folder and within that I have different folders for each borrower I deal with and then within that folder I have the various loan documents and then folders depending on the status of the loan. things get moved around or copied when statuses change, loans close, etc.