Benefits of Windows 7 UI

Those who have already tried Se7en say:

It's hard to believe that Windows 7 was created to be simpler than Vista - everything that has been improved has become much harder to navigate, especially if you switch to the “G7” from XP right away, like many future users.

But I believe that quickly grasping people who need a few minutes to learn new UIs (user interfaces) will be able to master Windows 7 quickly. The secret is that you need to get rid of old habits and develop new ones. Let's discuss a few examples.

The “Run” item is no longer available directly from the Start menu. It can only be reached through search.
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Where to start? The search box at the bottom of the Start menu does everything the Run utility can do, or even more. Once you have started typing a command, it appears in the Start menu, where you can click on it or press the Enter key to start. In the Run utility, you had to write the complete command name, including the path. If I miss the symbol, I will see nothing more than an error. Want to play Solitaire? With the search field, I just need to start typing "sol" and the first thing I see is a tapeworm, ready for launch with the Enter key:



But the worst part of the Run utility is what I need to know to remember the names of the application files. In XP, if I write solitaire in the Run utility and press Enter, an error message will pop up. You need to know that the file name of the application is sol.exe. Want to Minesweeper? And the name of the application file is called Winmine.exe. In Vista / Se7en, the search field works with both file names and file names.

Still not convincing? Want to run old utility? Well, press the combination Win + R. This keyboard shortcut works from the mid-90s to today.

Not enough? Okay. Customize the Start menu in Vista / Win7 by adding the Run utility to it and you can enjoy 1998. Right-click on the Start button, select Properties, click Configure and tick the box:



One more thing that misleads me in the newly installed Windows 7 is an empty Desktop with the usual labels of “Computer”, “Network”, “Control Panel” and “Documents” removed, which forces you to enter these places through the Start menu.

I disagree with that. Talking with designers and usability testers Windows UI and I can say with confidence that by removing these things from the Desktop, they made a huge leap in the direction of convenient use of the shell for both beginners and experts. Previously, in order to get to these shortcuts on the Desktop, you had to minimize all windows, and only then find and click on the icon. These unnecessary steps to the icons and even more steps to go back to the windows very slowed down the work on the PC. Now all you need to do is click the Start button or the Windows button on the keyboard and find yourself in just one click from the desired place. Or you can click Win + E, get into the Explorer window, and there already have all the shortcuts to the right places.

Windows 7 users say that returning icons back is "not intuitive." Well, if you open the Start menu and write "table icons" in the search field, the first result will be "Show or hide desktop icons." There is another way to do this. Every Windows user can easily learn how to right-click on the desktop and enter the Personalization menu to change the background image (formerly called wallpaper). You can also see the option "Change Desktop Shortcuts" in the upper left corner. And she leads here:



Also, the Control Panel in Windows 7 has become less intuitive than in XP. One more additional mouse click is required to see all the elements of the Control Panel - which are two times more than in XP. It was possible to make fewer elements with easy navigation than to search for the desired one in a long list of different options.

Windows XP control panel intuitive? A folder full of icons, most of which have technical names, does not look intuitive. Wanted "less elements with easy navigation"? So here it is. See the search bar at the top? This is a big improvement over the old shortcut folder called the Control Panel. Do not believe me, try changing the screensaver (screensaver) from the Control Panel in XP. Does the sensation really have to click on the Screen icon, is there to choose the Screensaver tab? You know these steps, because you have been walking for 14 years now, but this is not intuitive, for example for beginners.
But in Vista and Seven for this, write the word Screensaver in the search field and the list will automatically filter out the unnecessary. As it seems to me, the result has become very useful:



For a better example, try finding the option to change the display of hidden files in Windows Explorer. In XP, you need to open the Control Panel, double-click on Folder Options, open the View tab. Well, and can an ordinary person know that file settings are in the folder Properties? Not too intuitive.
Now write Hidden in the search box in the Control Panel and see the result:



The first option leads to the desired tab of the dialog box in just one click. This is a huge superiority over the solution in XP. Actually, nothing can be done in the XP Control Panel except to get stuck in a compartment of incomprehensible icons.

The main problem of all users of XP, which will go to Windows 7 is that they will need to forget the old navigation model. The longer you use a PC, the more reflex you have at the opening of the menu or by double clicking on the icon. This technique worked perfectly in the 90s, but today, with the search available everywhere in the Windows interface, it has become obsolete.

If you are a veteran of XP, take some time to learn why the new interface is designed exactly as it is. Believe me, designers and usability experts did it for a reason. As soon as you learn the new technique of using the interface, I guarantee that the productivity of your work on the PC will greatly increase.

PS In the Russian version of Windows 7, all actions are identical to those shown in the screenshots.