Vista Features Removed from Windows 7

[pocketdrummer]

[citation][nom]square965[/nom]The quick launch bar IS available on Windows 7, it's just not enabled by default.[/citation]

What are you talking about? The entire BAR is a quick-launch bar. Just drag a program to the bar and presto, you can run it from there. Not to mention, programs that are Win7 friendly use the same icon for the opened window (others create a separate icon).

 

[JonathanDeane]

The only thing I miss is Dreamscene and thats not a deal break, I didn't use it all the time (it was just something to play with once in a while to be honest)

You can hack it back into 7 but I haven't taken the time to do so.

 

[wayneepalmer]

Windows 7 has more than halved my boot times. While there are still a few bugs I have got to get used to, but, this is a HUGE improvement.

I remember using Win 2K and cursing XP for months and being so frustrated when I finally had to change over. Vista is such a resource pig and it has all of the same odd filing stuff as 7 without the improvements. I am NOT thrilled with the changes in the control panel (from Vista) but I will get used to them.

You want to save yourself a boatload of time and working on your system - set up GOD MODE file (you can actually use whatever you want for the name outside the brackets).

GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}

This has been talked about here before AND IT REALLY WORKS!!

It really is better to wipe you hard drive and start over. In the end you will save time doing it rather than upgrading - and it will actually work better if you do this.

I've done both the XP upgrade and the Vista upgrade now with 7 and the XP swap process (basically a reformat - you have to re-load all of your programs but your data is saved if you follow the recommendations) was actually the more functional setup of the two

Simply put - upgrading from XP actually works better than upgrading from Vista - Vista leaves some legacy functionality behind that is less efficient to deal with.

Once I get certain things backed up I will reinstall 7 using the "Custom" feature for a complete scrub of Vista from that system.

 

[Guest]

Re:2.I also wonder why Microsoft removed that lovely 'glowing' effect when the XP network icon was connected.

Any screencaps of what that means? I've had Vista connected to XP and never seen a glowing icon?

 

[p05esto]

I hate Win7 compared to Vista. My Vista machine is much faster and the OS is just more customizable and looks nicer. I hate the start menu and quick launch in Win7. It's just bulky, takes up too much space and doesn't do what I need it to do...Vista and XP worked great. I don't know what people are saying that Win7 is better....crazy perhaps?

 

[jacobdrj]

Vist had a superior power management selection schema. I have to click 3 extra times to get from Power Saver to Performance. Why MS? Why!?!

 

[fkfrankie3]

Unless someone said it before me, there is a backdoor way to have XP mode in 7 home premium as long as you have a license key and disc from a full version of XP (I know Pro works)(Win7 pro/ultimate really just comes with the license to download and install the preset up virtual HD file).
in home premium...Download and install Windows Virtual PC (CPU has to support it), and install XP into a virtual machine. After you fully update windows xp(SP3) you can change a few settings to allow the full XP mode feature. I have done this on my new laptop was an OEM disk and key of Windows XP pro

 

[wayneepalmer]

jacobdrj...I don't see ANY noticeable difference in the look or feel of the OS (7 vs Vista). Some of the nanny "tell you what to do and when it needs to be done and make suggestions" stuff is turned off - and at least for me this OS just runs faster than Vista and boots much quicker.

Question - what type of hardware are you running on?

Both the pc's I'm using it on have some form of virtualization and just appear to fly so much faster. This one is a HP m8530f with an AMD 9550 Phenom Quad core and 5Gb DDR2-800 Ram. This one came with Vista Home Premium 64.

My other one has a i7 920 with 6Gb DDR3-1600 Ram. I built that one and it had XP when I first got it assembled (11 years rebuilding in 25 upgrades, way too much money!!).

Changing to 7 was like adding warp drive. Both of them have sped up a lot since the change and the hard-drives run a lot less.

 

[drshay5]

[citation][nom]decepticon[/nom]Toolbars are my biggest gripe with Win7. I used to be able to drop "My Computer" at the top of my desktop and it automatically created a toolbar at the top that showed everything in "My Computer". Loved this since I had instant access to all my drives and network shares. Now I have to use a 3rd party app to get the same (well somewhat same) functionality.[/citation]

You can still have that - right click on the task bar, click new tool bar, select computer and enjoy your new tool bar.

 

[drshay5]

Sorry Guy, but you seem to be missing a few things.

1. You can customize tool bars in 7 (at least in home premium 64 bit and ultimate 64 bit.) I have been able to enable the quick launch bar without problems and been able to change the task bar’s location, size, color, etc. Even the tool bars can change color and add/remove options depending on what program that bar itself is in. All this without third party software/add-ons. Let me know what you are having problems changing and I’ll submit screen shots on how to do it.
2. There is still an option to display both wired and wireless network connection. There are settings you can find in network and connection settings to allow this.
3. Windows 7 does not have classic view for the start menu – you’ll need third party software to enable it. However you can customize the start menu and disable the “lists” link.
4. Add/Remove programs are located under “Programs and features” within control panel. If you don’t want to use the menu bar, right click on the program and select uninstall or repair.
5. BitLocker is technically available in Home Premium 64bit. You just have to active the service via the MMC. Home premium 64 bit also allows for XP emulation and even older emulations such as windows 95, 98, 2000, NT, etc. It really depends on the program you are trying to utilize emulation with. For instance, VirtualBox only allows for Vista emulation within 7 Home Premium 64, however, Office 2007 allows emulation all the way back for windows 95. Just right click on the executable, go to properties, compatibility mode, and select which OS should be emulated.

Overall, I’m really disappointed with your review. It appears as if you simply installed windows 7 on a computer, played with it for 20 minutes, and decided you didn’t like it because it was new. I’m just a local computer tech, as was able to find all of these items listed in the beta. Sad that Toms Hardware published you.

 

[BlueCat57]

When I first read the article I thought that he was talking about a Beta version. However, it seems like the point of the article was more about the issue of deprecation rather than the specifics of this or that OS or version.

It seems like no matter how many new features are added we find old features that we miss.

Often times some deprecated features were never useful in general, and even new features don't have wide application. While the following is a hardware example, the principle applies to software as well.

On some motherboards you can install two video cards that can work together to provide greater performance. The idea is that two less expensive video cards would cost significantly less yet provide similar or greater performance than a more expensive one. In practice anyone who wants that faster performance also wants and is willing to pay for that more expensive card. So a very small percentage of people use the two card approach. So from a manufacturer's point of view that is a feature that could be easily deprecated. The same for running OS emulation in Windows. Unless you are in a corporate environment where many machines need to do emulation, it would be easier to just keep your old machine around to run those old video games or software since it would be unlikely that they could take advantage of any newer features such as higher resolution or faster performance.

I haven't read many of Guy's posts, but let's just chalk this one up as one of his less good ones.

 

[socalboomer]

[citation][nom]BlueCat57[/nom]You must not be a very good IT Admin. It is called "Programs and Features" and Windows features are turned on and off there. All you had to do was open up the Control Panel to see.I'm going to guess that you couldn't write any better, coherently or accurately. Not sure why everyone is complaining about the writing and not the information. Most of the posters have been wrong about what they've said. From what I can gather Guy's blog is ongoing. While this is my first time here I can't imagine that it is everybody's first time.As for an XP license, I imagine that most people here have owned a computer for more than a couple of years which means they have an XP license which they upgraded to Vista and now to 7. So you just install the XP you already own. It might be different in the UK, but that's what I've done when I've needed an extra license.The post was meant to a simple musing on something that struck Guy as interesting. No need to criticize the post. Just don't come back if it is not valuable.[/citation]

Hmmm - well, if you use the View By: Small Icon, yes, it's Programs and Features. However, if you use the Category View (which is the default) it's listed as "Programs" with "Uninstall a program" listed as a primary option - pretty difficult to find.

Good on ya to go ad hominem, though. Adds to your credibility. Oh wait. . . it destroys it. I've been an IT Admin for 12 years, through the transition from NT3.51-NT4-2K-XP-W7. I won't comment or even question YOUR qualifications or knowledge - I'll leave the personal attacks to you (that's what an ad hominem attack is, by the way. . .just in case you were wondering. )

and Blue, if you can't take criticism about the writing, don't do it. I found the article rambling and incoherent and, worse, inaccurate. I DO write, just not for you. Writing in comments has a lower required level than does an actual article or blog post like this one was, so yes, I do hold it to a standard. . .one I hold myself to in my actual writing (not comments).

 

[BlueCat57]

[citation][nom]socalboomer[/nom]Add/Remove Programs is now "Programs" and contains all programs, not just those that elected to be listed (as in XP). Not Features.[/citation]

I'm sorry for the personal attack. It was not meant as such.

I will correct you by pointing out that ad hominem requires that the claim be true. Your claim quoted above is false since "Programs" contains both programs and features when you click through. (Of course we could be interpreting the presentation differently since the list does not contain features. The feature function in a separte option.) Thereby your claim is false, therefore the attack was merely an off-hand remark. (Again, I did not mean for it to be an attack but a jest.) and not ad hominem since I was not attacking you to imply a true claim was false. In my opinion the claim was false.

It is rather interesting that you attempt to "poison the well" by implying that I am not as qualified as you to comment. I guess we all like to use logical fallacies when we can.

Not sure why you imply that I can't take criticism for the writing, it isn't my writing that people are attacking. But as for writing, oh please write for me. I wish to be enlightened by your eloquent prose. (That was sarcasm in case you didn't recognize it.) Let's just move on to Guy's next column and hope it is better.

 

[neur0mancer]

They let anyone blog nowadays eh?

First of all the entire blog is flawed... you obviously do not see to understand what the word deprecate even means! It does not mean "remove" it means to belittle or hate.

Secondly I see no complaints on windows 7 in there just another mass-hypnosis inspired love fest for 7. Which is fine, public is fickle, public likes what it wants... but I will take Vista over 7 any day.

 

[BlueCat57]

[citation][nom]neur0mancer[/nom]They let anyone blog nowadays eh?First of all the entire blog is flawed... you obviously do not see to understand what the word deprecate even means! It does not mean "remove" it means to belittle or hate.Secondly I see no complaints on windows 7 in there just another mass-hypnosis inspired love fest for 7. Which is fine, public is fickle, public likes what it wants... but I will take Vista over 7 any day.[/citation]


That's what you get for using a dictionary instead of Wikipedia. Search for "deprecate feature" or deprecation. You'll find an ariticle explaining it.

 

[Guest]

What about the ability to change recording quality in Media Center?? That's what really pisses me off! I know storage is cheap, but, I built the HTPC to do a single job... Serve and show media.. Now I get a fraction of the storage ability without a noticeable change in Video quality.. I miss Vista for that reason the most.

 

[socalboomer]

[citation][nom]BlueCat57[/nom]I'm sorry for the personal attack. It was not meant as such.I will correct you by pointing out that ad hominem requires that the claim be true. Your claim quoted above is false since "Programs" contains both programs and features when you click through. (Of course we could be interpreting the presentation differently since the list does not contain features. The feature function in a separte option.) Thereby your claim is false, therefore the attack was merely an off-hand remark. (Again, I did not mean for it to be an attack but a jest.) and not ad hominem since I was not attacking you to imply a true claim was false. In my opinion the claim was false.It is rather interesting that you attempt to "poison the well" by implying that I am not as qualified as you to comment. I guess we all like to use logical fallacies when we can.Not sure why you imply that I can't take criticism for the writing, it isn't my writing that people are attacking. But as for writing, oh please write for me. I wish to be enlightened by your eloquent prose. (That was sarcasm in case you didn't recognize it.) Let's just move on to Guy's next column and hope it is better.[/citation]
btw - the Ad Hominem was calling me a bad IT Admin, which I'm not. And you're correct in that it's not technically Ad Hominem, but it does fit our common usage of the term. . . and it just sounds cool. LOL

My elegant prose? Yeah, sarcasm!

We can hope . . .

 

[butters106]

Outlook express is a feature of windows XP, Windows mail is a feature of windows Vista. Windows 7 does not come with a built in mail client, you have to download one. Who wrote this?