Windows 7 RC build 7048: it's all about personalization, baby!
Apart from implementing some of the previously announced changes in post-beta Windows 7 builds, Microsoft has clearly set their sites on providing a desktop environment that users can customize six ways from Sunday.
Don't take the title too literally: build 7048 has definitely received plenty of attention under the hood. In my normal computing tasks, build 7048 feels more stable even more usable as an everyday OS. However, most of the updates aren't very obvious. Subtle changes appear here and there, for example:
Don't take the title too literally: build 7048 has definitely received plenty of attention under the hood. In my normal computing tasks, build 7048 feels more stable even more usable as an everyday OS. However, most of the updates aren't very obvious. Subtle changes appear here and there, for example:
- the glow on your taskbar button staying put when you mouse onto a taskbar thumbnail
- the increased number of items you can pin to your taskbar
- the start orb is slightly clearer and its glow is brighter
- Send Feedback links no longer appear in window title bars
- a slightly cleaned up Control Panel
Of course, new wallpaper and new sound schemes mean new pre-built themes. There are two new choices - Architecture and Characters. True to its name, Architecture features images of houses and other structures, but Characters isn't quite as accurately named. Its wallpapers are fairly abstract, with the exception of a pile of pink teddy bears. As with previous themes, both feature six wallpapers and default to displaying them as a slideshow.
And let's not overlook all the features that can be turned off, as Brad mentioned in hist post last week. Couple that with the increased number of interface options that have appeared, and it's obvious that Microsoft wants to ensure that Windows 7 will provide a comfortable and highly customizable desktop environment for its users.
So, just how good at time waster games are you? Think you've got the stuff? Well, The World's Hardest Game 2.0 doesn't think you do.
Yes, amazingly, it's possible to have a sequel to a game called "The World's Hardest Game". It doesn't seem logically possible, since if the first one was actually the world's hardest, how could another one come along and share the moniker? It made me doubt the name in the first place. That is, until I tried the game.
The mechanics of the game are very simple. You are a small red square, ...
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Matt Yankelovich said 2:07PM on 3-09-2009
So, do these post beta builds require you to re-install the OS on a freshly-formatted partition? (In other words, start from scratch)? Or can you just upgrade over the last Windows 7 release?
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Lee Mathews said 2:23PM on 3-09-2009
You can upgrade from the Windows desktop, though the process is almost painfully slow. Still, it does mean not having to reinstall apps and backing up data.
Pat said 5:51PM on 3-09-2009
How would you go about doing that?
Pat said 2:07PM on 3-09-2009
So how do you get this if you were in on the original beta?
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Rohit Kapur said 2:37PM on 3-09-2009
Torrents.
It's not an official release; it's a leak. :)
But I recommend you get it, if you *have* installed the beta build (7000). It's a good upgrade.
r3loaded said 3:01PM on 3-09-2009
You don't. At least, not officially, if you get my drift. ;)
Malteserr said 3:07PM on 3-09-2009
I suggest you wait till mid April though (according to some rumors) when Microsoft releases the RC like it did with the beta, and gives us all legit download links to the software.
Kinetic said 3:28PM on 3-09-2009
the wallpaper count is up to 31 from 14??
I think i'll wait for the official release before downloading another iso, but im very tempted. Win7 has been my main OS since the beta release
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KineticOnline said 3:31PM on 3-09-2009
Never mind I've seen my mistake, read it 4 times as from 31 to 14 lol
10nisman94 said 4:41PM on 3-09-2009
so is this the rc1 or not?
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Lee Mathews said 4:49PM on 3-09-2009
No official "RC1" yet...All builds at this point are part of the release candidate branch, though, since they're post-beta.
kay.one said 12:04AM on 3-10-2009
there is not RC1, there is going to be a single RC.
Brent Schmidt said 5:58PM on 3-09-2009
The one thing I don't like about it is the icon change of the Library shortcut on the taskbar. It looks... wrong. I liked it better as a folder like it was in 7000.
But thanks for the tip about putting the Downloads shortcut in the Start Menu.
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Ramas (tikra.info) said 7:45PM on 3-09-2009
Using Win7 7022 now. Tried to upgrade to 7048 - it just stops at 87% when collecting programs setting data (second step)...
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a said 10:32PM on 3-09-2009
does it support Chrome yet?
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Quikboy said 11:16PM on 3-09-2009
A better question is: When will Chrome support Windows 7?
JamesNorman93 said 12:43AM on 3-14-2009
Google Chrome works fine for me in Build 7000... :| ?
psycros said 3:14AM on 3-10-2009
Harder to use in every way, completely non-intuitive, doesn't play most games. In short, still not a single reason to upgrade from XP or Vista..especially from Vista. Microsoft better not be banking on sales of Windows 7 to get them through the depression.
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Brent Schmidt said 2:43PM on 3-10-2009
Uhhhhhh, there's this lil feature called "Compatibility Mode" where you can make the program think it's running in a previous version of Windows. I couldn't get RollerCoaster Tycoon 2 working in Vista, but works like a pro in 7 (running it as if it's on XP).
Victor V. said 6:30PM on 3-10-2009
What? Did you smoke kid as a shit? Every single game I tried to run worked. And every single app, too.