In keeping up with the importance of staying up-to-date, Microsoft has packed its new operating system, Windows 7 with many new useful features that is sure to make Windows 7 the best iteration of Windows yet.

The first thing most users will notice is the new task bar in Windows 7. Microsoft has made the new task bar more intuitive for users by making it more useful for everyday use. The task bar is now thicker and instead of having a each program running displayed by its name, there is an icon instead. Users also have the option to pin frequently used programs to the new task bar for easy access. Programs that are running and have multiple windows open will be grouped in that icon and by mousing over, a preview pane will appear. This will allow users to be able to have better control of windows that are open and programs that are running.

Jump lists are another new feature that ties into the new task bar in Windows 7. Jump lists represent a list of frequently used and useful commands. By right clicking on any icon in the task bar, users can access that jump list for that program. Now, instead of having to open the program or find the window, users can quickly and easily execute common tasks by using jump lists.

Windows 7 also has added Aero Snap and Aero Peek. Aero Snap allows users to drag a window to the top of the desktop and have it automatically maximize the window. By dragging a window to the left or right side of the desktop, the window will automatically resize to take up that half of the screen. It is now easier than ever to look at two documents side-by-side without having to spend a lot of time resizing windows. Aero Peek also helps users get more done by giving them an area in the lower right-hand corner of the task bar to click and automatically minimize every open window and show the desktop. If the Aero Peek area is clicked again, every window is restored to its previous place. Aero Peek also allows users to preview open windows without having to click on them by mousing over icons in the task bar.

One of the biggest problems with Windows Vista was the User Account Controls. While help for prevent unauthorized changes from being made to your computer, most home computer users found the User Account Controls annoying and unnecessary. Windows 7 has fixed this problem by giving users much more control over the User Account Controls and in Windows 7, most users won’t notice them nearly as much as in Windows Vista. Now, by default, the User Account Controls will only activate when changes are being made the system registry or a new program is being installed. However, for those would like alerts more or less frequently, there are now many more options available.