Windows 7 Desktop Customization - Comments Page 1

Can the background slideshow function be customized to center each image on the screen? What other options are available, e.g. tile, stretch, etc.? How do the options work in a dual monitor environment?

EDITOR'S NOTE: Yes, you can tile, center, stretch, or fit.

These are just childrens toys. Wheres the beef ?

Is it just me, or are other readers put off by all the preoccupation with glitz and cutesy-poo stuff? Anybody remember the job they need a computer as a tool to help them do? The substance?

I'd still be using W98 if the computer I had with that platform still worked. The guy I call up with questions when I get stuck has W95 on his 'good' machine, 3.11 on the one he uses to put out a newsletter. The website 'oldversion.com,' which I download from often, had a subhead that says "Because newer is not always better."

The more complicated something is, the more there is to go wrong. I have done some of my best work on an old computer using W95 with a 20MB hard drive. (Sure, it's slow, but for many uses it's good enough.)

I want a computer to work. Reliably. No freeze-ups. I will exchange all the glitz and cutesy-poo in the world for efficacy, reliability and ease of use. Notice, please, when they try to sell something new, they push the sizzle, not the steak.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This article specifically addresses desktop customization options -- what you call sizzle. If you want steak, scroll up to the "Check out other articles in this category" section.

Oh dear, it sounds as though Windows 7 has some of the features that drive me mad when I have to help someone on a Mac!!!!!! :-( At least it appears that you have to actually shake the windows to affect them, not just mouse over them.

I have been using the windows 7 beta for 2 weeks now and find out that I do like what I see. Yes the aero features are very nice but will this feature be availble in every program of windows 7 this I do not know.

What is the procedure if one decides to stay with Vista when the W7RC expires.

EDITOR'S NOTE: I recommend you install W7RC on a test machine, or in a separate partition, in a dualboot config with Vista. There *might* be a W7 uninstall option (if you upgrade from Vista) but I don't know for sure.

So is the VAIO you mentioned in the e-mail promo for this the one I saw you with in 2005?

EDITOR'S NOTE: The same one, Greg! It's been a solid performer.

We are considering purchasing Windows 7 via the special price offer.
While it would be wonderful if it was possible to get all that we desire in Windows 7 via Home Premium, I have 2 questions.
1. Am I correct by saying that Home Premium will provide us with a solid Home Network, not only for Printer Sharing, but also Sharing files?
2. My companion's Son recently Gifted us with a Sun Computer, which we would like to use as a remote computer. Reason being that there is not any PS2 connections for a mouse or keyboard, thus the desire to go the remote computer route.
I was unable to determine if Home Premium will allow a remote computer set-up. If not, will the Pro version of Windows 7 allow such?

EDITOR'S NOTE: The file and printer sharing should work fine. Networking with a unix-based Sun server *should* be possible, but might require a bit of help from a Sun and Unix savvy person.

I love all those snazzy efects... not. When I installed win 7 I played with them for about a hour. Then I did the serious tweaking ie I turned off most of the visual effects and saw a significant increase in system response. Windows makes this easy. All you have to do is choose the optimize for performance option and maybe click a few features that might make things more visible. Of course I'm a minimalist and my desktop ends up looking lik win 95. Actually some features don't noticibly slow down your performance.

Hi,
i'm running win7 on my computer and having trouble with my cursor. It moves all over the place when i'm typing. i have to watch every key stroke as i find myself typing in the previous sentence or someplace else. Any thoughts about this? I tried the usual adjustments with cursor speed, etc. to no avail.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Are you using a laptop with a touch-pad mouse? I had that problem on my Sony VAIO, and had to disable the touchpad "click" option because I kept hitting the pad with my thumb while typing.