Microsoft Windows 7
Christoph Sackl (Free University Berlin)
christoph.sackl@studentpartners.de

Agenda
• Windows 7 Editions
• Windows 7 GUI / UX
• Homegroups
• Multimedia
• Device Stage
• Virtualization / Networking
• Security and Maintenance
• Developer APIs

• Windows 7 Editions
• Windows 7 GUI / UX
• Homegroups
• Multimedia
•
•
•
Device Stage
Live Demo
Virtualization / Networking
Security and Maintenance
• Developer APIs

Windows 7 Editions
• Windows 7 Home Premium
• Windows 7 Professional
• Windows 7 Enterprise / Ultimate
• OEMs and Emerging Markets only
– Windows 7 Starter
– Windows 7 Home Basic

System Requirements
• Windows 7 • Windows Vista
– 1 GHz CPU – 1 GHz CPU
– 1 GB Ram – 1 GB Ram
– 16 GB free disk space – recommended 2 GB
– DirectX 9c video card – 20 GB free disk space
(for Aero support) – DirectX 9 video card
– 2 GB Ram for 64-bit (for Aero support)
– 20 GB free disk space
for 64-bit
Requirements are for Home Premium and above!

• Windows 7 Editions
• Windows 7 GUI / UX
• Homegroups
• Multimedia
•
•
•
Device Stage
Live Demo
Virtualization / Networking
Security and Maintenance
• Developer APIs

Taskbar and Start Menu
Improvements
• Quick Launch toolbar replaced
with pinning
• pin to taskbar and pin to start menu
• reordering taskbar buttons
• Jump Lists on taskbar and in
the start menu
• Contextual search in start menu
• Windows Connect Now

New Aero Features
• Aero Peak
• Aero Snap
• Aero Shake
• Improved Live taskbar thumbnails
• Windows Vista Aero features
– Aero Glass (Transparency)
– Windows Flip
– Windows Flip 3D

More UX Improvements
• Other features and improvements
– Multi-touch support
– Windows Explorer Libraries
– Windows Explorer Views
– Windows 7 Aero takes advantage
of Direct3D 10.1
– RDP fully supports DirectX 10
– Customize Logon Background
and Aero Performance Improvements
– Many new Keyboard shortcuts

Live Demo

Federated Search
• Extends Desktop search functionality from
Windows Vista
• Allows you to search remote locations
• Based on OpenSearch standard
• One click installation with .osdx file

Federated Search
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<OpenSearchDescription xmlns="http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearch/1.1/"
xmlns:ms-ose="http://schemas.microsoft.com/opensearchext/2009/">
<ShortName>Flickr Search</ShortName>
<Description>OpenSearch for Flickr via Windows 7 Search
Federation.</Description>
<Url type="application/rss+xml"
template="http://www.istartedsomething.com/flickrsearch/?search={sea
rchTerms}&amp;count={count}&amp;page={startPage}&amp;sort=inter
estingness-desc"/>
<Url type="text/html"
template="http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&amp;q={searchTerms}&
amp;m=text"/>
</OpenSearchDescription>

Federated Search

• Windows 7 Editions
• Windows 7 GUI / UX
• Homegroups
• Multimedia
•
•
•
Device Stage
Live Demo
Virtualization / Networking
Security and Maintenance
• Developer APIs

Homegroups
• Create homegroups for home networks
• Join multiple home groups
• Designed for home networking

Homegroups
• Easy sharing of libraries

Homegroups
• Simplified network sharing in Windows
Explorer

• Windows 7 Editions
• Windows 7 GUI / UX
• Multimedia
• Device Stage
•
•
•
Live Demo
Virtualization / Networking
Security and Maintenance
Developer APIs

Multimedia Features
• Windows Media Player 12
• New Windows Media Center
• Improved Codec Support
– MP3, WMA, WMV, MPEG-2, AAC audio,
MPEG-4, H.264 video, AVCHD, Quicktime,
XviD and DivX video

Multimedia Features
• Windows Media Player 12
– Remote Media Streaming
• Internet access to home media
• remote control of Player
• media streaming with Homegroup
– Now Playing view and Library view
– Lightweight design in Now Playing view
• New Media Center
– Large screen and high resolution optimization
– Functional improvements

Multimedia Features
• New Media Center on a HP Touch PC

Multimedia Features
• Remote media streaming setup

Multimedia Features
• Play to feature
• Support for Digital Living Network Alliance 1.5 (DLNA)
• Automatically transcodes incompatible streams

Live Demo

• Windows 7 Editions
• Windows 7 GUI / UX
• Multimedia
• Device Stage
•
•
•
Live Demo
Virtualization / Networking
Security and Maintenance
Developer APIs

Device Stage
• Simplify the way you interact with devices
• Wide range of hardware partners
• Fast device driver installation

Device Stage
• Found New Hardware screen when
plugging in a Nokia N95 8 GB

Device Stage
• Taskbar tab with photo realistic image will
be created

Device Stage
• Clicking the thumbnail opens the device
configuration screen with common tasks

Device Stage
• Device Stage can also handle devices not
fully supported

• Windows 7 Editions
• Windows 7 GUI / UX
• Multimedia
• Device Stage
•
•
•
Live Demo
Virtualization / Networking
Security and Maintenance
Developer APIs

Virtualization
• Windows Virtual PC
– USB support
– Folder integration between host and guest
– Clipboard sharing
– Printer redirection
• Windows XP Mode
– One click easy installation
– Seamless applications

DirectAccess and BranchCache
• DirectAccess allows to connect to your
corporate network without a VPN
• If you need a VPN connection VPN
Reconnect keeps your connection alive
• BranchCache offers server or distributed
caching throughout branch offices

• Windows 7 Editions
• Windows 7 GUI / UX
• Multimedia
• Device Stage
•
•
•
Live Demo
Virtualization / Networking
Security and Maintenance
Developer APIs

Security and Maintenance
• Internet Explorer 8
• New Control Panel Items
• Troubleshooting Wizards
• BitLocker Improvements
• Biometric Improvements
• AppLocker

New Control Panel Items
• ClearType Text Tuner
• Credential Manager
• Display Color Calibration Wizard
• Gadgets
• Location and Other Sensors
• Recovery
• Troubleshooting
• User Account Control Settings
• …

Live Demo

Action Center
• Action Center replaces Security Center
• combines security and system maintenance

Action Center
• Allows custom notification settings

Troubleshooting Wizards
• Troubleshooting packs
– XML manifest specifying the root cause of a
condition, PS Script to identify and resolve
problem
• Troubleshooting engine
– launches a PowerShell runtime that executes a
troubleshooting pack
• Troubleshooting wizard
– the UI component walking the user through the
different steps

Troubleshooting Wizards
• ISVs, OEMs and IT-Professionals can add
custom troubleshooting packs
• Problem Steps Recorder
– captures a screenshot for each mouse click or
keyboard input
– optionally stores comments
– saves a zipped single web archive (.mht)

Live Demo

BitLocker Improvements
• Windows setup automatically creates
system partition for BitLocker
• BitLocker To Go drive encryption for
removable drives
• Group Policy allows to enforce encryption
of removable drives
• Compatibility with previous versions of
Windows (Vista SP1, XP SP3)

BitLocker Improvements
• Plugging in an encrypted removable drive
will prompt for password or pin

Biometric Improvements
• Control Panel item for Biometric devices
• Allows to turn on / off finger print logon

Biometric Improvements
• Associate various fingers per user

AppLocker
• Replaces Software Restriction Policies
• Three rule conditions
– Publisher rules (digital signature required)
– File hash rules
– Path rules
• Can be applied to .exe, .msi, .msp files,
.dll (optional)
• Configurable through Group Policies

• Windows 7 Editions
• Windows 7 GUI / UX
• Multimedia
• Device Stage
•
•
•
Live Demo
Virtualization
Security and Maintenance
Developer APIs

Developer APIs
• Sensor API and Location API
• Networking API with support for building
SOAP based web services in native mode
• Extended Linguistic Services API
• Windows 7 Automation API 3.0 for
UI Automation
• …

Windows 7
See You
October 22nd
Questions?
www.christophsackl.com/msp/windows7.pdf
christoph.sackl@studentpartners.de