Microsoft has all but admitted that Windows Vista was a flop. So why not start using its successor right now? You can, simply by downloading the free release candidate of Windows 7 (http://www.microsoft.com/Windows/Windows-7/download.aspx). Fully functioning, robust, and stable, Windows 7 RC (release candidate) has been available for a week now, and its usage has already jumped 22 percent, according to Microsoft.
The headline features of Windows 7 — greater compatibility, speed, interface enhancements, and less annoyance from user account control — are really designed to say to users: “We know Vista disappointed you; this version will not.” But Microsoft has done more than just make amends with the forthcoming Windows. It has also slipped in a lot of useful enhancements and features. Here are a few.
— Sticky notes
You work all day at the computer, and you need somewhere to place sticky notes to remind yourself to pick up some milk, make a doctor’s appointment, or call the plumber, right? In the past, you probably stuck such notes on your computer monitor — or put them on scraps of paper scattered around your desk. Thanks to the new Windows 7 applet called Sticky Notes, you can get rid of all of those annoying pieces of paper.
Sticky Notes are just what they sound like: little virtual notes that resemble real-world sticky notes. These, however, you can place anywhere on your Windows desktop. And they stay stuck to the desktop for as long you want — even after rebooting.
The default sticky note is yellow — but you can change the color simply by right-clicking your sticky note.
— Snipping Tool
Another nifty little Windows 7 tool that falls into the category of “why didn’t they think of this earlier” is called Snipping Tool. Available directly from the Start menu, Snipping Tool allows you to select and…