What are the design goals with w7?

There is a new blog following the devlopment with w7, as internet has changed our interaction, so has it for Microsoft and think that when Bill Gates thought Internet being a small fotnot and not for Microsoft, how things has changed since that.
http://blogs.msdn.com/e7/

What I like about that blog is one post made by Larry Osterman since he been with Microsoft soon 25 years he has an insight in how they made windows and how they are making windows 7.
His post in the blog are here
What I like about Larry is how he designed the audio portion of windows, as I wrote earlier a small but important feature is that the windows should be intuitive, which means, the way you use windows, computers and such should be a great experience a WoW! one.
However,
BSOD a blue screen, installment of drivers, keeping up to date is to hard for a normal user, my mother, or sister for example can use a computer, however, they don't know how to download, install, check, uninstall software, they are not geeks.

I am one.
A geek.

I work with how people think, and how they behave and how they interact with their life. As I use windows, I want a smooth easy and elegant user friendly experience. Downloading drievrs, as w7 is designed, people making ahrdware can now place the new drivers so w7 downloads them directly into your machine, you then can use windows, look up your device, cellphone, videocard, soundcard, and then look at what your stuff has and what drivers are available.
And by doing that, even my sister can use a computer, if she knows where to look inside windows to get that information.

Making w7 user friendly, is to find out what people do and how they use their computer, knowing the difference allows cool features to be developed, and in some cases not even ones the engineer or technical minded use and thinks when he uses w7.

People listen to music, small laptops as they come out, will store, music, video and be a more common replacement to cellphones due to skype and such programs.
You go out into the park, sit down in the grass, bringing this 1k less or so small laptop, small screen, plug in your headphones, watching some video, listen to music surf the net, a call coming in, using your blue tooth to answer, yes, wireless phones, wireless headphones all that in one small gadget driven by w7 software.
I would love having such tool, wireless, blue tooth, and be able to do such things.
And if inspired, I will write a book, a blog or the school report I was late to do.
As I do all that, in the sun, finding the grass growing around me, in the shadow of a great oak tree, I guess life can be really good.

How we interact with internet, are moving into directions people who designed software didn't think we would ever.
For me, w7 is a turning point and one reason I am enthusiastic is the difference in how Microsoft have chosen to design the new OS.
The difference, will allow as this m3 version of 6801 still as pre-beta is stable, efficient and neat.
Its much easier to build upon a platform already existing, however, it also has to be easy and user friendly and reflect how people actually use their computer.
More on design of w7

If there is steep learning curve, for example an engineer are writing the manual, the everyday user, will not understand the instructions.
If the software is designed properly, you as the user will not ever think about what the software does.
You will just use it, and it works.

When interacting, with media, photos, and communicating, we need smart features.

When they design windows 7 there are numerous processes that comes trough, to decide wisely, as any one would say, make w7 the way I use the computer is a great idea until you realize there are 100 milions or more people saying the same thing.
So making design, it comes down to how to make as a starting point, the user end experience.
Evey thing else is just analyzing the cost, the time and the impact a feature might have.
For me, I don't wanna learn to program in DoS, or to download drivers from website I don't know if they are secure or not.
I want to click here, decide to use the latest driver from my environment where I use the computer.
When I was younger, I tried to program in DoS, the computer world at the time believed we needed to do that to use our computer. At the time, visual computing was a dream.

For me I also look at how they design and most noted, think when they do things either it be Microsoft or the client that walks into my door.
This is why I am excited, they changed the criterion to develop w7 than previous versions.
They had to, due to the old ways, didn't work well.

Vista was a failure for them, and even if I like it, I also note that w7 is better even as I use it today.
For example, I activated the desktop bar, and then I found I made it move to my left side of the screen, and then let it move away while I am writing, surfing, and when I need to use it, I move my mouse to the left side, and use the task-bar.

I have never done that before.

For me that is important, w7 has already changed my way of using windows.
I cant go back to XP nor I want to, and I can not go back to Vista not I want to, due to so small differences that I changed how I am interacting with my desktop.
For me that is a compliment to Microsoft, and Sinofsky and the other guys and girls (all Geeks btw) in making w7 a economical option for people to use.
Its more economical for Microsoft to make people change how they use their computer, they will sell more copies, and also make sure the competition, must change along as well.

I game, I listen to music, I look at video, I write stuff, that is what I use the computer for, I spend more time in front of the computer than my TV.
I don't want to buy Apple, I want to buy any hardware I want, not made by the OS of choice.
I don't want to buy Linux due to the same reasons, the way I am using my computer, is gaming, media, first and foremost, and when I do that, my cell phone needs to be supported, my media devices must just be plug in and go.

I understand however, that people use other OS, due to how we use our computer.
But for me, computers isn't a lifestyle, the way I interact with them is.

And w7, are an important step in that direction.
I don't like Microsoft as a company, due to how they done things and how they have implemented some of their business.
I still however, are enthusiastic to w7 based on what I can read between the lines in how they approached the design of w7.
How they changed into showing the users, this is w7, this is how we do it today, having a blog where you can read about what the people in Microsoft are doing with making of a windows.
Bill Gates leaving, good for Microsoft due to him in place this allows for different adventures for Microsoft. His way of making Microsoft and windows and how to make things happen are however still within the processes made to make windows and other gadgets.

How important this is for Microsoft can be seen in this speech at pdc from Sam where he goes into designing w7, how they made it, and give a good oral presentation in how they did this.
The thinking we do before we use are more important since when we done it, the design, we cant just step back and re-design that easy.
For me the key note of Sam showed me that w7 now can be the OS I want to use.
Its also the format in design that allow w7 to be the platform and also the base for future applications people write for windows.

I work with dyslexic and have developed a way to help people with reading and writing handicaps the process in how to find what is currently done ie how they have this handicap and what they need to train to be able to read and write as people normally do.
As I am watching w7, some key notes, this idea then formulates for me, how do I write an application that would help dyslexic to use windows to be able to do what we want them to do?
Being able to read and write due to a training application.

For me, the small but important changes in the UI how desktop and the taskbar and how I can interact has already changed my habits.
That in itself is a good opinion for w7 as I can give it.

/Robert Johansson