Windows7How

Windows 7 Improved Applets!

October 30, 2009

By the time the second Beta version of Microsoft’s Windows 7 was released, the team responsible for the various applets in the Windows operating systems (OS) had finally had their new versions of three important features included in the package. These consisted of WordPad, Paint and Calculator – they have finally grown up. There are really four of them, though, as Notepad is a part of this important group. So, what is so great about this? Well, let’s see…

We will look at Notepad first as it has not changed at all. This applet has been a part of Windows for over 19 years! I know it is hard to believe, but the first edition of Notepad was in version 3.0. There have been some minor updates, but every one of them cosmetic. It is still very useful when you need it.

Now, WordPad joined the Windows OS in Windows 95 and then went unchanged all the way up to Windows Vista. In Windows 7, WordPad has taken some features which its big brother, Microsoft Word, has had for a while. First, and most noticeable, is the new ‘ribbon’ treatment. If you are not familiar with this term, it is the space in which blocks of icons are located at the top (usually) of the application when you are using it. Sometimes simply referred to as Toolbars, those are actually placed in the ribbon space. Some of the very useful additions include the ability to justify text, use different types of bullet points, insert images, set a zoom level and – probably the best new feature of all – save files as and open Office Open XML (OOXML) and OpenDocument Format (ODF) file types. I guess it finally graduated to high school.

Paint receives a bit of an update as well. In Vista, Microsoft gave Paint the ability to crop images for the first time. In Windows 7 it gains the same new ribbon interface given to WordPad; a very nice addition to an image editing applet. Paint also has more ‘shapes’, superior and finer brushes, and a useful ruler border. Paint very much needed some updating and Microsoft gave it to us.

Even the Windows Calculator has been improved for the modern world, with many new features. It now has two new modes: Standard, Scientific, Statistics, and Programmer. A very interesting new feature is History. You can actually look back at your previous calculations, copy and paste them, or even edit the content. And, you no longer have to go to the web to get your more complex mathematical calculations done. The Windows 7 Calculator now has advanced worksheets allowing things like unit conversion, gas mileage, interest, and several others. Again, an applet which has become even more useful and actually makes work a bit easier.

Microsoft has looked closely at what could – and should – be updated from the Windows Vista OS. Given what happened when it was launched, they really had no choice, but at least they paid close attention to the details – and it certainly does add value to Windows 7.

Filed under: Uncategorized

Tags: applets, crop, improved, notepad, opendocument, programmer, scientific, standard, statistics, vista, windows 7, windows 7 calculator, windows 7 paint, wordpad