Windows 7 beta gets a mascot

The Windows 7 beta features the Siamese fighting fish, also known as a betta fish.

(Credit: Ina Fried/CNET News)

Look closely at the desktop when you boot up Windows 7 for the first time. That's not just any fish you see on the desktop.

It's a specific type of Siamese fighting fish, also known as a betta fish. Get it?

Although pronounced like the Greek letter beta, the fish gets its name "from ikan bettah, taken from a local dialect of Thailand," according to Wikipedia.

For the record, I'm no fish expert, but as I was re-installing Windows 7 last night, my partner, AJ, turned to me and said, "Hey, it's a betta fish." Following the old journalism adage "trust, but verify," I double-checked with Microsoft.

Two points for AJ.

"I'm know fish expert" or "I'm no fish expert"?

[dragonbite]

I expect to find a wallpaper with the same fish, but floating upside-down ;)

[isaacfarache]

Photoshop it!

[Vegaman_Dan]

Such lonely lives for those fish. You see them for sale in cups of water at stores. Beautiful and needing no aeration beyond just clean water.

I do admit using one in the wallpaper is clever. I wonder how it slipped by Microsoft's final checklist to make it into the build. :)

[oce.net]

They have a pet betta fish in one of the local offices. When I first saw it- it very much appeared to be dead. I was assured later on that it wasn't- that was just something they did. The fact that it continues to be out in its fish bowl to this day implies that they're correct- and thus a dead looking betta fish is hardly a dead fish at all.

Fun stuff!

[bbabadu]

Slow news day eh Ina?

[The_happy_switcher]

And if you don't feed it lots of antivirus, antispyware, antimalware software it goes belly up in a matter of minutes like most infected windows machines.

[oce.net]

Yes- if the Windows box is already infected- its probably going to have issues. Very odd statement of yours. Also- most Windows machines- especially post Vista SP1 can handle themselves perfectly well.

[The_happy_switcher]

"Very odd statement of yours. " I think in some cultures the statement would be construed as a joke.

[shellcodes_coder]

Look at this CrApple moron, he has nothing to do with iCrap but just watch and edit movies. Why are CrApple fans all ignorant?

[Kev_Orng]

@shellcodes. Why are those who assume all Apple users are ignorant, more likely to use terms like CrApple and Fanboy? Because they're children, that's why.

Windows users behave no better than Mac users when OS debates spring up. In fact, they often behave worse - they are the first to call someone a childish name. A Mac user says Windows has X problem (accurate or not), and the Windows user calls the Mac User an ignorant fanboy. You call this intelligent discourse?

[Mr. Dee]

Steve Jobs told people like you at Macworld 1997 to go get a life.

[Seaspray0]

@applerocks. Brought to you by the guy who flamed windows 7 on the day it came out without even trying it. What a TROLL.

[The_happy_switcher]

When Microsoft puts out an OS that doesn't require the computer to wear an antivirus, antispyware condom 24/7 give me a ring.

[CNET editors' note: Offensive content deleted.]

[D3vildog699]

Applerocks:

Name calling.. wow.... congrats your at the regular mac user maturity

[n0cturne74]

notice in the system tray that the network adapter has a red "x" on it. Funny, I have the same thing on mine because the stupid beta version can't find my network adapter. Goooo MS!

[fortyonejb]

a beta version of an operating system that has bugs, or God forbid, not every driver? oh the horror!!

please leave your FUD at the door, we don't want it from microsoft and we don't want it from you.

[ausernamenoonehaschosen]

No, but this is a rather large problem for something getting so much hype for being so rock solid right now.

[bbabadu]

Try plugging in an ethernet cable, get online, and get Windows updates, it found the wireless driver and solved the problem for me.

[tm_anon]

Ubuntu does the same thing. Once you update the drivers with a wired connection, the wireless works 99.95% of the time. I don't say 100% because it might lose connection while I'm asleep and I just don't know about it.

[wolivere]

The X is on the Flag is it for that or is it about installing a AV program?

[Kev_Orng]

1. I thought it was going to be a puffer fish.
A betta doesn't seem like a good mascot. Makes me wonder what's going to happen when you try to connect it to a network; we know how bettas feel about their brethren.

2. Charles Dickens also got paid for each post, so you're in good company.

[dragonbite]

As for networking, you know what male Beta fish do when they are put in the same tank?!!


(hint: only one of them gets out alive!)

[linuxgeek90]

Brilliant!

[nappyjim]

The red x is located on the 'Action Center" icon. This does not mean its a network card issue. It could mean something as simple as, "you don't have automatic updates turned on".

If your gonna make comments and bad mouth a BETA, at least know what your talking about.

[tm_anon]

You may want to read the comment you're critiqueing a bit more carefully. He mentioned having the beta which gives the reason he saw the same exact problem as on his own. He wasn't badmouthing anything, just pointing out a flaw which was obvious to him as it shows exactly the same in the photo displayed in the article.

[wolivere]

tm_anon

How do you know its the same problem? It's in the action center. Its an assumption, not a conclusion

[nappyjim]

The red x is located on the 'Action Center" icon. This does not mean its a network card issue. It could mean something as simple as, "you don't have automatic updates turned on".

If your gonna make comments and bad mouth a BETA, at least know what your talking about.

[Inconnux]

I had a betta fish once... I named it 'alpha' :)

[Cube Over]

pretty fishy stuff!

[PammyLZ]

I kept bettas for awhile. If you put them in a 5 gallon tank, with a small filter and a heater, the betta will come alive. Swimming crazy-happy, investigating everything, and wiggles with happiness when it's food time. It kills me to see them in unfiltered, unheated bowls.. or worse: a plant vase. I like the desktop picture shown above because the little guy looks like he's in a very big tank! :) Someone at microsoft knows how to take care of a betta fish.

And so far, Windows 7 has been working great for me on all my computers. I installed it on my dad's desktop, and there were issues with the networking. But installing a vista driver fixed the issue. Although there is still no love for the Creative sound cards.

[BrandonLive]

Nobody bothered to count the bubbles? :)

[D3vildog699]

SAH--WEET a Fish!!!

[sunder1990]

there seems to problem even when Win7 deals with its cousin Vista. read it at http://techfreakindia.blogspot.com

[Neo Con]

doveryai, no proveryai...

Yes, it was used by journalist Damon Runyon, but it's not really an "old journalism adage," at least not one that modern journalists currently subscribe to. Today, it's more along the lines of R = liar, D = messiah.

Anyway, "trust but verify" was popularized in the 20th century by Ronald Reagan, who used it almost every time he met with Mikhail Gorbachev, and frequently in discussions of the Soviet Union.

Just thought I'd interject a little fun factoid. :)

[Ciofey]

So let me get this straight: The Windows 7 mascot is a fish that does not play well with other fishes, and dies within a few months?

[vishnu--2008]

Installed Windows 7 on an asus eee and it says windows can't find a driver for the network adapter. plugged in an ethernet cable and same thing. so how do i get this driver adapter if i can't get online? and if i do get it, will it automatically be installed or what will i have to do?
apple person tryyyyyying to work with windows