Comments on: Windows 7 demo at D6: Really? That's it?

Multitouch schmultitouch. Show me the bones. Plus: Check out the Microsoft video of Windows 7 and chime in with your thoughts.

[livecrunch]

I just posted also few pictures from Windows 7 hope it will be better then Vista because Vista is a joke I swear

Here is the post in case you are interested

http://www.livecrunch.com/2008/05/28/windows-7-vs-vista-windows-me-vs-2000/

[jerrellt]

I can see that the touch screen can be used in certain applications like a tablet pc, but for overall general consumer use, it may not pan out. Besides, anyone who likes to eat bbq chips or fritos will not be able to use it without messing up the display. It's like CSI overdone with the fingerprinting!

[James7777777]

To me this looks amazing. Now I just need a laptop which is just a tablet on both sides, then I can type on one of the screens when necessary.

[dowbuzzell]

With the rich choices the IT manager has today for a desktop, thin client, browser based apps, Mac, and now serious Linux contenders. I feel Microsoft is being seriously challenged for dominance, not only in the desktop, but now in the Server and hand held markets. Could we be now seeing the cracks in the lumbering Giant's inability to adapt and change with the demands of the new user community?

[gavinkendall]

I'm a programmer. Why would I want to leave greasy smudge marks all over my screen? Useless.

[Imalittleteapot]

I still don't really see how a programmer can write C, or XML, or even write an email effectively with this technology. Even with speech working in a team with everyone talking to their comps just isn't going to work for me. I don't know. This morning I did think of way this tech could help though. If it had a virtual keyboard that means you can change whatever you want. You could have multiple virtual keyboards customized how you want for different tasks and with macro keys to do programmed actions. The one problem is feedback. Without the feel of the keyboard I'm lost. I'm not super accurate as it is. With no physical response from the keyboard I think it would really slow me down. Plus, when I type my hands aren't on the screen. I can see on the screen and type at the same time. With a virtual keyboard are my hands getting in the way of my vision? I don't know. However, the real big question is how do blind people use this?

[onlyauser]

I agree. Smudges all over my screen. Useless indeed.

[vikrantpayal]

Microsoft is just playing catch up. That too on the wrong device. I would've thought their next OS would support a touch-less interface - wear a headset and the mouse does the clicking by itself. Wouldn't THAT be cool.. Think how much faster we could work if we could do away with the mouse and the keyboard (and touch-screens).

[celticbrewer]

Wasn't there supposed to be a big advancement in speech recog in one of these newer versions of windows? Combine that with touch screen and maybe you COULD do away with the keyboard and mouse. I'm not sure what good a headset will do when you're writing a letter in Word.

[DrtyDogg]

Speech recognition has been available in Windows since ME. takes a little work getting set up to do what you want it to, but when I was homebound for a while(surgery) I worked on it a little, and had my first XP box completely unreliant on the keyboard. I still used the mouse though, a control thing.

[Riquez-001]

I'm convinced that touch technology is the future - why have a separate keyboard & mouse when it could just be a screen. It's very early days right now & things will evolve, but don't expect to see the traditional keyboard & mouse forever.

Regardless of what MS achieve with their touch tech, Apple will no doubt be the head honcho in this area. By the time Win7 comes in 2010 (or 2012, they have a habit of adding years to the early estimates) Apple will have had many years development on actual world products & their creative flair on how to use those products will be putting MS to shame....again.

[Sherloxhome]

Instead of addressing reliability issues with operating system, Microsoft keeps adding "Whistles and Bells" that don't work either.

[ppgreat]

I can just see myself sitting on a plane banging my elbows into the passenger next to me so that I can enlarge a photo on my screen.

How out of touch are these guys???

[cjoki]

This is nearly useless. What they need to demo is what most people use a computer for, email and websurfing. Then answer how they will provide a secure os without it being intrusive.

To me looking at this from that point of view it just shows how far off the mark MS is. You would never by this os for this feature on a desktop system...it does not make sense. Corporate IT would look for a way to disable it so workers did not play with it instead of working on that TPS report.

On Vista....I really hate this OS on my laptop. The security does nothing but intrude into my work and nags me....as an administrator! If it was availible I would roll my laptop back to xp (HP said they did not have drivers for this machine and xp). Vista's stability is way worse than xp ever was. I have random reboots when the system is idling...peice of junk.

Guess I need to wait for Linux to make a version compatible with this machine....

[rustybloods]

Windows - stick a fork in it - its done.

[jinx101a]

There's a lot of overly critical comments here. If you don't like the touch screen, don't use it. I has a lot of really cool applications, like building interactive kiosk's and point of sale systems on the cheap. Considering Windows 7 is so far from release I think the naysayers are a little quick to judge the entire OS without more information... I certainly haven't heard enough to make an educated judgement.

[Imalittleteapot]

What about people that don't need kiosks and POS systems? It is like they've just forgot about the average guy looking to browse the web. Here's the problem. If I don't like it just don't use it. Fine I get that, but the point is if anybody will use it. Windows 7 is basically just Vista with multitouch. If people don't use it then that means Windows 7 is just Vista. So, if people can't use the tech effectively that means when Windows 7 comes out nobody is going to upgrade to it. They already have Vista. The real issue is, what is MS doing? Are they even listening to their customers? The real complaints people have aren't being addressed while they try to offer a new feature that we're not sure is going to be useful for us or not.

[DrtyDogg]

@Imalittleteapot: "Windows 7 is basically just Vista with multitouch." Where'd you get that. Just because the demonstration they showed was about multitouch. That is quite assuming of you.

[jscott418]

I certainly feel their will be applications for touch screens, but everyday computer user's still reject the ideal. Just look at the iphone, some people have retrained to use the touch screen.
But many still hate the lack of feedback from the fact that their is no keys. It's probably OK for text
sending. But just try and write a letter on it! Of course I suppose voice recognition will be for that.

[onlyauser]

Most dumb OS feature I have EVER seen. Time to buy Linux or Windex.

Microsoft is totally lost and has a shocking lack of leadership that does not have a clue what consumers want.

I use Windows but Microsoft should go hire Steve Jobs.

[chronoex]

The programs look neat, but it's not really showing enough of the OS to really get anybody excited. We need some meat, because the few shots we get of the desktop look dreadfully like Vista...

[josmor]

Booooring....
Nothing new... looks to me like MSFT is getting to big to react fast.
Others (Adobe, Apple, Google) are showing more serious steps on the "innovation" field. Microsoft is having a hard time catching up: IE7, Windows Vista, Live Services.
Anyway MSFT is a powerful company with the resources needed to make again a strong impact in the ITC world. I believe they are living a transition that is not simple.
A good Microsoft is good for the industry... and good competitors as well. Now it is the time for the last ones to get strong

[admoore]

Everytime I see an article like this, and the subsequent comments, I come to the conclusion that MS's real problem is that the computer industry has matured and user needs can no longer be addressed by a single operating system. You have gamers who just want a solid, streamlined system with great multimedia support; you have home users who want a flashy interface and lots of built-in applications; you have businesses who want a bare-bones platform for running business apps; you have the "cloud crowd", who just want a browser and wifi delivered as fast as possible. And that's just broad generalizations of the desktop set; never mind the ultra-mobile market or servers. One OS just doesn't deliver for everyone, and their approach of breaking vista into six versions by selectively cutting features does not answer. Cutting features does not equate to optimizing a product for a certain use.
Personally I think the best thing for MS to do is to separate the core of the OS and sell it cheaply or even give it away, then sell the interfaces and applications as value-adds. In other words, make Windows more modular. Imagine if you could get Vista or Win7's core, but put XP's user interface on top.

[The_happy_switcher]

New Microsoft slogan: "Who can we copy today?"

[bobcode]

Open scene looks like bad blue-screen work.
They make it look so useless. Apple doesn't better, now.

[Dalkorian]

Two thoughts spring to mind immediately: 1. What makes anyone think I want to have to reach for the monitor and wipe my fingers across it to do anything? 2. M$ is really good at creating vaporware, so I doubt if this idiotic idea ever makes it beyond the "gee, aren't we cool - look at this!" stage. You will NEVER see this in stores, in part because no one really wants it and in part because M$ will never get it done right. Man, it must be tough being a M$ apologist these days!