Windows 7 Released Early In UK

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Windows 7 Released Early In UK

Posted by kdawson on Monday October 19, 2009 @10:16PM from the getting-the-worm dept.

CNETNate writes "UK customers have been reporting that they received their copies of Windows 7 in the mail today. Currently the British postal service is threatening industrial action over pay, and planned walkouts may result in Windows 7 not being delivered on its release date. It is understood that Microsoft has agreed to let some retailers send out copies early to avoid disappointment, and to make the UK the first country in the world to have Windows 7 in customers' hands."

194 comments

Who'd have thought... by Flibberdy · 2009-10-19 22:19 · Score: 2, Insightful

that this postal strike actually has some kind of benefit to the general public? And kudos to MS for allowing this to happen, some good PR they got going there.
1. Re:Who'd have thought... by sakdoctor · 2009-10-19 22:25 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  I've noticed a few companies using this as a marketing device.
  "Free UK delivery" (for a limited time)
  "No postal delays!" (posted using a different service)
  I'm sure there is a succinct, yet cheesy marketing term for using current events as a selling points.
2. Re:Who'd have thought... by cbhacking · 2009-10-19 22:27 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  I'll be honest; I'm not sure why there's so much delay before the general release anyhow. The RTM build was signed off on months ago, and went up for MSDN subscribers (a very small portion of the general public, but often people with very little connection to MS) only a few days later. At my school, through the MSDN Academic Alliance program (free MS software to endingeering students) we've been able to get Win7 for some weeks (and via http://dreamspark.com/ all students with a .edu email address can get Server 2008 R2, the server version of the Win7 release).
  So... why so long before boxes hit shelves? It seems very odd to me.
  
  --
  There's no place I could be, since I've found Serenity...
3. Re:Who'd have thought... by Finallyjoined!!! · 2009-10-19 22:28 · Score: 0, Flamebait
  
  some kind of benefit to the general public?
  Windows 7. Benefit.
  
  How is that a benefit?
  
  --
  If I had an Ass, I'd call it Fanny Bottom, then I could slap my Ass; Fanny Bottom, on the Arse.
4. Re:Who'd have thought... by rvw · 2009-10-19 22:32 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  "Free UK delivery"
  I'm sure there is a succinct, yet cheesy marketing term for using current events as a selling points.
  I think FUK=D would be an appropriate and somehow cheesy term.
5. Re:Who'd have thought... by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-19 22:54 · Score: 0
  
  Strikes are always to the benefit of the general public
6. Re:Who'd have thought... by HappySmileMan · 2009-10-19 22:57 · Score: 1
  
  Same, my university has had the ISOs available to burn for weeks, as well as being able to download with student info on the MSDNAA site.
  So summary is only correct for certain values of "customer".
7. Re:Who'd have thought... by asdf7890 · 2009-10-19 23:07 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  So... why so long before boxes hit shelves? It seems very odd to me.
  Basically: getting enough manufactured to cover initial demand and getting those units shipped to retailers. Many retailers might have had boxed copies in their warehouses weeks ago but they will have signed a deal saying they won't make them available until the official release date in order for the public release to be coordinated in all territories.
  As well as accounting for manufacturing processes and regional shipment delays, they will have also allowed extra time for other unexpected extensions to these delays and other issues. There would also be a final test phase of the activation infrastructure to fit in too, to ensure it can cope with the sudden glut of activity on, and shortly after, release day.
  There is also co-ordination with OEMs to consider. They would not be happy with retail copies going out before they had chance to update and test their offerings in time for release date - yes MS has them over a barrel to a certain extent so could tell them to go hang if it wanted to, but this isn't the right climate to be annoying major customers in. There are probably other marketing reasons to pick a coordinated date near, but not at, the end of the year too.
  Releasing to MSDN subscribers is much easier. Most are download-only subscriptions now so just put the ISOs on subscriptions.msdn.microsoft.com and there is no need for physical anything never mind coordinated physical anything. For subscribers who still get disks that is just a plain DVD (and/or ISO files on a plain DVD) with no fancy hologram label and no box or other additional materials. It is not expected that developers have to wait for coordinated retail release, so there are no OEM concerns to worry about (in fact the OEMs would prefer developers to have early access - it will reduce problems and returns at their end of the market if there is less stuff out there with compatibility issues by release day).
8. Re:Who'd have thought... by mdwh2 · 2009-10-19 23:15 · Score: 1
  
  Ho ho ho. I didn't see that one coming.
9. Re:Who'd have thought... by zach_the_lizard · 2009-10-19 23:16 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  We'll get to throw those awesome Windows 7 launch parties, remember?
  
  --
  SSC
10. Re:Who'd have thought... by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-19 23:18 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Well duh. In the same way Windows Genuine Advantage is an advantage.
11. Re:Who'd have thought... by Antique+Geekmeister · 2009-10-19 23:35 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  And there's coordination with support providers: call centers need to retrain staff and write new support "scripts" for their personnel. And the manufacturers of other software, such as Microsoft Office need time to get the secret internal documentation of available libraries and toolkits so they can weave it into their releases. And third party hardware and software providers need a chance to test and integrate their components with Microsoft's release, or they may repeat what happened with Vista and ignore the release.
12. Re:Who'd have thought... by sqldr · 2009-10-19 23:38 · Score: 3, Interesting
  
  "How is that a benefit?"
  I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but some people have to use windows, in spite of the fact that they hate it. Anyone who has had the misfortune to suffer with Vista will now be rejoicing that windows 7, which pretty much amounts to a bugfix version of vista with the added bonus of a taskbar which almost makes sense, a graphics driver that might actually work, the ability to boot in under 20 minutes, and all in an operating system where the beta version I've been running for the last couple of months was actually more stable than the officially released crock of arse that was vista.
  This all contributes to removing some of the pain from the occasions where I have to select the "other" option in grub.
  That said, I won't be inviting my friends round for a release party. Sorry.
  
  --
  I wrote my first program at the age of six, and I still can't work out how this website works.
13. Re:Who'd have thought... by jimicus · 2009-10-19 23:56 · Score: 1, Offtopic
  
  What does Free the United Kingdom from Drugs have to do with this?
14. Re:Who'd have thought... by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-20 00:04 · Score: 1, Informative
  
  You left off a very important reason for part of the delay -- a coordinated marketing strategy. The lead time on print ads, billboards, radio/tv spots, etc is often measured in months. So in order to make all the ad buys and have all of the various materials ready, the release date needed to be decided on months ago. Which it was. It so happened that the product was ready to release before that date. But you don't just go and scrap a many-million dollar marketing campaign because the product is ready early. To MS's credit, they did make Win7 available to partners, schools, developers, etc when it actually was ready -- they didn't hold onto it until the marketing release date.
15. Re:Who'd have thought... by mlts · 2009-10-20 00:04 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  If I were to hazard a guess, it would be so that any possible show-stopper bugs would be found and hopefully fixed before the public got their hands on the copy and the rumor game started up.
  MS was bitten by this with Vista. Once Joe Sixpack heard from his friend who is slightly more technical than he was, that Vista sucked (even though the reasons why were not listed), Vista rapidly got a bad reputation that it could not shake even with multiple service packs and several generations of hardware. With Windows 7, should there be any real nasty issues (and so far, there are not), Microsoft has some lead time to get them pushed to Windows Update before the product faces judgment by the masses.
16. Re:Who'd have thought... by ozmanjusri · 2009-10-20 00:06 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  I'll be honest; I'm not sure why there's so much delay before the general release anyhow.
  Microsoft is carefully stage-managing the hype.
  They are well aware that they need a win, some way to coax computer users off XP without frightening them into jumping off the Windows ship altogether. They can't take a risk by producing an innovative or interesting OS, but they still need to generate some excitement to erase all the bad feeling generated by Vista.
  So they release a mildly facelifted version of their failed OS, rely on improved hardware to mask the worst of the sluggishness and hype it to the max.
  Profit.
  
  --
  "I've got more toys than Teruhisa Kitahara."
17. Re:Who'd have thought... by jonadab · 2009-10-20 00:15 · Score: 2, Interesting
  
  > Windows 7. Benefit. How is that a benefit?
  
  It might depend on what you've been using up to this point. It is *arguable* that if you've been using Windows Vista (perhaps because you bought a new computer that came with it and didn't bother to install anything else yet), Windows 7 might be an improvement.
  
  I personally am not convinced of this. I think the gratuitous UI weirdness in 7, and the inability to turn off some of the unwanted new features, makes it worse than Vista. For instance, why would you want your quicklaunch icons to move around all over the taskbar every time you open or close a window? To me that's a usability disaster.
  
  But many people disagree with me. If you look around on the internet, it's not hard at all to find people claiming that Windows 7 is *vastly* superior to Vista.
  
  And ultimately it doesn't really matter that much what *I* think about 7, because the chances of my ever switching my main workstation to any version of Windows are negligible anyhow. I place too much value on the ability to customize my system and get it working exactly the way I like, and Windows has never been any good for that.
  
  --
  Cut that out, or I will ship you to Norilsk in a box.
18. Re:Who'd have thought... by kevingolding2001 · 2009-10-20 00:20 · Score: 1
  
  Once Joe Sixpack heard from his friend who is slightly more technical than he was, that Vista sucked
  
  I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to correct you on this.
  As a PC repair tech last year, I found that people pretty much learned to hate Vista simply from their own experiences.
19. Re:Who'd have thought... by drsmithy · 2009-10-20 00:24 · Score: 1
  
  They can't take a risk by producing an innovative or interesting OS, [...]
  What would qualify as an "innovative or interesting OS", in the context of the average user ?
20. Re:Who'd have thought... by Starayo · 2009-10-20 00:29 · Score: 1
  
  I personally am not convinced of this. I think the gratuitous UI weirdness in 7, and the inability to turn off some of the unwanted new features, makes it worse than Vista. For instance, why would you want your quicklaunch icons to move around all over the taskbar every time you open or close a window? To me that's a usability disaster.
  I certainly thought it was a ridiculous premise at first but after using it for a while it did indeed seem to work fine. It can be tweaked to function closer to the original taskbar, in any case.
  
  The most surprising thing to me about 7 is that it was actually a pleasure to use - which is great news for me as a PC gamer. Hell, on my laptop it runs about as fast as my ubuntu installation did without the unfortunately high probability of me changing a config file somewhere and screwing it up royally. I really should stop messing with things necessary for my computer's operation without proper instruction.
  
  --
  Ezekiel 23:20
21. Re:Who'd have thought... by drsmithy · 2009-10-20 00:30 · Score: 1
  
  For instance, why would you want your quicklaunch icons to move around all over the taskbar every time you open or close a window?
  Because they're not meant to be looked at as "quicklaunch icons", they're meant to be looked at as "Taskbar buttons".
22. Re:Who'd have thought... by Tim+C · 2009-10-20 00:57 · Score: 5, Interesting
  
  And I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but some of us use Windows because we like it. I ran Linux on my desktop for a couple of years and moved back to Windows around SP1 of XP; I simply prefer it.
  
  --
  It's official. Most of you are morons.
23. Re:Who'd have thought... by ozmanjusri · 2009-10-20 00:58 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  What would qualify as an "innovative or interesting OS"
  Are you guys SO desperate for ideas for Win 8 that you have to ask random Slashdotters for hints?
  
  --
  "I've got more toys than Teruhisa Kitahara."
24. Re:Who'd have thought... by jo42 · 2009-10-20 01:03 · Score: 0, Troll
  
  Vista == "Turd"
  Windows 7 == "Polished Vista" == "Polished Turd"
  Benefit? It's "Polished"!
25. Re:Who'd have thought... by drsmithy · 2009-10-20 01:11 · Score: 1
  
  Are you guys SO desperate for ideas for Win 8 that you have to ask random Slashdotters for hints?
  I just want to know what you would consider "innovative or interesting" for the average user. Seems like a simple request.
26. Re:Who'd have thought... by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-20 01:17 · Score: 0
  
  Umm. If he worked at Microsoft, how could it possibly be a bad thing that he's asking what you want in an OS instead of just making up ideas themselves?
27. Re:Who'd have thought... by ozmanjusri · 2009-10-20 01:18 · Score: 0, Troll
  
  Seems like a simple request.
  Does it? It seems like it would require a VERY complicated answer to me.
  Since it's so simple, perhaps you could help us get started by describing your innovative OS concepts.
  
  --
  "I've got more toys than Teruhisa Kitahara."
28. Re:Who'd have thought... by ozmanjusri · 2009-10-20 01:28 · Score: 1, Insightful
  
  how could it possibly be a bad thing that he's asking what you want in an OS
  I don't use Microsoft's OS or any of their other products for that matter.
  The people who make the software I use already listen to my feedback, and don't have a history of abusing my trust.
  Why would I help Microsoft? They've done nothing to earn my loyalty and a lot to earn my contempt.
  
  --
  "I've got more toys than Teruhisa Kitahara."
29. Re:Who'd have thought... by amliebsch · 2009-10-20 01:34 · Score: 1
  
  For instance, why would you want your quicklaunch icons to move around all over the taskbar every time you open or close a window?
  They move? I haven't noticed this behavior; I click on an icon to launch a program and its tile changes appearance slightly but doesn't move, then I click it again to use it as a task switcher. Are you doing something different than the defaults?
  
  --
  If you don't know where you are going, you will wind up somewhere else.
30. Re:Who'd have thought... by Ihmhi · 2009-10-20 01:51 · Score: 1
  
  (free MS software to endingeering students)
  None of whom have a minor in English apparently. d:
  
  --
  Random Thoughts From A Diseased Mind (Not For Dummies)
31. Re:Who'd have thought... by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-20 01:55 · Score: 0
  
  I just want to know what you would consider "innovative or interesting" for the average user. Seems like a simple request.
  Such OS would update Flash and video codecs seamlessly so that people can watch their latest youtube shenanigans and play those time-wasting flash games. An OS that just tells you a virus has been detected and dumped (ooh, antitrust) instead of one that silently starts degrading till you no longer can do anything.
  The OS should also keep the whole updating and validation business hidden from the user, though this is up to them how to validate. I think MacOS X has a good model where they download updates and apply them pretty silently without all the question popups on what you want, though you could intervene somewhere to alter what you'd like downloaded.
  The OS needs to do better with plug and play so that we can say good-bye to disks. I'm talking an automated apt-get type of repository that I DON'T need to learn to use; it just detects my USB device's string and goes to a central Microsoft-level gargantuan database of anything ever created, downloads it for me without asking about stupid hardware serial numbers (the USB string should have all that, I hope, but that's engineering's problem if they are too lazy to distinguish different firmware.)
  The OS should add a feature in the pictures / video organization category that are the equivalent of "reddit" "slashdot it" "tweet it" so you can just add your account information once per service and have the OS upload your stuff without using each site's interface. If the OS can show you frames for Myspace, Youtube and those other sites in some category called "My social networks" or something, and showed you dedicated panes for them in a dashboard-like interface, it would make the browser experience a bit more seamless, since people wouldn't think of the internet as something separate from your OS shell.
32. Re:Who'd have thought... by socsoc · 2009-10-20 01:56 · Score: 1
  
  The launch party hosts received their copies of win7 weeks ago.
33. Re:Who'd have thought... by drsmithy · 2009-10-20 02:02 · Score: 1
  
  Does it? It seems like it would require a VERY complicated answer to me.
  Probably.
  Since it's so simple, perhaps you could help us get started by describing your innovative OS concepts.
  Why ? I'm not the one making any claims about whether or not something is "innovative or interesting".
34. Re:Who'd have thought... by b4dc0d3r · 2009-10-20 02:09 · Score: 1
  
  My gf is not technically savvy - she learns quickly, but doesn't go looking up stuff. She's perfectly happy to move the mouse to something and click and wait, and click something else, and reinstall the application, and reboot, because that's what computers do. She doesn't understand why I curse at my computer, even when I show her exactly what I find annoying.
  Still, she hates Vista, and doesn't understand why Microsoft made such stupid decisions. And not just for the reasons I curse about - sh actually likes some of those things. She has her very own reasons for hating Vista.
  I think my point is, everyone can find something that is so ridiculously poorly thought out and hate on it severely. Like the way any single-threaded program gets a "(Not Responding)" note in the title bar when it's processing. That makes me think something's wrong with Vista, when it worked fine under XP. did Microsoft think it would help people to say that the app was not responding? Or should it keep the info to itself until either the app finishes or someone clicks on it? Little things like that, which seem to have been decided upon some hazy hung over Saturday morning two weeks before code freeze.
35. Re:Who'd have thought... by GeckoAddict · 2009-10-20 02:19 · Score: 1
  
  So they release a mildly facelifted version of their failed OS, rely on improved hardware to mask the worst of the sluggishness and hype it to the max. Profit.
  Isn't the business formula for all mature product lines?
  release a mildly facelifted version of their <PRODUCT X>, rely on improved <DEPENDENCY Y> to mask the worst of the <PROBLEM A> and hype it to the max. Profit.
36. Re:Who'd have thought... by sunderland56 · 2009-10-20 02:27 · Score: 1
  
  So... why so long before boxes hit shelves? It seems very odd to me.
  So that there will be working apps available at launch.
  
  Yes, I've been running the final bits for a long time too. The point is, I can test my app against those final bits, and make sure everything works correctly. If needed, I've got time to make changes, spin a new version, and get updates available before customers start installing Windows 7.
37. Re:Who'd have thought... by commodore64_love · 2009-10-20 02:32 · Score: 2, Interesting
  
  Why if the UK Post Office goes on strike, and nobody notices, because UPS, FedEx, and other private companies (plus email) fill the gap? It would be ironic if the Government Strike proves that the government-run service is no longer needed.
  Hmmmm.
  I hope the U.S. Post Office goes on strike next. Who need them? Not me.
  
  --
  "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - historian Evelyn Beatrice Hall
38. Re:Who'd have thought... by ozmanjusri · 2009-10-20 02:44 · Score: 1
  
  Why ? I'm not the one making any claims about whether or not something is "innovative or interesting".
  What a ridiculous answer.
  So you were just trolling all along? Ok, you got me this time, but it'll be something I'll remember next time I see one of your advertorials.
  
  --
  "I've got more toys than Teruhisa Kitahara."
39. Re:Who'd have thought... by drsmithy · 2009-10-20 02:58 · Score: 1
  
  What a ridiculous answer.
  Not in the slightest. You are criticising with neither context nor justification. Or, to use the colloquialism, "spewing mindless crap".
  All I'm curious about is whether you're criticising because you really do have an opinion on what would classify as "innovative and interesting", or if you're just a garden variety Slashbot making up your quota of anti-Microsoft rhetoric. Given your responses thus far, I'm going to go with the latter.
40. Re:Who'd have thought... by clone53421 · 2009-10-20 03:17 · Score: 1
  
  She's perfectly happy to move the mouse to something and click and wait, and click something else, and reinstall the application, and reboot, because that's what computers do.
  That's what a typical user does: rarely installs something, and if they do, it's a good chance they're doing so inadvertently – so alert them to the fact so that they can figure out whether or not they meant to do it. UAC can, of course, be turned off if you're a serious hacker and planning on going on a lengthy installation spree. Just remember to turn it back on when you're done (okay, perhaps you'd prefer to keep it turned off, but it is there for a reason).
  
  Or should it keep the info to itself until either the app finishes or someone clicks on it?
  Actually, doesn't it? The "(Not responding)" doesn't just appear randomly, it only appears if you click on the app or focus it, in my experience. More irritating to me was XP's penchant for putting "(Not responding)" in the title bar and then leaving it there after the app began responding again (Explorer windows in particular, IIRC). Haven't seen this on Vista, but then I haven't used it that much so I can't really say it doesn't happen.
  
  --
  Alexander Peter Kristopeit bought his basement from his mommy for one dollar.
41. Re:Who'd have thought... by AmiMoJo · 2009-10-20 03:50 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  I know it's heresy on /. but Windows 7 is actually quite good. Seriously.
  Maybe we can now just stop all the holy wars and live in peace and harmony while celebrating the diversity of software available. I can dream can't I? :)
  PS. Steve Jobs smells.
  
  --
  const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
  SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
42. Re:Who'd have thought... by Beardo+the+Bearded · 2009-10-20 03:59 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  It's all wrong.
  Your OS shouldn't be shiny, showy, or dazzling. It shouldn't be interesting. It should exist simply as a framework for launching other programs, and it should do so in as unobtrustive and as small a manner as possible. If you're taking up resources that should otherwise go to productive programs, you are stealing from me.
  When I'm diving, I wear fins so I can move around underwater and I use a regulator so I have air. I don't want to be thinking "wow, this is a great regulator" or "these fins are fantastic". I want to be thinking about what kind of fish that is, or how that coral looks in the light.
  When I'm doing renovations on my house, I don't want to think about how nice or innovative the power company is. I want to think about how to cut the wood to fit or what colour to paint the finished product.
  By the same token, I don't want to think about how my OS works. I want to use the tools that the OS allows me to use.
  
  --
  
  ---
  ECHELON is a government program to find words like bomb, jihad, plutonium, assassinate, and anarchy.
43. Re:Who'd have thought... by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-20 04:09 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  Not going to happen. For large business needs, maybe. But even then, the Royal Mail beats its competitors hands down on price, which really matters when you start talking in bulk terms.
  Is it really worth paying up to 10 times as much to get it one day early? Especially when you consider the sorting offices for post offices are local and often within 1-2 miles of you address. Whereas the FedEx style companies have only one office/distribution centre and its always outside of town/city in some crappy industrial estate with no bus service to it. So if you miss the package you have to fork out almost as much as it cost you to have it delivered in the first place and go through the inconvenience.
  I've had no problems with company itself (it's a private company btw, despite its name) just a few of their staff. My problems with my postie were dealt with extremely fast and not only was he fired, but they promptly called the police in and my stolen mail was returned :)
44. Re:Who'd have thought... by The+Archon+V2.0 · 2009-10-20 04:27 · Score: 1
  
  (free MS software to endingeering students)
  None of whom have a minor in English apparently. d:
  Maybe they're Walt Disney Imagineers who decided to go into eschatology.
45. Re:Who'd have thought... by westlake · 2009-10-20 04:55 · Score: 1
  
  What would qualify as an "innovative or interesting OS", in the context of the average user ?
  That's a fair question - and one the geek should be asking himself more often:
  PulseAudio Creator Responds To His Critics
  But he may not always like the answer.
  The Win 7 HTPC that ships with a Blu-Ray drive will ship with a licensed Blu-Ray player and integrated HDMI multi-channel audio and video out as standard. PPV, rental and subscription services of every sort will install painlessly and work as advertised.
  The embedded Linux OS in the set top or player supports DRM and can be found everywhere in the consumer market space.
  The Linux PC is all-but-invisivble even in the netbook sector.
46. Re:Who'd have thought... by drsquare · 2009-10-20 05:03 · Score: 1
  
  That might be an issue when the private operators bother to do anything other than cherry pick the most profitable deliveries.
47. Re:Who'd have thought... by CrossChris · 2009-10-20 05:19 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  I've noticed a few companies using this as a marketing device.
  
  It's been really funny to see the first Windows 7 targeted malware - there are several trojans and even more "scareware" nonsense. The malware writers obviously assume (often correctly) that early adopters of Windows 7 will be the usual knuckle-draggers who persist in using Windows brokenware and the Windoze fanboys who are mostly too stupid to install their own operating systems...
48. Re:Who'd have thought... by DeadboltX · 2009-10-20 05:28 · Score: 1
  
  It gives MS more time to catch/fix bugs found by the early adopters before the general public has to pay out cold hard cash for the product.
49. Re:Who'd have thought... by oldhack · 2009-10-20 05:28 · Score: 1
  
  You misspelled "rootkits".
  
  --
  Fuck systemd. Fuck Redhat. Fuck Soylent, too. Wait, scratch the last one.
50. Re:Who'd have thought... by MrNemesis · 2009-10-20 05:32 · Score: 1
  
  It took MS alot of time to resurrect Michaelangelo, Da Vinci, Holbein and Rembrandt so they could finally contribute to making the Windows 7 Table Centrepiece a truly worthy work of art fit for the launch parties. Man does that thing look sweet! I hear it took Da Vinci three years just to produce the hand-polymerised arbor-cellulose used for it's sculpted form.
  
  --
  Moderation Total: -1 Troll, +3 Goat
51. Re:Who'd have thought... by kbielefe · 2009-10-20 05:56 · Score: 1
  
  You have some interesting ideas. I especially liked the one about web interaction in pictures folders, then I thought, "I could probably do that in an evening or two with a nautilus script." My next thought was, "If I've thought of it, someone else has probably already done it." Sure enough, a quick google search turned up some ideas that I could get running with a half hour's work. Not trying to be a Linux fanboi here, I'm sure someone more familiar with windows could come up with a similar windows solution fairly quickly.
  That brings up the question of if it's so easy, why isn't it in there already by default? I think it boils down to the theory that one man's feature is another man's bloat. How do you enable it for the heavy social networking users without wasting disk space or cpu cycles for everyone else?
  My ideal operating system would come with a least common denominator configuration, with easily discoverable, installable, and migratable customizations, and some common profiles for those customizations. For example, social networker, gamer, office worker, photographer, laptop, administrator, and developer could all be profiles that would enable certain common customizations frequently used by those classes of users or systems.
  I'm thinking along the lines of the firefox model, but system-wide. I have around 30 customizations installed to firefox, and may be the only person in the world to have that exact combination. It's just the way I like it, but someone else would find the ability to view exif tags on photos or easily use vi to edit posts to be completely useless, even wasteful.
  The trick then becomes how to make the user aware of these customizations without inundating them with information. I like the greasefire model here. Yet another site is slashdotted, and I think to myself, "I wish there were a better way of opening a mirror." I right-click on an icon in the corner, and bring up a list of 46 scripts, of which the top-ranked one automatically adds links to a few well-known mirrors, which I can enable with a couple more clicks.As a user, I have no idea how that list of scripts got there, but the information is right there when I need it.
  Extending that model to the entire system, imagine I have gimp open and facebook open in a web browser, then I right-click on an image in nautilus. I'd like to see an option to bring up a ranked list of nautilus customizations related to facebook or gimp or images in general. I could then choose one that lets me upload to a facebook photo album with a right-click, and one that lets me use the exif tags to rotate images to the correct orientation. If I don't have facebook currently up, I can search for it from the same interface. I don't know or care how those suggestions came to me, as long as the ones other users like me find most useful are ranked near the top. And users who aren't like me aren't going to be spammed with options to rotate images or upload to facebook every time they right-click on an image.
  
  --
  This space intentionally left blank.
52. Re:Who'd have thought... by zmollusc · 2009-10-20 06:01 · Score: 1
  
  Pfffft, I would like to see UPS and fedex et al do the number of drops that the post office does. They (UPS etc) take on more than they can deliver now, the only way the drivers complete their rounds is by 'carding' a proportion of their packages.
  
  --
  They whose government reduces their essential liberties for temporary security, receive neither liberty nor security.
53. Re:Who'd have thought... by siloko · 2009-10-20 06:53 · Score: 1
  
  I really should stop messing with things necessary for my computer's operation without proper instruction.
  You be careful you'll be calling yourself a Sysadmin before long!
54. Re:Who'd have thought... by quadrox · 2009-10-20 07:08 · Score: 1
  
  Windows 7 is indeed quite good. I only use it (beta version) for gaming, but from what I have seen so far it is a decent, possibly even well polished OS.
  However, for me the holy war will never end. Microsoft is an "evil" company that has shown time and again that it will stop at no means whatsoever to maximize its profits. Now I don't mind proprietary software or companies or whatever. But Microsoft does not WANT to be a good coroporate "citizen", they will bend and break any and all rules at will, and I simply cannot support this.
  I am already spending far less time playing games than I used to, because I will not buy DRM encumbered games (not even the evil that is steam). So once my beta version of windows 7 expires I imagine I will cease to use windows completely or install XP again. Possibly even that Vista abomination that came with the computer.
55. Re:Who'd have thought... by mwolfe38 · 2009-10-20 07:36 · Score: 1
  
  Wow, so like 7 years ago you didn't like linux (probably fedora?). Unless you were running a server or you loved spending a load of time getting your computer working, neither did anyone else. In terms of a desktop OS, it wasn't nearly as baked 7 years ago as it is today. Lots of room to grow still, but I certainly prefer it to windows XP for most things (I primarily do development). For a casual user its better as well (no need to worry about spyware/virii, and you can install tons of apps for free). The only reason to stick with running windows native is if you are a gamer or you need some app that doesn't run well in wine or a virtual machine. Otherwise I'd say the best of both worlds is to run linux with wine and virtualbox for those "other" apps.
56. Re:Who'd have thought... by node+3 · 2009-10-20 08:39 · Score: 1
  
  And I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but some of us use Windows because we like it
  I know a *lot* of people who prefer to run Windows over Linux or a Mac, but only a very small percentage do so because they actually *like* Windows itself.
  The preference is usually more about hardware, price, games, software, familiarity, than it is about actually liking the Windows OS.
57. Re:Who'd have thought... by Shagg · 2009-10-20 09:03 · Score: 1
  
  Sounds like every version of Windows to me.
  
  --
  Unix is user friendly, it's just selective about who its friends are.
58. Re:Who'd have thought... by 1s44c · 2009-10-20 09:16 · Score: 1
  
  And I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but some of us use Windows because we like it,
  Some people like to be beaten, whipped, and degraded. Personally I just want an OS that works consistently and windows never has, this release isn't going to be any different.
59. Re:Who'd have thought... by broknstrngz · 2009-10-20 09:44 · Score: 1
  
  Because friends don't let friends use Windows!
60. Re:Who'd have thought... by syousef · 2009-10-20 11:38 · Score: 1
  
  Maybe we can now just stop all the holy wars and live in peace and harmony while celebrating the diversity of software available. I can dream can't I? :)
  Only if by dream you mean smoke weed.
  
  --
  These posts express my own personal views, not those of my employer
61. Re:Who'd have thought... by Starayo · 2009-10-20 12:16 · Score: 1
  
  With any luck. :P
  
  --
  Ezekiel 23:20
62. Re:Who'd have thought... by caitsith01 · 2009-10-20 13:24 · Score: 1
  
  I know it's heresy on /. but Windows 7 is actually quite good. Seriously.
  Indeed. Having used the RC for a few months, for the first time in many years I am considering actually paying money to Microsoft for a product (albeit via parallel importation given that their pricing in Australia is just offensively disproportionate to their pricing elsewhere... seriously, wtf?).
  
  --
  Read Pynchon.
63. Re:Who'd have thought... by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-20 17:57 · Score: 0
  
  You don't use Microsoft products, but you use a Hotmail address? Right.
64. Re:Who'd have thought... by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-20 21:53 · Score: 0
  
  Don't forget British Opposition to Metabolically Bisturbile Drugs.
65. Re:Who'd have thought... by mongolian · 2009-10-21 11:26 · Score: 1
  
  It's amazing how cheaply a university can get this for its students that qualify to have it shoved down their throats throughout their studies. At McGill anyways, only electrical (not absolutely sure, haven't asked one), computer, and software engineers as well as CS students have access. Still, it only costs the school a few hundred bucks a year for all of us and there's a lot more than copies of all windows xp-7 pro-extreme+ danger edition available for download.
  As one who hasn't had windows as a primary OS (and consequently hasn't legally owned a version) since windows 98, I was a a bit skeptical when my university dropped a license (through MSDNAA) on my lap. It wasn't until reading this post that I was convinced (either way) that it was the RTM build, though it didn't make much difference to me as, in the worst case, they would provide the final for free when it was released.
  Anyways, I had to try it out in vmware, if nothing else to make use of my newfound legal copy of an operating system a few days ago and was pleasantly surprised. As I only gave it 1GB of RAM, 1 of my not-so-blindingly-fast cores, and no graphics acceleration, I could feel it lagging a bit but *not that badly*. It was an overall pleasant experience, though productivity was hardly a factor in this call. Windows-only FPGA and DSP/embedded development software installed and working, I'm not sure what else I'd want to do on it. I'm sorry to those who feel more passionately about wanting to use Windows 7 and care to use it regularly.
Those basdards. by Higaran · 2009-10-19 22:22 · Score: 1

I wasn't really running out to go buy one, but I am actually a little jelouse that they got copies before the release date.
Already on sale in Israel... by ZP-Blight · 2009-10-19 22:24 · Score: 5, Informative

Not only the U.K.,
Windows 7 is already on sale in Israel.

--
Zoom Player Lead Dev.
1. Re:Already on sale in Israel... by lukas84 · 2009-10-19 22:26 · Score: 2, Informative
  
  We were able to order Windows 7 OEM, Retail and Upgrade licenses on the 15th. We received the first ones on the 16th.
  This is in no way unusual...
2. Re:Already on sale in Israel... by secondhand_Buddah · 2009-10-20 00:17 · Score: 1
  
  Well it is the year 5770 in Israel.
  
  --
  Participatory Governance : The only feasible option for a real democracy, where everyone really does have a say.
3. Re:Already on sale in Israel... by Meumeu · 2009-10-20 00:23 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  Well it is the year 5770 in Israel.
  And still no flying cars...
4. Re:Already on sale in Israel... by mathx314 · 2009-10-20 00:45 · Score: 1
  
  Yes, but cold fusion is only a few decades away.
5. Re:Already on sale in Israel... by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-20 02:11 · Score: 0
  
  and France too...
  in french : http://www.lepoint.fr/actualites-technologie-internet/2009-10-20/info-lepoint-fr-regardez-windows-7-deja-en-vente-a-paris/1387/0/387266
  translation power by Google :
  http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lepoint.fr%2Factualites-technologie-internet%2F2009-10-20%2Finfo-lepoint-fr-regardez-windows-7-deja-en-vente-a-paris%2F1387%2F0%2F387266
6. Re:Already on sale in Israel... by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-20 03:57 · Score: 0
  
  So has Hamas denounced yet the inhumane acts of Israeli Windows 7?
I'm One by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-19 22:24 · Score: 0

Purchased though Amazon and got an email as soon as i saw this story.
looks like their not using the post office as they say it's sent via City Link. though this may be because i live in London.
1. Re:I'm One by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-20 00:52 · Score: 0
  
  Does the mangling of the language call for Capital Punishment?
2. Re:I'm One by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-20 03:04 · Score: 0
  
  "i" is not a word.
  Define "word".
  Long live the grammer nazi's!
3. Re:I'm One by clone53421 · 2009-10-20 03:19 · Score: 1
  
  You fail at pedantry: You should have used a semicolon, not a comma.
  
  --
  Alexander Peter Kristopeit bought his basement from his mommy for one dollar.
4. Re:I'm One by clone53421 · 2009-10-20 03:21 · Score: 1
  
  You misspelled "grammar" and put an apostrophe in "nazis". Is this a joke? If it is, it wasn't funny, I assure you.
  
  --
  Alexander Peter Kristopeit bought his basement from his mommy for one dollar.
Germany too by DaPhil · 2009-10-19 22:29 · Score: 5, Informative

Windows 7 has been available through amazon.de for some time now, and is being delivered as well. Nothing to see here, move along.
1. Re:Germany too by jrumney · 2009-10-20 02:04 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  This is going to be a bit disappointing for all those people who organized Windows 7 launch parties to celebrate the moment. All four of them.
2. Re:Germany too by tlhIngan · 2009-10-20 03:13 · Score: 1
  
  This is going to be a bit disappointing for all those people who organized Windows 7 launch parties to celebrate the moment. All four of them.
  I think you meant, there were only four real parties. But there are more than four "parties". After all, it was a cheap way to get Windows 7 Ultimate. And all you have to do is get a few adults together for a photo or something. Heck, you can probably use your kid's birthday as the reason for the get-together!
3. Re:Germany too by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-20 04:34 · Score: 0
  
  Been in Canada as of yesterday at the OEM shops.
Who cares? by rpp3po · 2009-10-19 22:36 · Score: 1

The reviews are out for months. Anybody who really cared has it already anyway. Students could have it for weeks for free via MSDN AA. Not that I would say that there might still be some people waiting for this, but is this really worth a Slashdot story??
1. Re:Who cares? by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-19 22:46 · Score: 0
  
  Technet subscribers have had it since August
2. Re:Who cares? by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-19 23:19 · Score: 0
  
  Students could have it for weeks for free via MSDN AA.
  you are talking apples and oranges here. Software from MSDN AA is clearly licensed only to support development for your education and can't be used as your main operating system (i.e. "consumer use"). What is discussed here is "consumer use".
3. Re:Who cares? by rpp3po · 2009-10-20 00:29 · Score: 0, Redundant
  
  you are talking apples and oranges here. Software from MSDN AA is clearly licensed only to support development for your education and can't be used as your main operating system (i.e. "consumer use"). What is discussed here is "consumer use".
  Excuse me, why do I get the impression this this is sounding a little Microsofty. Why? It somehow bears the taste of a "campaigning perspective". So you intended to have consumer use discussed here. Well sorry, that this is Slashdot!
  However, kudos for the campaign as a whole. The "Yes, Vista sucked, but have you heard, Windows 7 rules"-spin really took off. You also made sure, that all exclusive early reviewers compared it to Vista and not XP (which made Vista look so bad). W7 is again considerably slower than XP, even with all eye candy and UAC shut off. But somehow you managed it, to make almost nobody ask, because "it's so much better than Vista".
4. Re:Who cares? by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-20 01:03 · Score: 0
  
  People who aren't Technet subscribers might.
5. Re:Who cares? by fast+turtle · 2009-10-20 04:20 · Score: 1
  
  Hell I've had it since May and aint a "TechNet" subscriber. I'm just one of the many who bothered to grab the RC and am running it on everything at home.
  Right now, I'm a damn happy camper because they fixed/solved one of Vista's biggest problems. It certainly was anti-social in regards to even another vista box on the home network. Could never share files/printers yet Win7's homegroup works nicely once you set things up and get the latest updates that fixed the many problems.
  
  --
  Mod me up/Mod me down: I wont frown as I've no crown
Pfff.... by ls671 · 2009-10-19 22:39 · Score: 1, Funny

Slackware is at version 13 which makes it much more advanced than any version 7 could ever be.
Read how Slackware got to version 13 so quickly at this link, a quantum leap occurred in 1999:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slackware [wikipedia.org] ;-)))
P.S. Yes I use slackware...

--
Everything I write is lies, read between the lines.
1. Re:Pfff.... by Bob_Who · 2009-10-19 23:01 · Score: 1
  
  P.S. Yes I use slackware...
  Praise "Bob"!!
2. Re:Pfff.... by Skater · 2009-10-19 23:33 · Score: 1
  
  I think Patrick said at the time that he was sick of people asking when he'd upgrade to "Linux 6". That still makes me chuckle.
3. Re:Pfff.... by L4t3r4lu5 · 2009-10-19 23:40 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  "It would be like 9/11 times 100."
  "You mean..."
  "Yes. Ninenty-one thousand, one hundred."
  
  Disclaimer: Yes, the geek in me wanted to say 81.812 as well. Don't feel bad.
  
  --
  Finally had enough. Come see us over at https://soylentnews.org/
4. Re:Pfff.... by Haxzaw · 2009-10-20 03:23 · Score: 1
  
  Unfortunately Slackware is not ready for the desktop : /Ducks/
Bugger by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-19 22:39 · Score: 0

This has really taken the shine from my launch party...
1. Re:Bugger by node+3 · 2009-10-20 08:58 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  Given that we're talking about the UK getting it early, I don't think "bugger" is the best term to use for a Windows launch... Actually, come to think of it, I take that back.
Netherlands was first by thrakkattack · 2009-10-19 22:50 · Score: 5, Interesting

There was a release party in the small Dutch village of Zevenhuizen (' Seven houses') , last Saturday: http://www.windowszeven.nl/Windows_7_nieuws.php?post=76
1. Re:Netherlands was first by Yuioup · 2009-10-20 00:44 · Score: 0, Troll
  
  Jeetje, wat een stelletje LOSERS zeg!
2. Re:Netherlands was first by CannonballHead · 2009-10-20 03:47 · Score: 1
  
  'Seven houses'
  That IS a small village...
3. Re:Netherlands was first by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-20 03:48 · Score: 0
  
  Lovely photos. Get a life.
4. Re:Netherlands was first by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-20 08:27 · Score: 0
  
  Irony:
  Telling someone to get a life over the internet.
Slashlaw, Article 3. by geekmux · 2009-10-19 22:51 · Score: 1

The reviews are out for months. Anybody who really cared has it already anyway. Students could have it for weeks for free via MSDN AA. Not that I would say that there might still be some people waiting for this, but is this really worth a Slashdot story??
Hey, listen buddy. It's always worth a Slashdot story when even the hint of Microsoft screwing something up comes to light. Didn't you read your Slashlaws when you signed up?!? It's right there in Article 3, plain as day. Admit it, you don't read EULAs either, do you?
OEM Editions sent out in Germany last week by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-19 22:51 · Score: 0

Got a pre-ordered OEM edition of Windows 7 Professional in the mail on Friday in Germany. Nice surprise!
disaster movies by martas · 2009-10-19 22:52 · Score: 1

Europe always gets hit first in disaster movies. Case in point - Scotland was first to freeze in The Day After Tomorrow. Though I bet a new ice age would be much less destructive that this...

[Just kidding. Though I will keep Vista on my machine for a while longer, I actually think 7 is a pretty good OS...]

--
weinersmith
1. Re:disaster movies by NCG_Mike · 2009-10-20 04:25 · Score: 1
  
  It does seem to be New York City that gets destroyed in the end. Discovery Channel seem to love to crash asteroids into NYC. Glad I don't live there!
2. Re:disaster movies by node+3 · 2009-10-20 09:01 · Score: 1
  
  Europe always gets hit first in disaster movies. Case in point - Scotland was first to freeze in The Day After Tomorrow. Though I bet a new ice age would be much less destructive that this...
  Whereas in actuality, the day after tomorrow is when rest of the planet gets hit with Windows 7...
Not really a big deal if by fireylord · 2009-10-19 22:57 · Score: 1

Doesn't make a huge difference for those of us using the rc with an evaluation license thats valid through q1 2010 (oh and i got my shipment email 40 minutes ago, guess its time to make the planned hardware changes prior to the new install)
It has been released in China as well by ctrl-alt-canc · 2009-10-19 23:09 · Score: 5, Funny

It costs just about 3 USD, probably its fair value...
Hot damn! by Rogerborg · 2009-10-19 23:10 · Score: 1

I get to throw my Windows 7 Install Party early!

--
If you were blocking sigs, you wouldn't have to read this.
Re:The UK isn't a country by danhuby · 2009-10-19 23:10 · Score: 0, Offtopic

"Country" is very loosely defined, to the point that a statement like "The UK isn't a country" is completely baseless and meaningless.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Country
Not exactly first... by slasher999 · 2009-10-19 23:21 · Score: 1

Not exactly first if you include MSDN and TechEd subscribers. I've had the release version from MS for a week or two now, installed it last week over my RC build.
Does it provide browser poll? by jkrise · 2009-10-19 23:36 · Score: 0, Troll

That is the most important question, more than general availability.

--
If you keep throwing chairs, one day you'll break windows....
Re:The UK isn't a country by ledow · 2009-10-19 23:36 · Score: 0, Offtopic

Depending on your definition:
The UK is a country. (The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)
Great Britain is a country. (comprising the countries of England, Scotland and Wales)
England is a country.
In fact, a lot of English people (i.e. actually from England) will use all three to mean exactly the same thing (usually the UK).
There is no set definition, and nobody refers to the UK as a sovereign state unless it's in some formal document somewhere... it's a country.
released early? by nimbius · 2009-10-19 23:42 · Score: 1

all i can say is, "those poor bastards."

--
Good people go to bed earlier.
1. Re:released early? by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-19 23:59 · Score: 0
  
  Well, if you know you're in for some pain, best get it over with as soon as you can!
Precedent by kooky45 · 2009-10-19 23:46 · Score: 1

Wasn't it a member of a political party in the UK who said
"Today is a good day to bury bad news."
1. Re:Precedent by abigsmurf · 2009-10-19 23:50 · Score: 0, Offtopic
  
  Princess Diana has died again?
2. Re:Precedent by PhilHibbs · 2009-10-20 01:00 · Score: 1
  
  No, that one was Sept 11.
In other news,TPB report expected UK Torrent storm by phonewebcam · 2009-10-19 23:46 · Score: 0

Over the next 3 days
IN OTHER NEWS by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-19 23:46 · Score: 0

UK becomes spyware hotspot of the world!
CRAAAAP! by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-19 23:54 · Score: 0

The cappies and their plots for world domination... aaaaargh!
Hopefully they fixed these things from Vista: by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-19 23:57 · Score: 0

- The absence of a directory up button in the explorer. No I don't want to use alt-up when I'm with my hand on the mouse and don't get me started on the horrifying location bar!
- When there's a number of windows, but none have focus, and one uses alt-f4, one immidiately gets a shutdown dialog. I just want to close my apps dammit!
- Programs can't be run off alternative filesystems when UAC is running because of a bug in the api.
- The absence of a 'Don't ask me for permission to confirm system changes until next session' option in UAC.
- Some other things I can't be bothered to remember right now.
1. Re:Hopefully they fixed these things from Vista: by Tim+C · 2009-10-20 00:55 · Score: 2, Informative
  
  When there's a number of windows, but none have focus, and one uses alt-f4, one immidiately gets a shutdown dialog.
  That behaviour has been present in Windows since at least XP - if no window has focus, then the Desktop has focus. Alt-F4 on the Desktop opens the shut down dialogue. There's nothing to fix here, it simply doesn't work the way you think it should.
  
  --
  It's official. Most of you are morons.
2. Re:Hopefully they fixed these things from Vista: by clone53421 · 2009-10-20 01:21 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  - The absence of a directory up button in the explorer. No I don't want to use alt-up when I'm with my hand on the mouse and don't get me started on the horrifying location bar!
  Wait, backspace doesn't work anymore?! (Not using Vista, can't verify.) Yes, the location bar is a pain, but clicking the empty region gets you to the editable path box – directory structure delimited by backslashes, as you wanted.
  
  - When there's a number of windows, but none have focus, and one uses alt-f4, one immidiately gets a shutdown dialog. I just want to close my apps dammit!
  Jesus Christ, and hitting "Esc" is too much trouble for you? It's not like this is unexpected or new behavior (as the other responder has pointed out).
  You want a close-all hotkey? Never existed. You want it added? That's not a "fix", it's an addition.
  
  - The absence of a 'Don't ask me for permission to confirm system changes until next session' option in UAC.
  That's called "turning UAC off", and while discouraged it's entirely possible.
  
  --
  Alexander Peter Kristopeit bought his basement from his mommy for one dollar.
3. Re:Hopefully they fixed these things from Vista: by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-20 05:22 · Score: 0
  
  Backspace works fine in both Vista and Windows 7.
4. Re:Hopefully they fixed these things from Vista: by cbhacking · 2009-10-20 05:56 · Score: 1
  
  Wow seriously, a complaint that he can't find a "Up" button in the same sentence as a complaint about the breadcrumb navigation bar...
  The "Up" button you want is just click on the name of the folder above your current one! Heack, you can even go up THREE folders with one click, if you want to! Seriously, I'll grant you that it's different and therefore a certain portion fo the community will automatically think "bad" but come on, the breadcrumb navigation is FAR better than a single "go up one level" button.
  Also, while Backspace works perfectly well, what it does is go Back, not Up (it's always done this, and consistently does this across everything from IE/Firefox/Whatever to the various wizards and installers that have multiple steps with a Back option). Sometimes going up a directory is not a Back option (if you jumped into the middle of a folder tree) and therefore Backspace won't go where you want. He was also asking for a mouse-based solution.
  Being able to use Alt-F4 on the desktop is a feature; it's an easy way to shut the system down using the keyboard alone, even if you don't have a WinKey (rare today, but there was a time that not many keyboards had one). Believe it or not, you can navigate pretty much the entirety of Windows without a mouse (and if your mouse or mouse drivers ever get whacked, you'll need to).
  If you want to do a bunch of configuration for one session, either turn off UAC temporarily, log in as Administrator (which by default has UAC disabled, although the account itself is also disabled by default), or put up with a handful of confirmation dialogs. It's not like they take that much time to deal with, and I've blocked programs even from reputably good sources (i.e. commercially purchased through retail or Steam) when they wanted to do something as Admin with no good reason.
  
  --
  There's no place I could be, since I've found Serenity...
5. Re:Hopefully they fixed these things from Vista: by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-20 06:04 · Score: 0
  
  No it doesn't.
  In XP backspace takes you one level up the directory hierachy. In Vista\Win7 it acts like a browser back button, and takes you to the last directory you were in.
  These are not necessarily the same things.
6. Re:Hopefully they fixed these things from Vista: by clone53421 · 2009-10-20 06:12 · Score: 1
  
  Also, while Backspace works perfectly well, what it does is go Back, not Up (it's always done this, and consistently does this across everything from IE/Firefox/Whatever to the various wizards and installers that have multiple steps with a Back option).
  Incorrect; it has not always done this. On XP's Explorer backspace went "up", not "back". Apparently they've "fixed" this... actually, I liked it better when it went "up".
  "Back" is accomplished (in XP) by Alt-Left arrow key. "Up" is the Backspace key.
  Open a folder, press Backspace: goes up to the parent folder. Subsequently press Alt-Left: goes back to the previous (child) folder. Change the address bar to a different folder entirely: press Backspace and you'll get its parent folder, but press Alt-Left and you'll be back in the folder you were in before.
  If Vista/Win7 did away with this, I admit I'm a bit miffed. Have they really left no keyboard shortcut for "Up"?
  
  --
  Alexander Peter Kristopeit bought his basement from his mommy for one dollar.
7. Re:Hopefully they fixed these things from Vista: by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-20 06:27 · Score: 0
  
  Oh please...
  1) Just use the right pointing arrow on the directory in the explorer...or just click on the word of the parent directory...Much better IMHO than a up directory
  2) WTF do you want Windows to do? GUESS which window that is "not in focus" that it should close on your behalf? You can also close all windows of the same type by right-clicking on the taskbar the icon and selecting close all.
  3) Windows 7 is "MUCH" better at handling the UAC stuff...at least you only have to tell it once rather than 3 times in some cases in Vista...
  I love Windows 7...I love linux (Suse and Centos specifically)...They all do different things for me...
  Windows 7 - Games, internet browsing and trade shows/training (where I need to use external projectors etc).
  Suse - Reading my mail, working in eclipse, doing work stuff...
  Centos - Running my Servers, Oracle, MySQL etc.
8. Re:Hopefully they fixed these things from Vista: by clone53421 · 2009-10-20 06:35 · Score: 1
  
  Not sure if you're replying to me or to the guy I replied to, but anyway.
  
  1) Just use the right pointing arrow on the directory in the explorer...or just click on the word of the parent directory...Much better IMHO than a up directory
  The right-pointing arrow is back, not up. There's a difference. Either way, you described a mouse action, not a keyboard action. I like keyboard shortcuts. A lot!
  
  2) WTF do you want Windows to do? GUESS which window that is "not in focus" that it should close on your behalf? You can also close all windows of the same type by right-clicking on the taskbar the icon and selecting close all.
  I was a bit puzzled too. It sounded like he wanted it to close all the windows, but then that would be a totally new feature, not a bug-fix. Not to mention horribly annoying if you hit Alt-F4 without realizing you'd clicked on the desktop recently and no window was focused. Poof, all your windows gone, instead of just the one on top.
  
  --
  Alexander Peter Kristopeit bought his basement from his mommy for one dollar.
9. Re:Hopefully they fixed these things from Vista: by clone53421 · 2009-10-20 06:36 · Score: 1
  
  Erm, the back arrow points left, not right. I should have caught that before I posted; ah well...
  
  --
  Alexander Peter Kristopeit bought his basement from his mommy for one dollar.
10. Re:Hopefully they fixed these things from Vista: by jonbryce · 2009-10-20 07:22 · Score: 1
  
  - When there's a number of windows, but none have focus, and one uses alt-f4, one immidiately gets a shutdown dialog. I just want to close my apps dammit!
  That's not a bug, it's a feature.
11. Re:Hopefully they fixed these things from Vista: by node+3 · 2009-10-20 09:15 · Score: 1
  
  There's nothing to fix here, it simply doesn't work the way you think it should.
  Alt-F4 is Close Window/Program, *not* Shutdown Computer. If the desktop has the focus, then it should do nothing, as there is no window or program to close.
  I realize that, in a sense, the "program" is "Windows" (not really, but metaphorically, it works somewhat), so closing Windows is, essentially, shutdown. The problem here is that an overly literal interpretation of the command is counter-intuitive and inconsistent. This is further compounded by the occurrence of hitting Alt-F4 numerous times to close out a bunch of windows, and part way through, Windows 7 asks if you want to shut down, even when there are other open windows, or you've hit it one too many times.
  And to answer the question that started this all, yes, Windows 7 still behaves this way.
12. Re:Hopefully they fixed these things from Vista: by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-20 09:27 · Score: 0
  
  It's far older than that. It dates back to the early 16-bit versions of Windows, where Windows itself was considered a mere graphical shell for DOS, that could be closed at any time whenever you wanted to get real work done.
  It is an anachronism borne of Windows' own low heritage. Today, it is bad behavior. "The way [the other AC thinks] it should" probably translates to "correctly." I would agree.
13. Re:Hopefully they fixed these things from Vista: by ajlisows · 2009-10-20 14:10 · Score: 1
  
  You may not like the location bar, but you can just click the folder above your current folder. That isn't difficult. If you've been drilling down, just use the back button. Can't see how that is so difficult.
  You can turn off user account control. You can even adjust it so less severe actions don't ask you about it.
  As is pointed out, ALT-F4 from the desktop brings up the shutdown menu.
  Seriously, you are just looking for reasons to hate Windows at this point. There are more important issues with Windows than the ones you mentioned. If you don't see any other issues, then I'd say Microsoft did pretty good by you.
14. Re:Hopefully they fixed these things from Vista: by cbhacking · 2009-10-20 14:14 · Score: 1
  
  Several other of your points have been addressed already (seriously, this is the first complaint about the breadcrumb navigation that I've ever seen) but your third one is just WTF? Define "alternate" filesystems, please; I run programs off CDFS (CD), UDF (DVD), and FAT32 (flashdrive) all the time. Granted, those are filesystems that ship with Windows, so maybe that's not what you meant. Ignoring the question of *why* you would have Windows binaries on a non-Windows filesystem, as long as the execute bit was set (or the FS driver reported it to be set - EXT2FS, for example, ignores most of the permissions bits) Windows should be able to execute it. I'm still not getting the "why" part though - most people don't ever connect a device that Windows doesn't ship the filesystem for, and for cross-OS compatibility, the OSS drivers for NTFS are better than the NT drivers for the myriad OSS filesystems.
  
  --
  There's no place I could be, since I've found Serenity...
15. Re:Hopefully they fixed these things from Vista: by iainl · 2009-10-21 00:31 · Score: 1
  
  Just like on Vista, pressing Backspace goes back to the previous directory the window was displaying. If you're drilling down that's the same thing, but if you either type in or use the Explorer pane to shift somewhere completely different then that won't move you up. Instead, what you need to do is click the name of the directory above in the location bar. Best of both worlds, if you ask me.
  
  --
  "I Know You Are But What Am I?"
16. Re:Hopefully they fixed these things from Vista: by clone53421 · 2009-10-21 01:38 · Score: 1
  
  if you either type in or use the Explorer pane to shift somewhere completely different then that won't move you up.
  Yeah, this.
  
  Best of both worlds, if you ask me.
  I'd have to respectfully disagree. There used to be two keyboard shortcuts. Alt-Right/Left were Forward/Back; Backspace was Up. Now there's just one, and no keyboard shortcut for Up — well, I like keyboard shortcuts. You can click the address bar, yes, but there's just no reason to get rid of a perfectly good keyboard shortcut.
  
  --
  Alexander Peter Kristopeit bought his basement from his mommy for one dollar.
Space Corps Directive or something by Dogtanian · 2009-10-20 00:04 · Score: 1

is this really worth a Slashdot story??
Hey, listen buddy. It's always worth a Slashdot story when even the hint of Microsoft screwing something up comes to light. Didn't you read your Slashlaws when you signed up?!? It's right there in Article 3, plain as day
Article 3- 'Any Slashdotter caught sniffing the saddle of the exercise bicycle in the women's gym will be discharged without trial'?
Hmm, I'm sorry, that doesn't quite get to the nub of the matter for me.

--
"Slashdot - News and Chat Sites Deviant". (Click "homepage" link above for details).
1. Re:Space Corps Directive or something by ledow · 2009-10-20 00:15 · Score: 0, Offtopic
  
  No, no, no, no... That's not Article 3...
  Article 3 is 'No crewmember with false teeth should attempt oral sex in zero-gravity'
2. Re:Space Corps Directive or something by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-21 19:54 · Score: 0
  
  He must have meant article 3a
The poor poor british by plague911 · 2009-10-20 00:07 · Score: 1

I bet they never even saw it coming.
ATTENTION, SELECT CUSTOMERS by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-20 00:07 · Score: 0

All of you "hurr this has been out on MSDN" freetards need to understand that these are licenses reserved for specific uses, and if you're going to install copies for general use outside what you/your organisation signed up to (with an actual contract signature - not like EULAs) then you might as well just bittorrent.
The legal general release is around now, not August.
1. Re:ATTENTION, SELECT CUSTOMERS by Real1tyCzech · 2009-10-20 03:42 · Score: 1
  
  Funny stuff.
  No, really.
  "you might as well just bit-torrent"...
  Bit Torrent rips still need to be cracked (or include cracks...which may or may not work for the foreseeable future, likely may not)
  Bit Torrent rips may or may not be the untouched, unmodified, virus/malware-free copies available on TechNet (most likely not).
  Bit torrent rip=MSFT gets nothing. TechNet=Microsoft gets ~$260 a year (depending on your ability to find "coupons")
  Looks to me like TechNet is the best of all worlds. Activated copies from TechNet do not require cracks, certified downloads direct from Microsoft don't carry the very real possibility of being hacked copies stuffed with malware (go for the Windows is malware meme. Come on, we know you want to...), and Microsoft even gets a little something for their trouble.
  Everybody wins. :)
*I* Care!! by Mateo_LeFou · 2009-10-20 00:14 · Score: 5, Funny

They're totally spoiling my launch party! After I spent all day organizing my "Activities" and picking my favorite "Features" to share with everyone! Now they'll all go to someone else's launch party the day before.
The hell with them, I'm installing FreeBSD then.

--
My turnips listen for the soft cry of your love
Re:It has been released in China as well by cerberusss · 2009-10-20 00:42 · Score: 1

FTFA:

Chinese have been able to buy pirated copies this month for just 20 yuan ($2.93) each
In my experience, a bit of haggling and threatening to walk away will bring the price down to 10 yuan. Assuming half goes to the retailer, that leaves about $0.73 for Bill and his gang of merry robbers :-)

--
8 of 13 people found this answer helpful. Did you?
Avoiding the Wikipedia lies by slack_justyb · 2009-10-20 00:42 · Score: 1

Since we know that Wikipedia lies all the time :-) I've included the link straight to the FAQ on Slackware.

I think the next move will be to start making the release versions match up to the date it was released. Slackware 13.10.04. However, I'm a big supporter of Hexadecimal release numbers: Slackware D.A.4 FTW! However we should make it a point to avoid a 190.11.10-13 release, just too cheesy.
Re:The UK isn't a country by lordandmaker · 2009-10-20 00:49 · Score: 0, Offtopic

I haven't come across anyone from England who'd refer to the whole thing as 'England'.
Re:The UK isn't a country by ledow · 2009-10-20 00:52 · Score: 1, Insightful

You just met one. I do it all the time, and I'm not alone.
And American's do it a lot - "How's everything in England?" even if the person is in Wales, and referring to those people as "English". It's part-ignorance, part-fuzzy-definitions and part-convenience.
Rest In Peace *BSD, Mac OS X etc. by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-20 00:52 · Score: 0

You are all so f****ng dead now. Living on your knees since Vista, this will be the final blow to you. No need to to even mention "Linux", as it's been out of the desktop equation since before dinosaurs died.
1. Re:Rest In Peace *BSD, Mac OS X etc. by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-20 10:41 · Score: 0
  
  THiS iS WHaT WiNFaGS ReaLLY BeLieVe
Re:The UK isn't a country by lordandmaker · 2009-10-20 00:56 · Score: 1, Insightful

Oh, I know furriners do it all the time, particularly the Americans. That said, most of the people I know from England regard everything outside of the M25 as quaint and foreign.
Not about pay by PhilHibbs · 2009-10-20 00:57 · Score: 3, Informative

Minor correction to the story, the dispute isn't really about pay, it's about changes in working conditions. There are some aspects that cover what counts as overtime so pay is involved, but it's not just "we want more money".
1. Re:Not about pay by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-20 04:01 · Score: 1, Funny
  
  Yeah whatever go fuck yourself.
last week by devobtch · 2009-10-20 01:01 · Score: 1

i got my copy last thursday from zipzoomfly oem version
More accurate by elrous0 · 2009-10-20 01:05 · Score: 4, Funny

Wouldn't it be more accurate to say that the postal service is threatening industrial inaction over pay?

--
SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
1. Re:More accurate by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-20 10:41 · Score: 0
  
  That can't be right; Industrial inaction seems a pretty accurate description of what they normally do.
Release now... by clone53421 · 2009-10-20 01:13 · Score: 1

Patch later?

--
Alexander Peter Kristopeit bought his basement from his mommy for one dollar.
1. Re:Release now... by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-20 01:38 · Score: 0
  
  That's something MS and the OSS world have in common.
despatched by Insane_Homer · 2009-10-20 01:23 · Score: 1

I just got a despatch Notification from Amazon that my Windows 7 Home Premium is in the Royal Mail... so I'll maybe get it tomorrow, but probably next week if the strike goes ahead.
1. Re:despatched by 1s44c · 2009-10-20 09:25 · Score: 1
  
  I just got a despatch Notification from Amazon that my Windows 7 Home Premium is in the Royal Mail... so I'll maybe get it tomorrow, but probably next week if the strike goes ahead.
  By the end of next week you should have a nice collection of virii and by the end of the following week both China and Russia with have copies of all your documents and your Internet banking password.
Re:It has been released in China as well by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-20 01:23 · Score: 0

Assuming half goes to the retailer, that leaves about $0.73 for Bill and his gang of merry robbers
For a pirated copy? You're doing it wrong!
early? by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-20 01:39 · Score: 0

The place i work has Windows 7 ultimate for sale for the past few weeks!
(legal copies)
Re:The UK isn't a country by ledow · 2009-10-20 01:46 · Score: 1

You managed to stay in the queue long enough to make it outside the M25?
Anonymous Coward by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-20 01:52 · Score: 0

Actually, Windows 7 was released last week in the UAE at GITEX. Understandably the show is claiming they were first in the world.
This really isn't about the article per se... by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-20 02:05 · Score: 0

...but would it have been so difficult to say something along the lines of "plan to go on strike" rather than "take industrial action"? I mean WTF(?!) I had to look at the English postal related article to clarify that the line actually meant what I suspected it to mean. Do English commonly refer to strikes as "industrial action" or something? If so it's a new one on me, and I've actually worked with large numbers of English people(fortunately in one case, while the other was, well lets just say that those English lived up to the stereotypes in spades...) Canadians don't refer to strikes as "industrial action" either.
Anyways, not too terribly surprised that they're getting Windows 7 already, as it's apparently been finished for a while, and the only likely reason for any further release delay is to match up with marketing lag, although one can't help but wonder that they couldn't've pulled up marketing campaigns, after all it's not nearly as bad as if the OS itself had been late in which case they'd've had to push back all the purchased ad times/pages/etc.
Re:The UK isn't a country by socsoc · 2009-10-20 02:07 · Score: 2, Funny

No, we make fun of the welsh, just like you do.
Re:The UK isn't a country in rugby by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-20 02:09 · Score: 0

Yes, in sports the UK is 3 separate countries, usually when the All Blacks tour Great Britain, they play tests againt England, Scotland, and Wales, and often a team of Barbarians.
Unfortunately... by eegad · 2009-10-20 02:32 · Score: 1

their efforts to avoid disappointment were stymied by the release of Windows 7.
Re: They have to wait by Informative · 2009-10-20 02:46 · Score: 1

until after the parties.
Windows 7 Released Early in UK by Digital+Vomit · 2009-10-20 02:47 · Score: 1

"Windows 7 Released Early in UK. No word as of yet if the rest of the world has received any further communication from the British Isles."

--
Modern copyright is theft of culture from everyone and it retards the progress of the useful arts and sciences.
Perplexed... by malkavian · 2009-10-20 03:02 · Score: 1

I was most perplexed to get up yesterday, anticipating having a day off work to just unwind and go for a walk, and find Windows 7 arrived in the post...
Now in and working, and pottering around with it to see how it handles.. I was part of the pre-order group, so the pro version only cost about £70 or so, which I think is reasonable for an OS..
Must say, good PR for MS to allow the early release, rather than have these things stuck in the post (which means probably never arriving)..
Already released in the US by gravis777 · 2009-10-20 03:42 · Score: 1

Microsoft has been shipping out the party packs for a while now. My neighbors installed the signature edition this last weekend. And it has been available for months on Microsoft Volume Licensing Sites.
I didn't expect that by SEWilco · 2009-10-20 03:51 · Score: 1

Nobody expects the British Windows 7!
Nevertheless... by BrokenHalo · 2009-10-20 03:56 · Score: 1

...for any given release date, Britain (and any other countries situated on zero degrees longitude) would always be the first locus of infection^W^W^W err, place to see the product hit the shelves in shops.
1. Re:Nevertheless... by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-20 14:07 · Score: 0
  
  Actually, I think you'll find that countries just west of the date line (like New Zealand, which is UTC+12) will get things before anywhere else.
You must be... by aztracker1 · 2009-10-20 04:19 · Score: 1

new here?
I actually like Win7 a lot myself, it's now leapfrogged Linux+Gnome and OSX as my favorite OS interface.

--
Michael J. Ryan - tracker1.info
1. Re:You must be... by 1s44c · 2009-10-20 09:19 · Score: 1
  
  new here?
  I actually like Win7 a lot myself, it's now leapfrogged Linux+Gnome and OSX as my favorite OS interface.
  The problem is it's all interface.. The OS hasn't changed much since NT other than a few bolt-ons. It's a total mess inside and because of that it's never going to be secure.
  Faster than vista and prettier isn't nearly good enough.
Windows 7 machines available at Walmart last Sat by ClosedSource · 2009-10-20 04:29 · Score: 1

Here in CA I saw Windows 7 desktop machines in Walmart on Saturday. 64-bit with 6MB of RAM for $398, sitting on the shelf ready to be purchased.
Re:The UK isn't a country by aedan · 2009-10-20 05:06 · Score: 1

I did when I lived there and you hear them on the TV/radio. BBC presenters rarely get it wrong these days.
George Harrison doesn't seem to have differentiated between Britain and England either, check the original version of the cover for Somewhere in England,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somewhere_in_England

but I think we can forgive him for this.
This strike is about more than just pay by Nick+Ives · 2009-10-20 05:09 · Score: 2, Informative

At my place of work we can receive up to 20,000 items of Royal Mail each day. During the last strikes in '07 the Communication Workers Union message was that the manager's "modernisation" plan was really just a massive cut in service whereas RM management claimed they were just trying to eliminate "Spanish practices".
Immediately after the imposition of the managers plan the quality of the service we receive decreased substantially. It used to be the case that we'd receive about 80% of our post by 7:30 with the rest arriving by about 11:00 at the latest. Nowadays we receive anywhere from 1/3 to 2/3 of our post by around 8:00ish (sometimes a little later) with the rest turning up by about noon. This is because RM have stopped people coming in an hour early to help sort the post (for which they received a small bonus) and also cut down or eliminated the overnight shifts in most sorting offices.
Obviously this makes planning the workflow each day challenging. It used to be the case that we'd have a clear idea of our intake first thing in the morning and so people would know straight away which jobs were going to be busiest and whether or not it'd be possible to use flexi-time to leave early that day; these days we just have to take it as it goes.
This has knock on effects for our customer as essentially we're dealing with a RM "failure" each day meaning we're not in breach of our contract for failing to supply all the post on time to them. The solution we agreed for that was to treat the late post as having come in the next day which, considering the time-sensitive nature of our work and the effect delays could have on the customers our customer serves, is a pretty poor outcome.
Most posties take an enormous amount of pride in their work and they're angry at how Adam Crozier and chums are tearing the service apart. I'm sure the problems we get due to the cuts in RM are being experienced elsewhere too at a cost to UK business, so support the CWU in their campaign to save Royal Mail!
Also, the timing of this strike is the responsibility of RM management. They're the one's who made an unacceptable offer just before Christmas and, because of the way the Trade Union laws in this country work, the CWU had to ballot for strike action now. This is clearly a PR stunt by the RM managers so they can put out a message of "look at the greedy posties trying to ruin Christmas!". It's utterly shameful, don't fall for it.

--
Nick
They're late. by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-20 05:20 · Score: 0

I personally don't use Windows much, but a few other students have been busily downloading it yesterday (legally, through some Microsift IT Academy thingy). And that started being possible somewhere last week.
Lucky me, I guess... by kannibul · 2009-10-20 05:40 · Score: 1

I have access to my corporate portal for Microsoft Select License downloads. Don't worry, I have it on order from newegg and will have it well before the 30 days is up w/o activation :) So far I've seen a lot of improvements over Vista, which I moved to recently as well. I didn't find Vista all that annoying except in one minor aspect - you do anything and the search components would go into overload and it'd reindex everything, making the whole system sluggish. 7 is a lot better in that regard. I've also not noticed a whole lot of other over the top improvements, other than just simple junk like adding a frequent-files/sites/etc to a start menu object, which is kind of neat but it doesn't work with any consistency with something like IE. One other annoyance that I found was that firewire support isn't "right" - I have a pair of Presonus Firestudio devices that I use with it, and the driver it loaded would not allow them to sync. Changing it to a "legacy" driver (included with OS) resolved the issue there, though, I've not recorded with it yet. Oh, and my AV software wouldn't work - but i got a free version upgrade since my subscription is current. Everything else I ran on Vista runs fine on 7.
Re:It has been released in China as well by Nithendil · 2009-10-20 08:03 · Score: 1

Maybe I'm completely off base, but I would assume that MS has at least a couple dollars of royalty and patent fees for every licensed copy they sell, especially now that the OS comes with DVD codecs.
Postal ballot? by Kap'n+Koflach · 2009-10-20 08:19 · Score: 1

If the posties do go out on strike, lets hope they don't elect to have a postal ballot before going back to work...
...interface biased by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-20 08:45 · Score: 0

I've been hearing this a lot from people who consider cursor-scrubbing sections of their screen a legitimate method of obtaining information. That is to say, people whose concepts of acceptable UI are Microsoft-biased in the first place.
Not to cast aspersions, just pointing out the observation.
I got Windows7 several days ago in Pa, USA by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-21 01:39 · Score: 0

I live in Pennsylvania and received Windows 7 several days ago, so this isn't really news. Students and Academic programs through MSDNAA have had access to full versions of Windows 7 Pro for over a week now.