Microsoft Rolls up the Sleeves with Windows 7

(image found on cnet news)
With the public beta release of Windows 7 Microsoft is showing consumers that they are now rolling up their sleeves like never before to make sure this Vista replacement works like it should. They are on a mission to make sure they don't make the same mistakes they did in the past.

Enthusiasts are worried Microsoft isn't listening to their comments but actions do seem to speak louder then words. Due to feedback to Microsoft they went back and made several revisions to dvd handling. When customers wanted to have that option they added it but then when corporate customers were worried about people watching DVDs on company time they fixed that issue too.

The same goes with BitLocker-To-Go. This encryption feature was initially available for use under Vista and Microsoft went and later added an option for Widows XP users to use it too. The encryption feature helps secure USB devices.

With the design of Windows 7, Microsoft is looking at how customers work when using a product and also where they get tripped up too. So they can step in an fix issues before they get worse. One of the interesting things they learned was that some programs wouldn't install themselves under Vista because the application designers that created them had hard coded the programs to work with a certain OS only. This offers a rational explanation of why many of the older programs seemed to have issues installing or even working under Vista.

Microsoft is looking at calling Windows 7 officially version 6.1 in the series of Windows OS's.

Microsoft in the Enterprise Edition:
With the progression of Vista into Windows 7 Microsoft is showing corporate customers that making the upgrade from Vista or Windows XP is actually a great idea. They are touting the advantages that empower users seamless access from anywhere, esp. the mobile users community.

Windows 7 makes streamlining management a piece of cake by offering an easier way to manage and deploy laptops, desktops and virtual environments. IT Pro's can also use the same tools as they do now in Vista. In Windows 7 there is a feature called Powershell 2.0 which helps to reduce costs while managing and troubleshooting PC's by using a new scripting options for automation capabilities.

When it comes to accessing data applications anywhere at anytime there are features such as Branch Cache, Direct Access, Federated Search and Enterprise Search Scopes to make it easier for the end user.

Microsoft has also spent time with improving security and control by focusing on protecting data, enabling compliance and giving IT better control. One of the ways is by using the BitLocker-to-go program to protect data and give access to authorized users on a read level only if necessary on a usb device. Then we have App Locker which is a mechanism that gives administrators the ability to grant group policy to run on a system where needed.

From recent survey's 61% of customers were worried about having unauthorized applications installed on their systems (that is why AppLocker had priority development) and 49% wanted to have direct access capabilities.

So Microsoft is listening and responding to peoples questions and requests. So far so good guys.

Windows 7 gets down to business (cnet news)
Microsoft Touts Windows 7 for the Enterprise (eweek)