Windows 7 For Itpro

Editor's Notes

• #3: This module focuses on user productivity enhancements in Windows 7 Beta that are not purely end-user related. IT professionals must be familiar with the Windows 7 Beta desktop control mechanisms to effectively address end-user needs. Because Desktop Support Technicians might field calls from end-users asking why a specific window appears the way it does, or why the Notification area displays certain messages, they must understand what settings affect these behaviors and be able to explain and modify them. You should mention to the students that this training does not cover such enhancements as taskbar improvements, jump lists, and Aero peek. These are end-user related features that are outside the scope of this training because they do not require any type of setup or configuration by IT professionals. This training focuses two areas:Productivity enhancements that involve desktop control mechanisms.Advancements made to the Windows Search functionality.
• #4: To effectively explain this topic, you must have a good understanding of Jump Lists, which is a new feature in Windows 7 Beta. Jump Lists are not covered in this training because they are a desktop user interface enhancement designed for the end-user. However, because you can pin files and sites to a program’s Jump List, you must be able to demonstrate and explain Jump Lists so that students have a base of reference when you discuss pinning items to them. You should explain to students what a Jump List is, and how it has been incorporated into the Windows 7 Beta desktop experience.Discuss with the class the following advantages provided by the new Pinning functionality:Pinning makes it easier to customize the Windows desktop experience than Vista’s Quick Launch and Start Menu pinning, which were not easy to discover. Pinning delivers value over the existing solution of shortcuts on the desktop because pinned applications and destinations are always accessible from the top-level, and applications in particular are always accessible in a single click. Pinning provides a richer experience than desktop shortcuts and Vista’s Quick Launch and Start Menu pinning because it allows users to return directly to their most frequently or recently used destinations from a pinned application.Multiple files can be pinned to a single program icon using the pinned program’s Jump List. For example, rather than pinning several favorite word processing files to Quick Launch, you now can pin a single program icon to the desktop, and then pin the files you use most to the program’s Jump List.In previous versions of Windows, icons for the default web browser and e-mail program were pinned to the top of the Start menu. In Windows 7 Beta, the pinned area of the Start menu remains, but is empty for a cleaner look. However, you can still pin programs to the top of the Start menu just like in previous version of Windows. And because browsing the web and using e-mail are among the most common computer tasks, you can instead pin these programs, or any program, directly to the taskbar so you can open them more quickly and easily.Additional files and destinations can be pinned to the application by dragging and dropping the file/site to the pinned application’s Jump List. You should direct the students to the detailed training document for the complete list of new group policies that control the pinning functionality.Review the question from the Student Guide with the class:Question: What are the advantages of pinning your favorite Web sites to the Internet Explorer icon on your desktop?Answer: You can access the sites quicker without having to locate the sites from within Internet Explorer (IE) itself. Instead of having to open IE, search through a long Favorites list, and so on, you can simply view the Jump List for IE and then click on the site you want. . If needed, this opens IE and then takes you directly to the site, all at one time.
• #5: Perform the following steps to turn window arrangement options on and off:1. Navigate to Control Panel. Click Ease of Access Center. Under Explore all settings, click Make it easier to focus on tasks. 2. To turn automatic window arrangement off, scroll towards the bottom of the window and under Make it easier to manage windows, select the check box labeled Prevent windows from being automatically arranged when moved to the edge of the screen. To turn automatic window arrangement back on, clear the check box labeled Prevent windows from being automatically arranged when moved to the edge of the screen. If you have multiple windows open but just want to focus on a single one, you can “shake” a window back and forth to quickly minimize every other open window on the desktop . This can save time if you want to focus on a single item, without having to minimize all windows and then restoring the one window you want to focus on. Demonstrate to the students how to do this:To minimize all other open windows, click the menu bar of the window you want to keep open, and drag (or shake) the window back and forth quickly. The remaining windows minimize out of view. To restore the open windows, click the menu bar of the open window and drag the window back and forth again.Demonstrate to the students how to arrange windows side by side on the desktop:To snap a window to the side of the desktop, drag the title bar of a window to either the left or right side of the screen to expand the window to that half of the desktop. To return the window to its original size, drag the title bar away from the top of the desktop.Demonstrate how to expand windows vertically on the desktop:To expand a window vertically, point to the top or bottom edge of an open window until the pointer changes into a double-headed arrow, and then drag the border to the top or bottom of the screen to expand the window to the entire height of the desktop. To return the window to its original size, drag the title bar away from the top of the desktop.Demonstrate how to maximize windows on the desktop:To maximize a window, drag the title bar of a window to the top of the screen.To return the window to its original size, drag the title bar away from the top of the screen.Note: If you use multiple monitors, you can drag a maximized window from one monitor to another.Question: If your users are not comfortable with the ability to automatically arrange windows, do you know how to turn this feature off so they can return to the traditional processes of minimizing and maximizing windows?Answer: You use the same option for turning automatic window arrangement on and off. Follow the instructions presented earlier, but make sure you check the option to prevent automatic arrangement.
• #6: Navigation is intuitive and optimized around storage, and there is less overall clutter. You can now collapse nodes in the navigation pane and make it look even cleaner. This lack of clutter makes it easier to navigate around your personal files, drives, network shares, and so on.  For example, plug in a USB key and it appears right away in the tree, so it is easy and faster to copy to. Mention to the class the primary search design goals, which included:Cleaner – Navigation is intuitive and optimized around storage; less overall clutterEasier – Improved relevance, search builder, and easy previews make searching and browsing easierSeamless – Libraries and federated search offer incredible power without learning a new UIYou should point to each of the improvements highlighted on the slide to draw attention to it. Explain to the class that Federated Search will be covered in the next lesson.Discuss how the following features are the reason remote corporate data is treated as a first-class citizen in the Windows 7 Beta user interface:Focus is on “my stuff”, not storage types or boundariesUsers get secure and flexible user access to networked dataIT can deploy preferred locations as Search Connectors or ScopesLightweight Client UI for accessing important dataNatural fit of search connectors and results into Windows ExplorerFile Dialog integrates new data access methods into application experienceReview the question in the Student Guide with the class:Question: Which of the enhancements identified on the slide do you think will have the greatest impact on your user base?Answer: Answers will vary depending upon each student’s experience.