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Windows 7 Available
Windows 7, the newest version of Microsoft’s flagship operating system, is available now on DVD in IU bookstores and at the IU Bloomington Information Commons. All IU students, faculty, and staff are eligible to purchase and use IU-licensed Windows 7 Ultimate at very low cost and before retail copies are available, thanks to the IU/Microsoft Campus Agreement.
If you use Windows Vista, you will find many similarities with Windows 7. You can expect to see improvements in the areas of communication, multimedia, and security, including improved, streamlined User Account Control performance with fewer prompts. Windows 7 uses Aero, 3D graphics, and other high-end visual effects to enhance the interface.
The improved taskbar
You can launch programs and switch between them when they’re open. Holding your cursor over each icon shows thumbnails of the open files or windows, and hovering over those thumbnails gives a full-screen preview. You also can rearrange icons by clicking and dragging them.
Internet Explorer 8
The latest version of the Internet Explorer browser, IE8, is standard with Windows 7.
Jump lists
This new feature allows you to quickly access files you have recently used. Simply right-click the taskbar icon to show what files have been used recently. If you right-click the Internet Explorer icon, you’ll see the most recently visited websites; in Word, if you right-click you’ll see the most recently edited document. You’ll also be able to “pin” items to the Jump List, for quick access.
View Available Network (VAN)
Windows 7 now consolidates all your available network connections into a single window. You may choose available networks that are on Wi-Fi, mobile broadband, dial-up, or corporate VPN.
HomeGroup
Similar to a Workgroup, the HomeGroup allows multiple PCs on a home network to easily share their files and printers. With HomeGroup, you can browse through shared documents and media as if they were on your own hard drive. When you install a printer on one computer in the HomeGroup, it is automatically installed on all other computers joined to the group.
In addition, HomeGroup’s new “Play To” feature lets you play media from your computer on other devices. With a DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance)-compatible device, you can push and pull media from one device to another, so you can play music from your computer on the speakers in your home theater system, or play a video file on your TV. Windows 7 will convert any unsupported media format on the fly so that it plays on the DLNA device.
All students, faculty, and staff are eligible to use Windows 7 Ultimate, and both the 32-bit and 64-bit versions are available (sold separately). Computers running Windows Vista or other versions of Windows 7 (except Enterprise) can be upgraded to Windows 7 Ultimate.
If you recently purchased a new computer with Windows Vista, be sure to check with your vendor first about any warranty clauses before upgrading to IU-licensed Windows 7 Ultimate. For more information about Windows 7, see the IU Knowledge Base:
