RipCordless

A pop-culture consumer who keeps it, by design, in the shallow end of the pool.

Windows 7

Windows 8? Nah.

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Microsoft has finally released Windows 8 as they try to push their new UI on the masses — but here is a newsflash, the masses don’t want a new UI with a steep learning curve and a completely different functionality paradigm. Panned by many pundits in the tech industry, Windows 8 hasn’t caught on as Microsoft would have liked. Optimized for a touch screen environment, the Windows 8 operating system does little to charm the average user on a desktop. Guess what, I’m and average user and quite happy with Windows 7.

A friend recently tried the Windows 8 OS with disappointing results and, like myself, won’t be updating. And there is there real question, why would you upgrade? Windows 7, the bounce back for the sins of Windows Vista, has been nothing short of exceptional. With a sharp interface (as sharp as a Windows interface can be) there is little to annoy or trouble the average user. In fact, most corporations have been stuck in the mid-90’s OS called Windows XP and have been looking for an alternative. Vista was a joke but Windows 7 is everything Vista should have been then some.

So join the rest of us, ignore the hype and stay with your 64-bit Windows 7 OS. Wait, you are using a 64-bit version, yes? If you really must have Windows 8, either run the RC in a VM module or wait for a Microsoft Surface tablet to hit a store near you. Truth be told, that  is what I’m waiting for and something tells me Surface could be a tasty alternative (not replacement) to the iPad (of which I own two).

GodMode in Windows 7

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Was just informed about the GodMode folder option in Windows 7 so I thought I would pass along the goodness. I read about the feature on Tom’s Hardware Guide and implemented it. Worked like a charm. Here are the short instructions:

  1. Highlight and copy the following text (CTRL-C):
    GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}
  2. Right-click on your Windows 7 desktop (any version) and highlight New then Folder.
  3. A folder will appear on the desktop called New folder but notice the folder name is highlighted.
  4. Now simply CTRL-V to paste the GodMode text into the new folder name. The new name looks long and funky but fear not, the next step fixes it.
  5. Hit the Enter key and watch the folder icon be replaced with the control panel icon. You’re done.

Enjoy the goodness that is the GodMode folder in Windows 7. Interesting little Easter egg and something to remember. Want to thank Crapgame for giving me the heads up. Great widget.

Windows 7 Power Management

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So I’ve been running Windows 7 since late beta and am using the 7100 build Release Candidate on my production (main) computer. The system has been flawless, has working quickly, with little to no issues save one: power management.

For some reason, when I switched to Windows 7, my power management options didn’t seem to work; specifically the sleep option. Since installing Windows 7, the computer would sleep but when I tried to bring it out of sleep (by tapping the space bar), the monitor power button color would shift from orange (sleeping) to green (active video signal) but nothing would appear on screen. No prompt, no image, nothing. Frustrated, I looked around, searching the Internet for a fix but besides updating the BIOS, and a host of third party applications, nothing worked. When waking from sleep, I would be forced to reboot the system. At least that was until earlier today.

I was delving into the advanced functions for Windows 7 Power Management and found an obscure setting which resolved the wake-up-but-not-really problem.

Go to Control Panel, then Power Options and Change plan settings on whatever energy plan you’re using (balanced, power, etc.). That will bring up another window.

Now click on Change advanced power settings which will bring up the following window:

powermanagement

First, click on the Change settings that are currently unavailable and then change Require a password on wakeup setting from the default setting Yes to No. Click OK and your problems should be fixed. Let me know if it helps.

Windows 7 RC Cometh

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Actually, the Windows 7 Release Candidate has arrived to much fanfare and ballyhoo. I, for one, have been looking forward to moving beyond the trials and tribulations of Vista and completely leaving behind the drollery of XP.

Of course, everyone knew just how badly Vista was mauled in the Blogosphere. The press added their considerable weight to that opinion and Apple jumped on the bandwagon and kicked Microsoft where it hurts with some sharp and edgy “Hi, I’m a Mac” commercials. (Well done, Apple.) All this left the Vista OS in a shambles. Even though many of the original Vista sins were fixed (eventually) and it has matured into a pretty stable operating system, the PR damage has remained and the public mindset hasn’t been altered in the slightest.

In what appears to be a surrender of sorts, Microsoft pulled in a brand new design team and over a period of months have been refining the Windows 7 OS. Released to the tech community is BETA form, the response from pundits, observers and those in the know has been overwhelmingly positive. Because Windows 7 looks remarkably like Vista, many say this is what Vista should have been from the very beginning. For me, I’ve been waiting for a chance to try out this new better OS.

My chance arrived with the Windows 7 Release Candidate going public. I actually grabbed a BETA key when they were available but never installed the product; however, the RC is essentially a, and probably the, release candidate. With a spring in my step and some renewed confidence, I downloaded and installed the OS. Been about five days and despite one catatrophic failure which was caused by me mistakenly installing two AV products on the same rig (long story), the OS is rock solid, quick, and very neat.

The much talked-about task bar is different but actually quite elegant to use. The simplified notification manager is very nice, and I keep bumping into great little additions here and polishing there. So far, I must rate this OS as quite worthy for consideration. My RC install is good for about 10 months, which is about right based on my proclivities toward OS reformat. From that point, I’ll be purchasing this software for real. First time I’ve actually wanted to go bleeding edge on a Microsoft OS; normally I wait until the first service pack is out but not with Windows 7. From where I sit, I think we finally have a winner.