Comments on: Windows 7 on a Netbook: A Qualified “Yes” from TDR

By: make windows xp run faster

make windows xp run faster — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:01:10 +0000

I found your blog on google and read a few of your other posts. I just added you to my Google News Reader. Keep up the good work. Look forward to reading more from you in the future.

By: John

John — Sat, 30 May 2009 13:34:27 +0000

Thank you, Mr. Sellers. I am way up on the curve now w Windows 7 (thanks in a small way to Tom’s informative but jerky note). I consider Windows 7 a rolling review and he jumped on my first impression which I suspect will be very similar to the experiences of many new netbook users. Therein lies the value.

By: Dieter Sellers

Dieter Sellers — Sat, 30 May 2009 02:54:28 +0000

I’m afraid I have to agree with John on almost every point. With John having skipped Vista he would not have been able to mention Aero or do a comprehensive review. Also the fact that Narration and Magnifier were in under the Accesories.Accesibilty tab is being rather nitpicking in my opinion.

John I thought did an excellent review overall and I particularily liked that he wrote it for the average person who might use a netbook. It was not defined as a comprehensive review, but clearly stated it was his impression going from XP to Win 7 on a netbook.

It is easy to criticize, using the euphemism of “constructive criticism” but while it is valid to point out errors or omissions, you could certainly have praised him for all the points he got right, but didn’t. The more fair approach, in my opinion, would have been to ask him valid questions or request further clarification. My impression is that you are a power user and tried way to hard to read too many things into the article, when it was intended for a different audience all together. I believe your intentions were good and not mean-spirited, but unfortunately they still came across that way.

By: John

John — Fri, 29 May 2009 00:59:52 +0000

Some of your comments are off base. You have a point or two at best. I stand by the review and its conclusions. Here’s my responses to your points.
– I mentioned that Snipping Tool and Magnifier were in previous versions of Windows and qualified that I had skipped Vista and was
coming from XP. I used the word “new” once in the review in referring to the RSS and stock feed gadgets (yes, Gadgets were introduced in Vista…not sure which ones came
with it even though many gadgets are free free downloads from third parties.)
– I could have mentioned the Aero interface, but chose to focus on my user experience rather than the label chosen by Microsoft. I’ll give you a toss up.
– The opaque “show desktop” feature does not run with apps in full screen windows. I am staring at Google in IE8 full screen and it is not going opaque which is what
you suggest it should do. Your point about applets not going opaque is well-taken and I have changed my wording to say minimized application windows.
– Agree on your point making it clear what I wrote was a Windows 7 on a netbook review. My headline is “Windows 7 on a Netbook: A Qualified “Yes” from TDR”
– As for the mini windows, my point was accurate. To ding me for not saying click on the mini window and up comes the full window is over the top.
Thanks for your comments.

By: Tom Wylde

Tom Wylde — Thu, 28 May 2009 23:36:49 +0000

Wow. This is the first ‘article’ I’ve read on Pitstop and I can’t believe it was allowed to be not only written and described as ‘Windows 7 Review’ when ‘Windows 7 on my Netbook Review’ is what would more closely fit the bill, but it contains errors which, if taken as a serious article, would possibly mislead readers. For instance, the Desktop view on Windows 7 shines through everything. NOT just ‘applets’ (?) In fact, your actual ‘applets’ (desktop Gadgets) are left visually alone! ‘Major’ apps, like IE 8 are instantly shown opaque. Outlook, Photoshop, etc. are made see-through.

There is nothing at all mentioned about whether or not the Aero interface was used. If not, why? When you show the taskbar icons like that, it would lead one to believe that the background (taskbar) can’t be made as see-through as you’d like it to be. I mean, in a paragraph you discuss the “graphical” improvement or quality, yet nothing about Aero and it’s use on or off a netbook.

Magnifier and Narrator have been in every version of Windows since before XP. Both are older programs Microsoft has provided in it’s ‘Accessibility’ folder for years. These are not new ‘applets’. They are both older ‘programs’ for those with disabilities.

“Run your mouse over them and up pops mini windows showing what you did last rather than a mere 2-3 word static description.” You forgot to mention, (or perhaps haven’t yet discovered), that CLICKING ON these ‘mini-windows’ will bring up the window itself-the mini-window style has been there since Vista. Clicking on the mini to bring up the window is all new to Windows 7 all day!

I could go on and on. As I said, for such a quality website to have such a poorly researched and written review of such a major product as Windows 7 is, well, a surprise, at the very least. A ‘shock’ is a better desription, but I don’t want to be mean….

I’m honestly not trying to be an ass in this review of the review, Dodge, so please take it constuctively. I don’t mean it as a personal affront.

Thank you for allowing me to say my piece. I appreciate that fact above all else; it reminds me of what an enormously great country we live in!

Stay tuned!
Tom Wylde