Windows 7 Change Log: Beta to RC
Touch
6. Multi-touch zoom
The multi-zoom feature was well-accepted by many persons during the Beta. Now, this zoom gesture has been added to Windows Explorer. For example, you can switch between view modes in Windows Explorer like changing from Small Icons to Extra Large icons.
Windows Explorer and Libraries
7. Invert Selection
Although rarely used by some people, many enthusiasts will welcome the Invert Selection feature.
8. Going up?
When navigating through your folders, it can get annoying to want to go ‘up’ and have to click on the overflow dropdown to select the parent folder. Well, the overflow algorithm has now been improved and the parent folder will now always be visible. If there isn’t enough space to display the entire name, it is truncated instead of going into overflow. Clicking on the parent folder is a quick and easy way to go back ‘up’, whereas the back button still functions and so does the keyboard shortcuts.
In Beta, a parent folder would collapse into an overflow dropdown
In RC, parent folders always remain within single click access
9. Finding music by artist
It is now possible to search for music in the Music Library by “Artist” (as in Album Artist), instead of by “Contributing Artist”. Previously, there were a lot of controversial categorizations made but now there is a new level of consistency created with this new method, both in applications and with devices.
10. New folder is always available
A top-level “New Folder” button has now been included in the RC. Instead of selecting it in a menu (or sub-menu if you right-click), you can now create a new folder in a single click as this button will always appear in Windows Explorer.
11. Right-click in Windows Explorer
Right-click behaviour has now been updated. Previously there was a need to have extra space to the right in a window just so as to right-click to do certain tasks or else you would wind up right-clicking a file or folder and getting the item’s context menu. Now you will be able to click on any large white space, including the space between a file name and its properties, so you can get the background context menu for things like View, Sort, Group, Paste, and so on.
12. Content view for search results
A new view mode has been added in the Windows 7 RC and it is Content View. Especially useful for search results, this view will add a lot of functionality to the way you view your files/content. From coloured filenames to labelled properties, this new feature is definitely a keeper.
13. Intelligent re-indexing after application installation
In Windows 7 Release Candidate, the Windows Search service will now be more active instead of passively waiting for the user to update the index. It will now automatically re-index the system when new files are added and/or when new supported file types become available. This will end up saving a lot of time and effort on the user’s part.
