"Making Technology Accessible for
Seniors"
Note: Links are in blue and procedures are in brown. - Gary
I would like to thank all of you for coming today. This talk is titled "Windows 7, Change - Is It For You?"
First, before I get started on the talk I would say something about my experience with computers. I am what is called a "computer enthusiast." I worked for a major clinical instruments company in Southern California as a electronic engineering technician. Working in the clinical software division I did maintenance and troubleshooting on midi-computers and personal computers. I moved to Santa Rosa about twenty years ago and worked as a manufacturing engineer for a company that made capital equipment for companies that make the chips in computers.
And second, I would like to say something about the computers I have owned. My first computer was a HeathKit programmable microprocessor that used machine code. I have had TRS-80s, IBM PCs, PC clones, several types of laptops and a HP Pavilion desktop. My latest computer is this one. It's a 64-bit computer using an AMD Phenom 8650 Triple-Core Process that is running at 2.3 GHz. It has 4 GB of memory, 1 TB of hard disc space, a ATI Radeon HD 4350 graphic board with 1 GB of memory. It can burn and play DVD's in high definition and even has a floppy drive. It is using Microsoft's Windows 7 Release Candidate operating system.
OK, so...
How many here know what an operation system is? Could you tell me what is the operating system you are using on your computer if I asked you?
What you see on the screen is the graphical user interface (GUI or "gooey")
for the Windows 7 Operating System. This shows the desktop and below
is the the taskbar. The long strip across the bottom of the screen.
What is an Operating System?
An operating system is what the computer uses to manage it's many devices and programs. It can work as an interface between the hardware (like disc drives, printers and monitors) and the software (like a word processing program or an email program). It displays the desktop and interacts with the user through the keyboard and mouse.
Think of the operating system as a music conductor who directs a symphony. The instruments and players are the "hardware" and the musical score is the "software." He can tell the violins when to start playing or tell the horns to play a little louder. He can start the concert and he can stop it. Without the conductor the players would not know when to start, what tempo, and even if they are playing the right score.
There many kinds of operating systems available. We will be talking about only one today. This is Microsoft's new Windows 7 Operating System. It is the latest in a long line of operating systems from Microsoft. You probably using now on your computer the XP or Vista operating system. Of all the operating systems Microsoft has created I feel this is the best. They took the best of XP, combined the graphics of Vista, and added some new features and made an operating system that should be welcomed by the PC community.
Microsoft Windows 7 is to be released on October 22, 2009.
Video:
Good News - Windows 7 Commercial
Cute ad! "As seen on TV!"
Video:
Getting started with Windows 7
Best place to start with Windows 7. Meet the "Windows Gurus" on
the video. Runs about 1:30 minutes.
Video:
Microsoft Tour of Windows 7
Runs about 6 minutes if you take the full tour.
Video:
See the Latest Windows 7 News
Page also includes other Windows 7 video topics. Runs 1:39 minutes.
Windows 7 retains the Windows Aero user interface and visual style
first introduced with its predecessor, Windows Vista, but many
areas have seen enhancements.
Themes
Support for themes has been extended in Windows 7.
Let's personalize the desktop using Windows Areo Themes.
Right click on the Desktop>Personalization>Click on My Theme 1
Right click on the Desktop>View>Click "Show desktop icons" and Click "Show desktop gadgets"
Maximize Firefox, Windows Explorer, WordPad
In addition to setting the colors of the window chrome and desktop background, themes in Windows 7 include a sound set, a default screen saver, and desktop slide show settings.
Desktop>Personalize>Aero Themes>Desktop Background>click more than one picture to create a slide show
In past versions of Windows, the taskbar ended with the notification
area on the right side. However, there is now the Aero Peek button,
which, when clicked or hovered over with the mouse, displays the
desktop and gadgets by turning all windows transparent. This replaces
the Show Desktop shortcut in the Quick Launch bar in previous versions
of Windows. Aero Peek exhibits the same features used by the thumbnail
previews, except it applies them to the desktop. If the mouse hovers
over it, all windows are transparent, as shown in the picture. If
the button is clicked, all applications are minimized, and when clicked
again, they are restored.
Move mouse to bottom-right corner and hover over Peek icon.
Windows can be dragged to the top of the screen to maximize them
and dragged away to restore them. Dragging a window to the left
or right of the screen makes it take up half the screen allowing
the user to tile two windows next to each other. Also resizing
the window to the bottom of the screen or top will extend the
window full but retain the width of the window. These features
can be disabled via the Ease of Access Center if users do not
wish the windows to automatically resize.
Drag a reduced window to top of screen until you see the ripple mark.
Drag a reduced window to left or right of screen until you see the ripple mark.
Drag the bottom of a reduced window the taskbar until you see the ripple mark.
Aero Shake allows users to clear up any clutter on their screen by
shaking (dragging back and forth) a window of their choice with the
mouse. All other windows will minimize, while the window the user
shook stays active on the screen. When the window is shaken again,
they are all restored, similar to desktop preview.
Open three windows>shake a window. Two windows disappear.
Shake the window. Two windows will reappear.
Windows Vista introduced Gadgets and a sidebar which provides the
ability to anchor Gadgets to the side of the user's desktop.
In Windows 7, the sidebar has been removed, while gadgets can
still be placed on the desktop. In the top right of the desktop
I have a calendar gadget.
Start Orb>All Programs>Desktop Gadget
Gallery
By default, a new user account in Windows 7 contains four libraries,
for different file types: Documents, Music, Pictures, and Videos.
They are configured to include the user's profile folders for
these respective file types, as well as the computer's corresponding
Public folders.
Open Windows Explorer> second item on
the left is Libraries
Right click on Libraries Folder to create a new library>New>Libraries
Libraries enable Arrangement Views and Search Filter Suggestions.
Arrangement Views allow you to pivot your view of the library's contents based on meta-data.(Meta-data can be edited: right click on picture file>Properties>Details>edit meta-data.)
For example, selecting the "By Month" view in the Pictures library will display photos in stacks, where each stack represents a month of photos based on the date they were taken.
Pictures>Folder (top right where it says "Arrange by:")>Month
In the Music library, the "By Artist" view will display stacks of albums from the artists in your collection, and browsing into an artist stack will then display the relevant albums.
Music>Folder (top right where it says "Arrange by:")>Album
New folders and files can be pull in from the local hard drive or from the Internet by using the following steps:
Windows Explorer>Libraries>right click on Documents>Properties>Included
a folder...>Select a folder
The "Documents", "Pictures" and "Music" buttons now link to the Libraries of the same name.
Start Orb > select Documents, Pictures,
or Music
A "Devices and Printers" option has been added that displays a new device manager.
Start Orb>Devices and Printers>Your Printer listed here
The "shut down" icon in Windows Vista has been replaced with a text link indicating what action will be taken when the icon is clicked. The default action to take is now configurable through the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties window.
Right click on Start Orb>Properties>Start Menu
Taskbar Jump Lists are presented in the Start Menu via a guillemet (» or ► “gill-may”); when the user moves his or her mouse over the guillemet, or presses the right-arrow key, the right-hand side of the Start menu is widened and replaced with the application's Jump List. The Jump List for the Desktop can accessed by clicking on the guillemet on the Taskbar.
Click on the Start Orb >hover the mouse over a ► then click on
an application or file
The search box, first introduced with Windows Vista, has been extended to support searching Control Panel items. For example, clicking the Start button then typing "wireless" will show Control Panel options related to configuring and connecting to wireless network, adding Bluetooth devices, and troubleshooting.
Start Orb>type “wireless” in search box>click on the small light
blue “x” to exit
The Windows Taskbar has seen its most significant revision since its introduction in Windows 95. The taskbar is 10 pixels taller than in Windows Vista to accommodate touch screen input and a new larger default icon size, though a smaller taskbar size is available. Running applications are denoted by a border frame around the icon, while applications can be pinned to the taskbar, so that shortcuts to them appear when they are not running. Within this border, a color effect (dependent on the predominant RGB value of the icon) that follows the mouse also indicates the opened status of the application. The glass taskbar is also more transparent. Taskbar buttons show only icons, not titles, unless they are set to not combine.
Applications can now be pinned to the taskbar allowing the user instant
access to the applications they commonly use. There are a few
ways to pin applications to the taskbar. One can drag and drop
the icon onto the taskbar. The other way to do so is by right-clicking
the application’s icon and pinning the icon to the taskbar. An
application can be pinned to the Taskbar and a file can be pinned
to application that is on the Taskbar.
Drag an application or file icon on the Desktop to the Taskbar.
Thumbnail previews which were introduced in Windows Vista have been
expanded to not only preview the windows opened by the application
in a small-sized thumbnail view, but to also interact with them.
The user can close any windows opened by clicking the X on the
corresponding thumbnail preview. The name of the window is also
shown in the thumbnail previews. Another new feature added is
the ability to get a "peek" of the window by hovering
over the thumbnail preview. Peeking brings up only the window
of the thumbnail preview over which the mouse hovers and turns
any other windows on the desktop transparent.
Hover mouse over thumbnail on Taskbar then hover mouse over thumbnail preview>click X to delete open file or application.
The Jump List for the Desktop can accessed by clicking on the guillemet on the Taskbar.
Taskbar>click the » on right side of taskbar>click on an application
or file
A triangle to the left of the visible notification icons displays
the hidden notification icons to the user. Unlike Windows Vista and
Windows XP, the hidden icons are displayed in a window above the
taskbar, instead of on the taskbar.
Click on triangle next to the jump list » then select an icon.
Should I Change to Windows 7 or Not?
Video:
Three critical issues to consider before upgrading to Windows 7
A good discussion of some of the critical issues before upgrading
to Windows 7. This is video is catered for a Systems Administrator.
The video also gives a reference for upgrading from Windows 7 RC
to the final release. 9 mins.
"To help ensure that you don't lose your files, you should back them up regularly. You can set up automatic backups or manually back up your files at any time." Includes a 1 minute video.
Website:
Transfer files and settings from another computer using Easy
Transfer
"Windows Easy Transfer is a step-by-step guide for transferring files and settings from one computer running Windows to another. It helps you choose what to move to your new computer, such as user accounts, Internet favorites, and e‑mail. It also lets you decide which method to use and then performs the transfer."
If you bought a computer that came with Vista Home Premium I would recommend that you upgrade to Windows 7 Home Premium. The Professional version has the ability to run older Windows XP programs that wouldn’t otherwise work in Windows 7 but it's $200 where as Premium is $120. You must upgrade from the same version you have on your computer now. You can't go directly from 32-bit to 64-bit.
It is possible to do an "in place" install or upgrade installation which should be relatively quick to do. It should take about an hour to install.
If you bought a new computer, fairly recently, and asked that Vista be removed and XP be installed instead. I would upgrade to Windows 7. You probably have the hardware requirements but will need to do a clean or custom install.
Therefore, if you have an XP computer then will have to do a "clean or custom" install especially if you use the machine daily and have many applications on it. A clean install will give you a new computer that will run like a new machine. You will need to backup all your data on partitioned drive or external drive, re-install all your applications and drivers, and re-install all the upgrades to the applications and Windows 7 drivers, not with XP drivers.
Should I do a clean install?
* Your computer has no operating system installed, or it’s running a version of Windows prior to Windows Vista with Service Pack 1 (including Windows XP).
* You do NOT want to preserve your data, programs, or system drivers.
* You want to delete your current operating system and replace it with Windows 7.
* You want to create a multiboot system by installing Windows 7 on a separate hard disk partition.
I would not try to upgrade an old (five years or more) XP computer
to Windows 7 unless you really understand what you are doing. If
this is an old machine that you only occasionally use it and would
like to learn more about upgrading operating systems then give it
a try. You will probably have to upgrade the all hardware, the drivers,
and the applications. It might cost you more to do this than buy
a new Windows 7 computer!
Here's a quote from Walt Mossberg of the WSJ:
"In fact, the process will be so painful that, for many XP users, the easiest solution may be to buy a new PC preloaded with Windows 7, if they can afford such a purchase in these dire economic times." - from WSJ by Walt Mossberg
There are several reasons why you use the new operating system:
XP is ten years old and that is old for an operating system. You will not be able to use the new devices and software designed for Win7. Microsoft has developed new touch screen technology that is only available in Win7. It will be easier to network computers and Wi-Fi networks. The operating system is suppose to be more stable and secure that previous operating systems. The support for XP is being phased out by Microsoft and developers.
If you are happy with your present computer and it does what you want it to do there is no need to upgrade to Win7. If you buy a new computer after October 22, 2009 you will have no choice but the Windows 7.
People have a natural reluctance to move to new things, especially if there is considerable effort involved in learning new things. Standing still is not really an option if one wishes to continue to enjoy the ever increasing capability that comes available over time. A person who stays with XP will find his computer getting slower and slower and more and more new hardware accessories and programs will not be usable.
Here are five good reasons why you should not change to Windows 7.
(This is from Michael Scalisi is an IT manager based in Alameda, California.)
"Microsoft created a problem for itself with Vista, prompting many users to stick with Windows XP. People have been using XP for seven years now, and regardless of how good Windows 7 might be, many might have a hard time leaving their security blanket behind. I've been using Windows 7 for months now, and I really like it, but there a number of reasons why XP users might want to stay put a little longer.
1. Extended support until April 8 2014.
It's true that Microsoft has discontinued mainstream support for
XP, but for most people this matters little. Microsoft will continue
to provide security patches and per-incident phone and Web support
for XP for years to come.
2. You live on the Web.
Perhaps the features and applications an OS has to offer you are
irrelevant. Maybe everything you do is in Firefox or Chrome and
you could care less about Aero, the Improved Taskbar, Jump Lists,
Snaps, Gadgets, Libraries and Home Groups. If your computing
experience consists of Google Apps, Hulu, YouTube, Facebook and
Gmail, you just might not care all that much about what OS is
underneath it all.
3. Microsoft's latest security features are freely available to download
for XP.
IE8, Windows Defender, and Windows Security Essentials (currently
in beta) are applications that help make Windows 7 secure. Security
has become a priority for Microsoft, and it has made these apps freely
available to XP users. While Windows 7 may be Microsoft's most secure
OS to date, XP is also more secure than ever.
4. You've got your computer set up just the way you like it.
Unfortunately, Microsoft was a little shortsighted when it omitted
a direct path for XP users to upgrade to Windows 7. If your computer
is a finely tuned machine with all your apps and settings just
right, it can be highly disruptive to have to install and configure
everything from scratch.
5. Your next computer will include Windows 7 anyway.
In a year or three, you're going to replace your computer, and it
will come with Windows 7 (or whatever comes after 7). Why plunk
down the additional $120 to $220 to upgrade your OS when you
can apply that money toward the computer you're going to buy
further on down the road.
Don't get me wrong, I'm excited about Windows 7, and I highly recommend it. But not everyone will need to make the jump just yet. XP is still a solid OS, and for many people, it does exactly what they need it to."
1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
1 gigabyte (GB) RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB RAM (64-bit)
16 GB available hard disk space (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)
DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver
128 MB of graphics memory (to use Aero)
I have not tried this yet but upgrading from Vista to Win7 should
be fairly easy to do. Win7 takes the files used by Vista and it's
own and installs itself on your computer. It should preserve all
your files, folders, settings and programs. It has been reported
that the installation should not take more than an hour. Your old
files are saved in a folder called Windows.old.
A upgrade installation allows you to keep intact the files, settings, and programs from your current version of Vista SP1 or SP2. This will show you how to do a upgrade installation with a Upgrade version of Windows 7 from Vista.
How to Do an Upgrade Installtion from Vista to Windows 7
This will show you how to do a custom installation to have a clean
install of Windows 7 without formatting the current Windows installation
and to have this previous Windows backed up to the Windows.old
folder during the installation of Windows 7.
How to Do a Custom Installation of Windows 7
Video:
Step By Stwp - How to Upgrade From Windows XP to Windows 7
From the web page: "I was asked to "upgrade" a relative's
machine from Windows XP to Windows 7, so I figured this was a good
time to write-up the experience in case it helps others." Includes
a 50 minute video.
Note: for keyboard shortcuts help go to Start Orb>Help and Support>”keyboard
shortcuts”
A variety of new keyboard shortcuts have been introduced.
Win+Space operates as a keyboard shortcut for Aero Peek and displays the Desktop.
Win+Up Arrow and Win+Down Arrow are new shortcuts for Maximize and Restore/Minimize.
Win+Shift+Up Arrow vertically maximizes the current window
Win+Left Arrow and Win+Right Arrow snap the current window to the left or right half of the current display; successive key presses will move the window to other monitors in a multi-monitor configuration.
Win+ + (use the +/= key) and Win+ − (use the -/_ key) brings up the magnifier to zoom the desktop in and out.
Win+P shows an "external display options" selector that gives the user the choice of showing the desktop on only the computer's screen, only the external display, on both at the same time (mirroring), or on both displays with independent desktops (extending).
Win+Tab shows the open windows in 3D
Alt+Tab shows all open windows as a group.
Shift + Click, or Middle click starts a new instance of the application,
regardless of whether it's already running.
Ctrl + Shift + Click starts a new instance with Administrator privileges; by default, a User Account Control prompt will be displayed.
Shift + Right-click shows the classic Window menu (Restore / Minimize / Move / etc); right-clicking on the application's thumbnail image will also show this menu. If the icon being clicked on is a grouped icon, the classic menu with Restore All / Minimize All / Close All menu is shown.
Ctrl + Click on a grouped icon cycles between the windows (or tabs) in the group.
The user interface for font management has been overhauled. As with
Windows Vista, the collection of installed fonts is shown in
a Windows Explorer type window, but fonts from the same font
family appear as "stacks" instead of as individual
icons. A user can then double-click on the font stack and see
the individual font. A preview of the font is displayed as part
of the icon as well. New options for hiding installed fonts are
included; a hidden font remains installed, but is not enumerated
when an application asks for a list of available fonts. Windows
Vista had received considerable criticism for including the same "Add
Font" dialog that had existed as far back as Windows NT
3.1; this dialog has been removed.
The Font dialog box has also been updated to show previews of the font selection in the selection lists.
Click on Start Orb>type in “font”>click on Fonts folder>select font and double click on a selected icon>screen displays the font at various sizes.
End of Document
Windows 7 Talk v10.odt