What would you ask a Windows 7 engineer?

[Slimy]

Ars is going to be talking to a few of the engineers on the Windows 7 team but, before we do, we want you to tell us what we should be asking them.

Full Story: What would you ask a Windows 7 engineer? - Ars Technica

 

[jfar]

Was it a lot of hard work, and did you find it difficult, and would you do it all again.

 

[bobtran]

A serious question for the Microsoft team

Whats up with RDP and the home additions of Windows 7. Who made the business decision to remove RDP from Home Premium and are they so lost to the reality of home networks that they just don't get it or was this a cold blooded calculated business decision based on squeezing the last possible dollar from home users. There are still plenty of other differences between the Home and Business versions of Windows 7 and this should not be one of them.

There is a registry hack that will allow people to activate RDP on home versions from PC to PC but Window HOME server shuts it off in its own registry every time it polls the machines and finds Home Premium. This makes absolutely no sense when Microsoft sells the Windows Home Server as a HOME appliance but requires the PRO/Ultimate versions to utilize remote access/admin of pc's on your HOME network through your home server.

If anything RDP should activated on a Home Premium machine when a WHS is in the network. Backwards thinking and a bit cold blooded in my opinion.

Didn't we already pay a premium to Microsoft for the WHS and shouldn't all functionality be available to the user/owner of a WHS regardless of which Windows 7 OS is running on the PC's in the network. If not then it should not be marketed as Windows HOME server...emphasis on the "HOME".

This issue should be addressed as most home networks in this day and age have multiple pc's running in them (otherwise explain the "Family pack" which is Home Premium only, no Pro pack available) and the ability to administer them from one central location shouldn't be classified as a business only necessity and denied to the average home user. Let me rephrase....WE should not have to physically log in to each machine in the home network to maintain the integrity of our home networks. Go to the office and fix that machine...now go to the kitchen and fix that machine...now go to the sons room and fix that machine...I'm sure you see where I'm going with this.

If the majority of pc's sold by the OEM's had Pro/Ultmate installed then this might not be such an issue but.....Windows Home Premium is the most installed/purchased OS by far and RDP is disallowed intentionally by Microsoft. Its not as if the development costs for RDP haven't been payed back yet.

 

[Zen00]

Do you foresee a day when computers will be completely responsive and natural to humans? I mean, today you have to jump many hoops to customize things the way you want, or at least as close as you can get to it. How long do you think it will take to bring the computer to the point where you can just "reach in" and tweak it right out, or just tell it what you want and it does it?

 

[SquonkSC]

Whats up with RDP and the home additions of Windows 7. Who made the business decision to remove RDP from Home Premium and are they so lost to the reality of home networks that they just don't get it or was this a cold blooded calculated business decision based on squeezing the last possible dollar from home users. There are still plenty of other differences between the Home and Business versions of Windows 7 and this should not be one of them.

There is a registry hack that will allow people to activate RDP on home versions from PC to PC but Window HOME server shuts it off in its own registry every time it polls the machines and finds Home Premium. This makes absolutely no sense when Microsoft sells the Windows Home Server as a HOME appliance but requires the PRO/Ultimate versions to utilize remote access/admin of pc's on your HOME network through your home server.

If anything RDP should activated on a Home Premium machine when a WHS is in the network. Backwards thinking and a bit cold blooded in my opinion.

Didn't we already pay a premium to Microsoft for the WHS and shouldn't all functionality be available to the user/owner of a WHS regardless of which Windows 7 OS is running on the PC's in the network. If not then it should not be marketed as Windows HOME server...emphasis on the "HOME".

This issue should be addressed as most home networks in this day and age have multiple pc's running in them (otherwise explain the "Family pack" which is Home Premium only, no Pro pack available) and the ability to administer them from one central location shouldn't be classified as a business only necessity and denied to the average home user. Let me rephrase....WE should not have to physically log in to each machine in the home network to maintain the integrity of our home networks. Go to the office and fix that machine...now go to the kitchen and fix that machine...now go to the sons room and fix that machine...I'm sure you see where I'm going with this.

If the majority of pc's sold by the OEM's had Pro/Ultmate installed then this might not be such an issue but.....Windows Home Premium is the most installed/purchased OS by far and RDP is disallowed intentionally by Microsoft. Its not as if the development costs for RDP haven't been payed back yet.

Bobtran,

Try teamviewer.

Simple, cross platform, doesn't bump user and it's free.

good luck

 

[Boris]

I thought liberaries was a nice addition... till I tried to use it with my new NAS: no go. When will this function become mature and include more than local data only?

 

[SquonkSC]

I thought liberaries was a nice addition... till I tried to use it with my new NAS: no go. When will this function become mature and include more than local data only?

Will put this in my list.

http://www.sevenforums.com/general-discussion/29842-requests-microsoft.html#post314984

greetings

Edit:

Just added a folder from my remote HTPC to my libraries on my laptop without a problem.
Problem must be with the NAS.
Note: The folder you want to add has to be a shared folder.

 

[Teerex]

Why did you disable all tasks history in Task Scheduler - by default?

Is it because Task Scheduler is doing 4 times more work than in Vista?

 

[SquonkSC]

Why did you disable all tasks history in Task Scheduler - by default?

Is it because Task Scheduler is doing 4 times more work than in Vista?

Don't know what version of W7 you have, but I have a history tab in Task Scheduler.

On the right pane you can enable/disable history.

good luck

 

[Teerex]

Why did you disable all tasks history in Task Scheduler - by default?

Is it because Task Scheduler is doing 4 times more work than in Vista?

Don't know what version of W7 you have, but I have a history tab in Task Scheduler.

On the right pane you can enable/disable history.

good luck

Oh, you! You're making me patronize you again and again!

I have a history tab too! But by default, logging history is disabled for all tasks. You have to turn it on to start logging.

 

[SquonkSC]

Why did you disable all tasks history in Task Scheduler - by default?

Is it because Task Scheduler is doing 4 times more work than in Vista?

Don't know what version of W7 you have, but I have a history tab in Task Scheduler.

On the right pane you can enable/disable history.

good luck

Oh, you! You're making me patronize you again and again!

I have a history tab too! But by default, logging history is disabled for all tasks. You have to turn it on to start logging.

Lol
My question was serious though.
I haven't checked out versions below ultimate, so it was possible that other versions don't have it.

I think it's wise from MS to have it disabled by default, since it will cost you some slight performance like any logging will.

And I think 99% of average users never checks it.
More knowledgeable users can enable it.

So without being patronizing, I think MS made a good decision here.

Greetings

 

[Teerex]

I have Ultimate, but I remember having it on Vista, I do think TS is the same on all versions. The Vista Home Premium TS had logging enabled by default.

The difference is that Vista ran something like 16-25 tasks a day, and Windows 7 Task Scheduler has something like 60 tasks (mostly system/maintenance) scheduled to run during a day.

They really made that mule do some serious work.

 

[SquonkSC]

I have Ultimate, but I remember having it on Vista, I do think TS is the same on all versions. The Vista Home Premium TS had logging enabled by default.

The difference is that Vista ran something like 16-25 tasks a day, and Windows 7 Task Scheduler has something like 60 tasks (mostly system/maintenance) scheduled to run during a day.

They really made that mule do some serious work.

And that makes the decision to disable history by default even more plausible.

(not patronizing)

 

[Teerex]

And that makes the decision to disable history by default even more plausible.

(not patronizing)

Exactly. I want them to admit they are exploiting the poor thing!

 

[pacinitaly]

what will be in SP1 ?

 

[SquonkSC]

what will be in SP1 ?

I'll tell you, if you tell me the lottery numbers for next week. j/k

You might be able to have some say about SP1.

I have created a thread where you can drop your wishes.
Make sure you read the first post thoroughly, before posting.

Keep it realistic.

http://www.sevenforums.com/general-discussion/29842-requests-microsoft.html

 

[Big Dan]

I would ask the Windows Engineers: Why don't UAC ask you before allowing an application or application installer to run itself at start up? Not only is it an annoyance to your customers that software devs decide for you that their software is important enough to run every time you start your computer it's also a security issue both from a privacy (the app could be phoning home..who knows what data it's sending) and viral standpoint. I wonder how many viruses would be stopped dead in their tracks by not allowing them to run when the computer starts?

Additionally auto-starting apps slows down the computer and gives non-techy people (the majority of Windows Users) both a bad impression of Windows and the OEM.

I cannot tell you how many machines I've worked on that are brought to me with 'it's unbearably slow' as the primary complaint. Believe it or not most of the systems aren't virus ridden it's because you have a low end system starting 3 instant messengers, a smiley helper, and a bunch of unneeded OEM crap running at start up. You haven't even launched your browser or Word yet and your using 85% of your RAM!

I betcha if Windows UAC included an option to say Yes or no to auto-starting apps a lot of the slow/bloated complaints would go away.

Second thing I'd ask them is to police OEM system pre-installs better. I get why OEMs install Norton, Office Trials, Ebay Links, arcade etc and even though I don't like it it makes the computer cheaper for me so I can live with it. Please stop OEM from duplicating Windows functionality with bloated in-house apps. My Acer laptop came with 'Empowering Technology' at the time when I bought it it was a mid-range machine that took 5 minutes to start up due to "Empowering Technology" all it did was duplicate Windows features: Battery/Wifi Monitor, and power profiles (included with Vista by default). Once I removed all that crap, it started up and ran a lot faster.

Through their OEM licensing they should disallow companies from dupicating functionality with in house apps AND allow the user to make 'clean backup discs' discs that include nothing but drivers and the Windows installer. As we paid for the Windows license with the computer we should be able to JUST Windows on a DVD.

Woops this turned into a mini-rant but this is what I'd ask the engineers to do.

 

[SquonkSC]

I would ask the Windows Engineers: Why don't UAC ask you before allowing an application or application installer to run itself at start up? Not only is it an annoyance to your customers that software devs decide for you that their software is important enough to run every time you start your computer it's also a security issue both from a privacy (the app could be phoning home..who knows what data it's sending) and viral standpoint. I wonder how many viruses would be stopped dead in their tracks by not allowing them to run when the computer starts?

Additionally auto-starting apps slows down the computer and gives non-techy people (the majority of Windows Users) both a bad impression of Windows and the OEM.

I cannot tell you how many machines I've worked on that are brought to me with 'it's unbearably slow' as the primary complaint. Believe it or not most of the systems aren't virus ridden it's because you have a low end system starting 3 instant messengers, a smiley helper, and a bunch of unneeded OEM crap running at start up. You haven't even launched your browser or Word yet and your using 85% of your RAM!

I betcha if Windows UAC included an option to say Yes or no to auto-starting apps a lot of the slow/bloated complaints would go away.

Second thing I'd ask them is to police OEM system pre-installs better. I get why OEMs install Norton, Office Trials, Ebay Links, arcade etc and even though I don't like it it makes the computer cheaper for me so I can live with it. Please stop OEM from duplicating Windows functionality with bloated in-house apps. My Acer laptop came with 'Empowering Technology' at the time when I bought it it was a mid-range machine that took 5 minutes to start up due to "Empowering Technology" all it did was duplicate Windows features: Battery/Wifi Monitor, and power profiles (included with Vista by default). Once I removed all that crap, it started up and ran a lot faster.

Through their OEM licensing they should disallow companies from dupicating functionality with in house apps AND allow the user to make 'clean backup discs' discs that include nothing but drivers and the Windows installer. As we paid for the Windows license with the computer we should be able to JUST Windows on a DVD.

Woops this turned into a mini-rant but this is what I'd ask the engineers to do.

Nice post again, but can't rep you here either!:roflmao:

News and General discussions I believe are without rep system.

Back OT.
The autostart is a sneaky way of sw makers to make their sw look snappy.

If they weren't loaded on boot, they would take several seconds longer to start.
So instead of looking bad themselves, they auto start and make windows look bad.

Disabling most auto starts is the first thing I do on any system.
Why load messenger if you aren't going to use it? And Adobe reader, OEM cr*p, Nokia Suite, Nero, Acronis and the list goes on and on.

Lots of double entries in the startup list are not uncommon too.
In some cases it even starts two instances of the same program.

So I agree, from a resource standpoint it's ridiculous.

From a security standpoint, most viruses embed themselves in windows processes, so UAC would be quite powerless against it.

Greetings.

 

[Boris]

I thought liberaries was a nice addition... till I tried to use it with my new NAS: no go. When will this function become mature and include more than local data only?

Will put this in my list.

http://www.sevenforums.com/general-discussion/29842-requests-microsoft.html#post314984

greetings

Edit:

Just added a folder from my remote HTPC to my libraries on my laptop without a problem.
Problem must be with the NAS.
Note: The folder you want to add has to be a shared folder.

Did you accomplish this without syncing the total folder to your local hard drive? I have read several posts, all with more or less the same problem.

See http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/4617-libraries-include-network-folder.html

I will test again and let you know...

 

[Zardoc]

I think that your thread to Microsoft is nice, but (here I can comment) because you closed the door to anything in the thread, I have been beta testing for quite a while and I'm a 6 year MVP. What you are doing has been done over and over in the beta forums. Micrososft has a timeline and a priority schedule.

There were a lot of issues mentioned folder re arrangement was on the top of the list since XP (go figure)

Here is a nice temp reg tweak that will at least give you some control over folders.

See Brink's tutorial
HERE and add a nice tweak to keep windows from changing your default settings

You can prevent Windows from sniffing folder contents and automatically assigning the folder type template

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[COLOR=black][HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\AllFolders\shell][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black]"FolderType"="NotSpecified"[/COLOR]

Other issues brought up was the HAL issue, the Photogallery, the windows mail client, Movie maker, Hive leaks galore, Event viewer non issues etc. etc.

But hey, maybe someone will listen (???)