Windows 7 - What feedback are you sending in, and what are you hoping for?

J

Joe Average

Ad Blocker - Banned
Joined
Apr 6, 2008
Messages
15,459
Just curious what others are sending in as "true" feedback and not just bug reports which are obviously very important. But they're not just looking for bug reports - they (meaning Microsoft) want to know what people would like Windows 7 to be, or work like, or cater to since it's not feature complete just yet.

I just sent in this little tidbit myself (probably the most wanted "feature" but it's been wanted for years now):

Feedback submitted to Microsoft said:
Please, for the love of Bill Gate's children, will someone on the WMP12 development team PLEASE add a simple feature that's been missing from Windows Media Player forever:

Let pressing the Space Bar during playback PAUSE the player, whether it's music, videos, DVDs, etc.

That is the one single feature that I want the most overall for WMP12, seriously. Every other media player out there like Media Player Classic, VLC, MPlayer, WinDVD, PowerDVD, and even DVD Player in OSX will pause playback when you press the Space Bar, but Windows Media Player hasn't done this since version 6.4 (the last best one in my opinion).

So please, pass this info on to someone on the WMP12 development team.

In fact, if possible, why not add keyboard shortcuts for the most common actions like WinDVD has:

Space Bar = Pause
F = Fast Forward, multiple presses step through the fast forward speeds
R = Rewind, multiple presses step through the rewind speeds
Page Up = Previous, useful for DVD chapter skipping
Page Down = Next, useful for DVD chapter skipping
Enter = Stops Fast Forward/Rewind and returns to normal playback
and many others.

Thanks...
Click to expand...

So, what are you folks looking for, hoping for, etc... what would you change in Windows 7 if you could, and if someone acted on your feedback and made it happen?
 
I had trouble with the installer for Java crashing. I tried installing Java the first time other day and it crashed. I tried again today and it crashed again but this time a pop-up message told me the following.

"An issue with the Customer Experience Improvement Program (CEIP) client in Windows 7 beta is causing Explorer and some MSI-based installers to stop working properly.

To solve this problem, follow these steps: ..."

I followed the instructions and then was able to install Java. I thought this was pretty amazing that a resolution to my problem was suggested immediately after it crashed. I was very impressed so I sent some positive feedback.

I'm also going to send some feedback regarding the automatic volume adjustment when using communication programs/games. It is very annoying and I outlined it in this thread http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1387178
 
I've sent some feedback on a couple of things. First, IE favicons! They have been borked for some time but they seem to work much better in Windows 7 with IE 8, but Firefox still handles them a bit better. They need to get this resolved as its a long standing problem on every Vista machine and IE 7 that I've seen.

Secondly, there's a couple of quirks and bugs I've noticed with tablet functionality. If you have about 10 IE windows open, when in portrait mode you don't get any kind of thumbnail on task bar list, it becomes impossible to then actually navigate the different IE instances in the task bar so that should be a simple thing. Also the Tablet Input Panel will now and then get blocked by the IE address bar window when the address bar drops down. It's supposed to drop down below the TIP itself, not the IE address bar. If you tap in and out the TIP it tends to correct itself.

Other than those relatively minor issues I've not had to many problems.
 
You know I was just thinking of starting a thread like this!

I have requested a few things.

(i totally agree with you about the keyboard shortcuts Joe, even iTunes plays nice with keyboard shortcuts, I too filed a request)

New notepad, make my life easier and put tabs, maybe an option for syntax. Yeah sure other editors do this, but why when Notepad can too.

Ability to mount images from within Explorer. It's nice I can burn them via Explorer, but I'd much rather be able to mount them. Save me another program to install.

Ability to remove the damned clock and date from the task bar, and allow the icons to autoresize in the taskbar, as well as resize the taskbar as well. Kind of like OS X does with the dock.. I don't want to have to have "pages" of my pinned items, just resize them from the get go.

I sent in more, but I cant remember them ATM
 
Install BSOD crashed several times. IRQ_NOT_LESS and MEMORY_MANAGER

So, I can't comment on more than that.

Tried on:

Dell w/ Intel D820 Processor (dual core 2.8Ghz) w/ 2GB DDR2

Motherboard chipset is the i945G+ICH7

Was gonna try it on a VMWare partition but decided to just toss the DVD
 
d3c1us said:
Ability to remove the damned clock and date from the task bar, and allow the icons to autoresize in the taskbar, as well as resize the taskbar as well. Kind of like OS X does with the dock.. I don't want to have to have "pages" of my pinned items, just resize them from the get go.

I sent in more, but I cant remember them ATM
Click to expand...

Maybe I'm misunderstanding your requests but I think you can do these things already:

1. Hide Clock
Hit the Windows key and key "clock". You should see a result "Show or hide clock icon
on the taskbar". Select that and you get options to control several task bar icons. Search is actually useful for discovering system functionality in Windows 7!

2. Resize task bar
I don't know if this is what you want but right click on the task bar and select properties. There's a drop down list labeled "Taskbar Buttons". Try the different options to see if one works better for you.
 
I would love to have the ability to mount images through explorer, alas, that would probably throw some people into an uproar.

First thing I submitted was the fact that the driver for my LAN was not automatically installed, so I had to use the Vista x64 driver. Vista x64 has the driver out of the box, so I would think Win7 should/would as well.

Another submission I had was to allow Windows Mail to have context on the taskbar once opened or pinned (they are obviously working on this, but I wanted to make sure).

A big one I noticed was when playing MP3s or anything really in WMP12 and you move the program window fast and then stop, the Visualization and/or text would venture outside the window. It is much more descriptive in what I sent Microsoft, but you guys get the gist of it (hopefully).

I have had other minor submissions since it was released, nothing that I would consider major (compatibility, etc.)
 
heatlesssun said:
Maybe I'm misunderstanding your requests but I think you can do these things already:

1. Hide Clock
Hit the Windows key and key "clock". You should see a result "Show or hide clock icon
on the taskbar". Select that and you get options to control several task bar icons. Search is actually useful for discovering system functionality in Windows 7!

2. Resize task bar
I don't know if this is what you want but right click on the task bar and select properties. There's a drop down list labeled "Taskbar Buttons". Try the different options to see if one works better for you.
Click to expand...

Okay well I feel dumb about the clock, but even with the clock gone, the taskar will wont go any smaller, so taskbar being smaller still stands.
 
d3c1us said:
Okay well I feel dumb about the clock, but even with the clock gone, the taskar will wont go any smaller, so taskbar being smaller still stands.
Click to expand...

We're here to learn and help!:)

When you say you want the task bar to "grow smaller" could you be more explicit? You can auto hide the task bar which I'm sure you're aware and that makes the size of the task bar irrelevant as it doesn't take any space.
 
So far I've only submitted one feedback form, about UAC and how much it blows ass.

lol

Basically, my gripe with UAC is that I'm VERY aware of what programs I'm running, and I don't need UAC nagging to me every fucking time I double click an exe, asking me "Are you sure you'd like to run this program?" YES I DOUBLE CLICKED IT FOR A REASON!!
This also happens when overwriting certain files (such as the iTunes Library file, it requires an administrator to edit apparently).

Now, you CAN turn off UAC and everything will be fine, right?
Wrong.
Cuz now the OS doesn't have permission to overwrite certain files (like the iTunes Library file I listed above), because I turned the prompts off.

Awesome!

But yeah, I obviously didn't write it like so, but I let Microsoft know of the frustration involving UAC and it's hand-holding bullshit.
 
The idea for mounting images (most likely ISOs if it's actually done someday) is a great one...

As for the UAC thing, Windows is written for the majority, not for individuals, so, you lose on that one. :D The first and foremost priority of Vista and Windows 7 is protect itself from anything that can bring it down - and that includes PRIMARILY the users themselves, so UAC ain't going nowhere. The defaults will always be there, and Windows 7 is far far better at it (and far less "intrusive" as people like to put it) than Vista...

But the defaults will stay as they are, I'm quite certain of that. Anything less than what they've done with Windows 7 and it will basically be off, which is a truly bad idea.

And yeah, I wish it was possible to specifically define the size of Taskbar icons - as in a property sheet or an option in a drop-down menu that says which particular size you want. I strongly disliked the way the icons were handled in the past also, because they were either way too small or just a bit too large. 16 is too small, 32 or 48 is too large, 24 is nearly perfect for the way I like my Taskbar set up, regardless of screen resolution.

What would REALLY be cool is if you could put the cursor on the Taskbar and then roll the mousewheel and have the Taskbar scale smaller or larger just like you can with Desktop icons - now THAT would absolutely kick total ass.

I mean, the Dock in OSX can do it, why not the Taskbar? They're both based on similar display concepts (resizing without quality loss), so why the hell not... think I'll send that in, but it's probably too late in the development of Windows 7 to actually implement. Damn. :D

Send that feedback in, people, it might just get acted upon. :D
 
Joe Average said:
As for the UAC thing, Windows is written for the majority, not for individuals, so, you lose on that one. :D The first and foremost priority of Vista and Windows 7 is protect itself from anything that can bring it down - and that includes PRIMARILY the users themselves, so UAC ain't going nowhere. The defaults will always be there, and Windows 7 is far far better at it (and far less "intrusive" as people like to put it) than Vista...
Click to expand...

Um.. yeah, obviously I understand the point of UAC, and I'm not asking for it to be removed completely - I just want an option to disable it completely without any side-effects (the side-effect being what I mentioned in my last post)... you know, a setting for power-users, the people who have a little know-how on computer software and whatnot, such as myself.
 
The18thLetter said:
Um.. yeah, obviously I understand the point of UAC, and I'm not asking for it to be removed completely - I just want an option to disable it completely without any side-effects (the side-effect being what I mentioned in my last post)... you know, a setting for power-users, the people who have a little know-how on computer software and whatnot, such as myself.
Click to expand...

That's what Linux is for... (sorry, but it's true). :D

Doesn't matter what you know, or how long you've been working with PCs or operating systems, since Vista was released the OS's main job is keeping itself running, protecting itself from even me (or you, or anyone) so I really have no issues with UAC at all, I never have, not once.

I really can't comprehend why people - so-called "power users" - are such whiny bitches about it. It makes no sense to me whatsoever, and don't come back with the "I don't need my OS holding my hand or babysitting me" because it's not taking care of you, it's taking care of itself, from people like you, ESPECIALLY power users that think they know everything about everything and have the attitude to back it up.

'Nuff typed.
 
Joe Average said:
That's what Linux is for... (sorry, but it's true). :D

Doesn't matter what you know, or how long you've been working with PCs or operating systems, since Vista was released the OS's main job is keeping itself running, protecting itself from even me (or you, or anyone) so I really have no issues with UAC at all, I never have, not once.

I really can't comprehend why people - so-called "power users" - are such whiny bitches about it. It makes no sense to me whatsoever, and don't come back with the "I don't need my OS holding my hand or babysitting me" because it's not taking care of you, it's taking care of itself, from people like you, ESPECIALLY power users that think they know everything about everything and have the attitude to back it up.

'Nuff typed.
Click to expand...
Why do you keep on bringing up Vista?
Vista was a failure of an OS for many reasons, one being UAC. It's been a problem from the beginning and in an attempt to make it a little harder to swallow in Windows 7, they failed once again because this time, Disabling UAC fucks you over in many regards.

And guess what - I ran Vista with Disabled UAC the entire time I had Vista and never once had an issue with a virus, or anything of the like - why? Because I'm not the idiot Microsoft thinks 99% of it's userbase is.
I'm not trying to tell you "I know everything there is to know about computers"... of course not. But I know enough to protect myself from most user errors (installing viruses, deleting critical files, etc.), and it'd be nice to have a UAC setting that tailors to users such as myself, rather than JUST catering to the casual users who don't know a CPU from a tower.

Thus, the reason why I sent Feedback to Microsoft about it.
:)
 
I bring up Vista because that's when UAC was first introduced. I'd think you could understand that concept, but, perhaps I was wrong there.

Vista wasn't (and isn't) a failure. If you think it is, you can and should be saying the same thing about Leopard since we all know - and Apple has publicly stated - that Snow Leopard is basically a big bug and performance "fix" for Leopard. Consider Windows 7 a bit bug and performance "fix" for Vista, but that doesn't make it a failure, just another progressive step forward.

Bleh. When will the whining about UAC end... I guess if everyone switched to Linux they'd start complaining about having to sudo shit so often because "I know what I'm doing" etc.

Why is it that when Microsoft makes an OS that needs you to acknowledge and give permission for something that could potentially alter the basic system configuration itself people just bitch about it incessantly, when UNIX, Linux, and OSX have been doing those same exact things since they first appeared?

UAC is basically doing what UNIX, Linux, and OSX do when you're trying to make those types of system level alterations, but alas, it's not UNIX, it's not Linux, it's not OSX - all three of those use the same basic fundamental style of architecture - and Windows is a unique product that stands alone.

Forgive Microsoft for trying to make a more stable OS for people to use, 'cause the whining sure needs to stop over UAC, it really does.

If you don't like it, don't run it, but geez... STFU about UAC.
 
The18thLetter said:
Why do you keep on bringing up Vista?
Vista was a failure of an OS for many reasons, one being UAC. It's been a problem from the beginning and in an attempt to make it a little harder to swallow in Windows 7, they failed once again because this time, Disabling UAC fucks you over in many regards.

And guess what - I ran Vista with Disabled UAC the entire time I had Vista and never once had an issue with a virus, or anything of the like - why? Because I'm not the idiot Microsoft thinks 99% of it's userbase is.
I'm not trying to tell you "I know everything there is to know about computers"... of course not. But I know enough to protect myself from most user errors (installing viruses, deleting critical files, etc.), and it'd be nice to have a UAC setting that tailors to users such as myself, rather than JUST catering to the casual users who don't know a CPU from a tower.

Thus, the reason why I sent Feedback to Microsoft about it.
:)
Click to expand...

I find it interesting that the Linux world full of super geniuses they repeatedly recommend not running full time as root or a very highly privileged user. So why do Windows users all have to be idiots if in the Linux world this is considered smart?
 
heatlesssun said:
I find it interesting that the Linux world full of super geniuses they repeatedly recommend not running full time as root or a very highly privileged user. So why do Windows users all have to be idiots if in the Linux world this is considered smart?
Click to expand...

Very well said. Any serious Linux user worth their salt would (and damned well better) say that running as root 24/7 is a bad idea, perhaps the worst idea or practice anyone using Linux could possibly adopt.

Even Gods make mistakes. Hell, look at humanity. :)

So... as just asked, why is UAC's sudo-like prompting when something potentially system altering so bashed considering that Linux, UNIX, and OSX all would basically do the same thing? I'll never figure that out...
 
i send in comments on what i would like to see, but i try to keep it all very concise. with the thousands they get, they don't need one extra word to read....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top