Wintec students first in the country to use Windows 7
Posted On: Monday, 28 September 2009
While Microsoft’s Vista offered a strong secure base, some users hankered for the reliable old Windows XP. For those individuals, Windows 7 will seem like a walk in the park - or rather a drive through the park in a good looking, brand new vehicle that does everything you need it to do without you having to get used to its peculiar ways or consult the manual. Windows 7 is being released onto the world market in late on October 22nd and it is likely to be greeted enthusiastically by students and businesses across the globe. Students at Wintec (Waikato Institute of Technology) have a national lead in using Microsoft’s new acclaimed product - much to their delight, and those of the region’s employers.
Windows 7’s new wallpaper and themes provide a great example of how Windows 7 manages a difficult mix of being both utilitarian and fun. Its backgrounds are modern and well executed, and while it looks a little different (better than Vista by all accounts) it has all the safety and grunt that you’d expect from a new well thought-through release.
Microsoft’s helping make people feel both safe and creative with their computers, a feeling that comes so naturally to Apple some have said. Its minimal hardware demands mean windows 7 works really well even on low powered machines and notebooks.
Wintec ICT student Gareth Morgan says one of the most welcome changes, Windows 7 tones down User Account Control’s overly aggressive policing.
Windows 7 also brings several welcome shortcuts he says, such as placing two windows side-by-side on a crowded desktop took a lot of mouse manoeuvring in Windows XP. In Windows 7, you can achieve this with a few clicks! You click the first window, and press Win+Right Arrow to scoot the window against the right edge. Follow up with a Win+Left Arrow on the second window, and you’ve lined them up side-by-side, ready for quick information swapping.
And if you can’t remember the location of that helpful folder you opened yesterday you can right-click the Explorer icon, click the folder’s name from the jumplist, and start digging in. With jumplists, Windows 7 adds a feeling of immediate gratification that all too often went missing from Vista.
Windows 7 comes loaded with many other creative keyboard shortcuts, a sign that the team had time to focus on subtle details rather than major overhauls. It is also great for those who want to manage their multi-media, with many additions such as Windows Media Centre, now bundled into most Windows 7 offerings.
Other advantages include easy access your favourite web. Right-click the taskbar’s browser icon, click the favoured site’s name from the pop-up list’s “Frequent” section, and the browser opens to that site.
So how has Wintec scooped this for its students? The institute’s IT Director, Ramon Scurrah said Wintec became an early adopter of Microsoft framework and technologies three years ago, as part of its strategic objective to be one of the country’s leading institute’s of technology.
“We recognised that we need to provide our students - and our staff, with technological advantages so that our graduates are work ready and easily employed. The ongoing modernisation of our campuses includes a range of technologies that ensure our students can access information, study where and when they choose and even submit assignments and receive tutor feedback on-line.”
He said just 25% of the institute’s students were school leavers, meaning a large number of students were already employed part-time or even full-time, had family commitments, lived outside the city and for various other reasons, flexible delivery makes their study possible.
Wintec has developed strong relationships with Microsoft and work closely with their senior technicians and product experts in a range of new product pilots, system implementations and expert advice on systems integration and best practice within a Microsoft environment. Wintec are covered by Microsoft Premier Support, which ensures Wintec has access to early product adoption programmes (available to only a select few organisations) but also direct contact with their senior team of support engineers and experts for technical support and troubleshooting.