Windows 7 lifts CES gloom

Microsoft chose the massive Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas to launch the first public trial of Vista successor Windows 7. Chairman Steve Ballmer announced during has keynote that a beta version would be posted at www.microsoft.com/windows-7.

Microsoft is capping the number of downloads, so you may already be too late to get a copy. The new code has been generally well received.

It certainly look good in demos. The most obvious difference is in the revamped Taskbar, which uses the icons much better than Vista, and menus without forcing you to maximise. The icon are larger too, to facilitate finger control on touchscreens; Windows 7 also support multi-touch gestures, briingin iPhone-style control to suitable platforms.

Windows 7 is said to run on box than can run Vista - including Atom-powered netboooks. Ballmer also announced the availability of a new version of Windows Live, Microsoft's significant for beta tester as Windows 7 loses the current form of Vista's Calendar, Mail, Photo Gallery, Movie Maker, and Contact.

Istead you are invited you to download versions which can be used standalone or act as client for Live versions that can be used from any browser. Microsoft gives you 25GB of online storage too.

some manufacturers may opt to pre-load the clients - Dell says it will. This Opt-in is persumably to avoid reviving accustions of monopoly abuse, using Window to lock people into Microsoft services.

The usual caveats about using beta code apply: don't install over a missing-critical system and back everything up. Windows 7 uses the Vista kernel and so should present few compatibility problems. But is reasonably stable.