George's Technology Blog » Windows

Resize Desktop Icons in Windows 7

admin — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 03:31:14 +0000

I've got a new computer running Windows 7 Home Premium and at 1024x768 the desktop icons seemed huge. I found a nice shortcut to resize the desktop icons (I still don't know the "right" way) that is right quick and intuitive.

Resize Desktop Icons in Windows 7

First, click the desktop once in an empty area to give it "focus". Next, hold down the CTRL button and scroll with the mouse wheel. Scroll forward (up) to increase icon size, scroll backward (down) to decrease desktop icons and make them smaller. Note this will resize the icons - not the text under them.

Now I've also changed my screen resolution to 1280x1024 and they look even better, but I think I'll monkey around with the size of the icon text some later.

Windows 7 on Windows XP Machine

admin — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 21:18:36 +0000

Thanks to Sun Microsystem's VirtualBox I can run both Windows XP and Windows 7 (Release Candidate) on my Windows XP machine with a 2.4GHz Athlon CPU and 2GB of RAM. Naturally, its not the fastest running setup mainly due to RAM, but its really cool for me. I wanted to check out Windows 7 first-hand and I didn't feel like figuring out how to partition my laptop's hard disk into partitions to allow Windows 7 to be run along-side Windows Vista or by overwriting it.

Click to enlarge screenshots.

Windows 7 – Hype or Heaven?

admin — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 05:00:09 +0000

Microsoft is Marketing Genius

An IT buddy of mine was recently telling me how IT experts were very unhappy with Windows Vista, and that the many in the IT community are gravitating toward recommending Windows XP over Windows Vista. As a matter-of-fact, Microsoft has extended the life of Windows XP, in essence giving support to is longer so people have the option to skip Vista and go straight to Windows 7 - go IT experts! So here comes Windows 7 and then, what? Magic? Well, I think Windows should run better - you know, be more secure and crash less, but maybe Windows 7 does have some magic.

There is no question Microsoft is good at marketing, the real question is can they deliver a more bullet-proof Windows OS that meets the marketing hype, and are they just making over Windows Vista? Will people switch from Vista to Windows 7?

Windows 7 Preview from Youtube

Click here to view the embedded video.

MORE WINDOWS 7
Windows 7 Videos on Microsoft.com
Windows 7 Videos on Youtube.com
Windows 7 Screenshots
Windows 7, Is it Windows Vista?
Windows 7 Screenshots

Windows 7 – Good Stuff or Fluff?

admin — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 22:50:26 +0000

Nosing around for good Windows news sites today I found this Windows 7 video. It got my interest so I started watching an immediately it reminded me of a Windows Touch Screen video I'd watched months back. The video said that among other things the new computer could be used by restaurants allowing patrons to order by computer from their table, and was really neat (hint of sarcasm) for organizing and viewing your digital photo collection.

At any rate watching the video below I couldn't help but wonder if Microsoft's main goal with Windows 7 leans more toward power and security or fluff and sale-ability. While I realize one of the reasons the public views Windows as pockmarked with security problems ( does "... vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute..." ring a bell?) is because Windows is a high profile target.

I'm more concerned about Windows being more secure, less prone to crash, less prone to slow dramatically with use as time goes by (as the Registry gets bloated) and I can't hjelp but wonder if Microsoft is seriously addressing this in Windows 7, or are they focused too much on the 'fluff' their marketing department believe will sell this next iteration of Windows?

WINDOWS 7 YOUTUBE

Click here to view the embedded video.

Microsoft At It Again – Mojave Commercials on TV

admin — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 07:14:11 +0000

Well sitting around innocently tonight I got hit with a Window Mojave commercial. I guess they have to talk people into buying Vista PC's during the holiday season.

WINDOWS MOJAVE COMMERCIAL

Click here to view the embedded video.

Run Windows Update in Firefox!

admin — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 00:17:33 +0000

I only use Internet Explorer when I must, and that may change since I've read How to run Microsoft Update using Firefox on PCTips Box. After finding out I didn't have to use Internet Explorer (IE) to run Windows Update (and possibly other sites that refuse to work in anything besides IE) I immediately went to Firefox Add-ons' IE Tab page . As of this post they have downloadable versions of IE Tab for Firefox 1.5 through 3.

I installed it and restarted Firefox, went to google and searched Windows Update then right-clicked the link and selected the "Open Link in IE Tab" and tried it out right away. Windows Update ran flawlessly - well not really, but it only did the normal silly stuff it does in IE like warnign me to install the Critical Updates for Windows XP when none are available.

Get IE Tab!