Microsoft is scheduled to release Windows 7 on the 22nd of October. The replacement for the less-than-popular Vista. The initial reviews and information provided on Windows 7 look promising. An updated interface with improved usability, a more functional task bar, less restrictive security measures… it all sounds good.

So, what does a new operating system (OS) mean to you, the strategic communications professional and/or site owner? Let’s find out…

The key point of discussion will be adoption of the OS. Obviously, any new PC purchased after 10/22/09 will come with Windows 7 installed. But what can we expect from Vista/XP/W2K users? If past history has anything to say, probably not much.

Large companies are very slow adopters of new OSs. Windows 2000 is still in use in my company (I hear even Windows 98 and 95 are in pockets here and there! Gasp!) and we only recently switched over to XP. Vista hasn’t been thought about much, so I think Windows 7 is a very long way off.

Small companies who may have upgraded to Vista and felt the sting of a not-so-hot OS may also be inclined to wait a bit, since, by now, they probably have worked out their issues and now have achieved a stable operating environment.

Lastly, with the economy being what it is, I think we can expect only the most extreme power users or fanboys to run out and upgrade to Windows 7 right away.

Ok, so now it’s a few months down the road and Windows 7 is starting to take hold, then what?

After Windows 7 makes its way into a few million homes, it’s time to start looking at what impact it has on your day-to-day communication initiatives. The quick assessment: not much to be concerned with.

Internet Explorer 8 will be the same as what’s available now, so not much to worry about there. I personally always like to see how my sites react in a new OS, so, depending on your audience, you may want to get your hands on a Windows 7 box for testing and review.

Windows 7 will offer an “XP Mode” for those who simply can’t live without an OS that was introduced close to a decade ago (talk about legacy support!). In actuality, Microsoft is smart enough to understand that some systems will need to continue to operate as is. XP mode should help with adoption.

My aging XP laptop is in need of a well-deserved rest, so I will be one of the first in line for a shiny, new Windows 7 based notebook (maybe even a netbook!). But I’m one of the lucky ones who simply skipped Vista and that’s the only reason for the upgrade.

The conclusion I’ve come to is that Windows 7 will take a long time to reach a significant usage level, and when it does, it won’t matter all that much. The new features are nice, but nothing that will fundamentally change the way we use our PCs or interact with the web. More and more, functionality is moving towards the cloud. The OS is becoming just a vehicle to get us there.

1. Josh Says:
   October 12th, 2009 at 8:24 am

   Another thought: once Windows 7 has decent market penetration, and assuming it does offer a great stylistic and usability leap forward from Windows XP, might it be a game changer for application and website developers? Think about Mac OS X for a sec. Very stylish; claims to be easy. For the most part, the applications for OS X follow suit, and Mac users expect a certain level of polish in their computing experience.

   In short, the OS sets the bar for applications it hosts. If Windows 7 means that the majority of users ultimately come to expect more (style and usability) from a certain computing experience, I believe web and app designers and developers will need to follow suit or be run out of the marketplace.

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