Windows 7 Taskforce

Make the Navigation Pane customizable

Submitted by migueld on September 16, 2009 to Annoyance, Usability

Problem: Currently one can't add/remove categories to the navigation pane, or move them around.

Solution: Make the Navigation Pane customizable.

Severity: Low

Impact: Low

Status: Not fixed

(1 comments)

Change Icon window is outdated

Submitted by migueld on August 30, 2009 to Aesthetics, Icons, Usability

Problem: The change icon window is outdated and not as user-friendly as it could be. This could be much friendlier, any user should be able to easily customize icons. One problem is that users are presented with an archaic path "%SystemRoot%\system32\SHELL32.dll" (more...)

Solution: Complete revamp.

Severity: Medium

Impact: Medium

Status: Not fixed

Environment Variables window should be resizable

Submitted by migueld on May 31, 2009 to Annoyance, Usability

Problem: Environment Variables window should be resizable.

Solution: Make the Environment Variables window resizable.

Severity: Low

Impact: Low

Status: Not fixed

"Folder in Use" dialog doesn't specify which program is using the folder

Submitted by migueld on May 13, 2009 to Annoyance

Problem: "Folder in Use" dialog says "The action can't be completed because the folder is open in another program. Close the program and try again"

The problem is that it doesn't specify which program, so the user may (more...)

Solution: Specify the program or process where the folder is open. This allows the user to easily identify it to take proper action.

Severity: Medium

Impact: Low

Status: Not fixed

(1 comments)

Make "Window Color and Appearance" settings easier to find

Submitted by migueld on May 7, 2009 to Annoyance, Usability

Problem: It took me a while in order to find this dialog which allows the user to change UI fonts, sizes, colors etc. In order to access it one must click on "Window Color" icon. The problem is that the icon is misleading, since it's not just changing (more...)

Solution: Make it less misleading, more intuitive to find.

Severity: Low

Impact: Low

Status: Not fixed

Modernize "Browse For Folder" dialog

Submitted by migueld on May 7, 2009 to Annoyance, Usability

Problem: The "Browse For Folder" dialog lacks features that the new open dialogs offers such as sidebar favorites and custom views.

Solution: Browsing for a folder should include the same UI features as the open dialogs such as sidebar favorites and custom views.

Severity: Medium

Impact: Medium

Status: Not fixed

Icons can't be moved spatially

Submitted by migueld on May 4, 2009 to Annoyance, Usability

Problem: Icons can't be arranged spatially within a explorer window. This feature was included in XP and Vista but it's missing from Windows 7. Below is an example in Vista of freely arranged icons.

Solution: Allow an option that allows free arrangement of icons within a explorer window.

Severity: Medium

Impact: Medium

Status: Not fixed

Window sizes aren't remembered

Submitted by migueld on May 3, 2009 to Usability

Problem: In Windows XP window sizes were remembered per folder. In Windows 7 they aren't, instead there is only one global size. Example: I have 2 folders, one in details view, and they other in extra large icons, one is narrow in width, the other is wider.

Solution: Window sizes should be remembered per folder, where appropriate, as they were in Windows XP.

Severity: High

Impact: Medium

Status: Not fixed

Universal Spell Checker

Submitted by migueld on May 2, 2009 to Usability

Problem: Most 3rd party programs don't have a spellchecker. Some examples are chat programs, word pad, browsers.

Solution: Provide a basic spell check API so that any 3rd party developer can include it in his app.

Severity: Low

Impact: Medium

Status: Not fixed