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Poll: How do you like the Windows 7 Superbar?
By Michael Pietroforte | 3 Comments | Permalink | Trackback | Previous | NextCheck out all reviews and tips about Windows 7 on 4sysops.
I suppose many of you are now trying Windows 7 and Windows Sever 2008 R2. The first thing that will catch your eye is the new taskbar, the so-called Superbar. The video below demonstrates how it works and what you can do with it. I have been playing with Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 for a couple of days now and I am not yet decided if I like or dislike the Superbar. It appears to be an improvement for the average computer user, but I am not sure if this change is really helpful for IT pros. But before I share my thoughts about the new taskbar, I would like to know your opinion.
If you didn’t try Windows 7 yet, you can take part too in the poll if you think that the demonstration below tells you enough to make up your mind. I must admit that my imagination isn’t good enough for this. Only after I worked some hours with the Superbar, did I really understand how it affects my work.
I dislike the new bar and reenabled the quicklaunch functionality. I put a few days worth of effort to no avail in to attempting to like the new bar.
In the video the presenter claims that the new aero-peek makes it easier to find documents. I disagree with this claim. It is easier to find a document for me when the title of the document is displayed in the task bar, as is the case in prior versions of windows. I can simply look at the task bar, see the name of the document that I want, and click on it. In the Superbar you must mouse over the icon before you are able to see the document title. This is an additional step that I find cumbersome.
The fix for the above is to customize the superbar to never combine or combine only when the superbar is full. This creates further problems. If you do not combine the windows, but still pin items to the superbar, then the pinned items move around as the surrounding applications are launched. If you have 3 icons on the superbar and your launch the two left icons,; those icons turn in to title bar stubs, increasing their width, which pushes the dormant icon far to the right. I want my icons to stay exactly where I place them. I don’t want to have to search through the taskbar to figure out where my icon has moved to.
I really tried to make it work, but I found it less productive than previous taskbars. I setup a new toolbar using the quicklaunch folder. I modified the superbar to always expand unless crowded (can’t remember the exact terminology, I’m not in front of it at the moment). Now it’s “good enough” for me to work with.
Christopher, it appears you belong to a minority. So far most respondents like the Superbar. I still didn’t make up my mind yet, but I will post something about it soon. I have to agree with your complaints though. There is no doubt that the Superbar also has disadvantages under certain circumstances.
Yet another MS screen space thief. I auto hide my current (XP) taskbar. It has its uses but, for me, they are few. When I saw the Windows 7 taskbar I was appalled at its humongous size. I’m very disappointed. Looks like I’ll be staying with XP until forever or until there is software available to tuck that monster away out of sight.
Yes, I know I am in the minority. I have to wonder what people use their computers for that they don’t have to see what they are doing? Toolbars, taskbars, sidebars. Windows wants it all. Well, they aren’t getting mine.