If you're one of the millions of people who use Windows Vista, your very first reaction to Windows 7 may be somewhat mixed. After all, the obvious, up-front user experiences in Windows 7 appear to be simply carried over from its predecessor. But it doesn't take long to notice the differences. Windows 7 installs more quickly than does Vista, and with less effort. It boots up and resumes from sleep and hibernation more quickly. It features major UI innovations in its new taskbar, Jump Lists, and virtualized Libraries. It provides the native ability to interact with the entire system using multi-touch and gesture functionality, the first desktop OS to do so.

Dig a little deeper, and more and more new features become apparent. Microsoft went over virtually the entire Windows OS, fine-tuned every single feature to be simpler, easier, and more efficient, and then made sure it was all as attractive and usable as possible. People have deridingly called Windows 7 "Windows Vista done right," and while there's some truth to that, a better way to look at it is this: Microsoft took the solid foundation it created with Windows Vista and tweaked, prodded, and improved every inch of the damn thing. And what they came up with was Windows 7, the sexiest version of Windows ever created.