Windows 7 has some modifications to how you switch tasks.
In most ways, it works the same as it ever has, going back to Windows 3.1. Alt-tab still cycles through the windows you have open on your desk top. You can still go through the cycle in reverse by pressing shift-alt-tab.
You can still select tasks from the taskbar, although the taskbar looks quite different from previous versions.
There are changes in the way both methods work.
Windows Flip was added to Vista. This works with alt-tab to give you a thumbnail preview of each application as you cycle through the open windows on your desktop. Like Vista, you get a live preview of each application in the thumbnail. Although tiny, you can actually see the application in action.
This dynamic miniature helps you easily recognize the application you want to switch to. This is especially useful when you have many of the same application open, for example many browsers all pointing to different websites.
Windows 7 has improved on this system. You still get the live thumbnail previews. In addition, you get to see the whole application in full size on the screen. All other applications turn into transparent outlines. This is great when the thumbnail does not give you enough to recognize the correct application, and you can see the title bar for further identification.
This preview system has been extended to the taskbar.
When you hover the mouse pointer over an icon on the taskbar, you see a thumbnail for each instance of that application which is open.
You can then move the pointer to hover over any of these thumbnails and get a full-sized preview of the application window.
I really like what Microsoft has done with the application preview system.
The only disadvantage is that it is a heavy graphic resource user. This may reduce battery life for laptops. Other than that it is a nice innovation added to Windows 7.
Looking forward to your comments...
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