The built-in PREVIEW feature of Windows 7 is, indubitably, a powerful, useful and soon addictive feature, particularly so if you have a few thousand documents on your PC.

Yes, you can do without it, but it kind of grows on you.

But there is a problem. That is why I am bring it up here, as it is so symptomatic of the issues ‘power users’ will have with Windows 7.

Microsoft just did NOT go that one additional step needed to make many of these features outright winners.

Here is the problem with having PREVIEW.

To provide the Preview, Windows 7, given that it is still unable to violate the fundamental laws of physics, has to open the document — using the ‘default’ application, e.g., Word, if it is a Word document.

So now you are in a folder, BUT the document you selected is OPEN.

I, more than most, RENAME documents. It is one of my multi-level, paranoia-fueled, means of version control.

With PREVIEW ON, Windows 7 still gives me the option to RENAME. So I go ahead and rename.

THEN it tells me, it can’t do the rename BECAUSE the document is open!

Come ON. This is 2009. Yes, I agree, that YOU can’t and shouldn’t rename an OPEN document.

But here are three options that anybody who has gone through IT 101 will be able to come up with:

  1. Gray out the RENAME option, if PREVIEW is on, thus precluding renaming of that document.
  2. When you click RENAME, with Preview on, DISPLAY a warning saying you must close Preview you can rename.

     

  3. Permit YOU to rename, BUT then display a message saying RENAME will only occur when you exit Preview … and that you should check that the rename occurred.

This is basic stuff. That is my GRIPE. This is why the Mac camp is still so gung-ho about what they have.

Hope this helps. Cheers.

Anura Guruge
www.guruge.com