Microsoft Windows 7

File it away
There are also changes to how Windows 7 manages documents and files. In Windows XP or Vista most users would store documents in the My Documents folder, so that would be the first place to look for any file. In Windows 7, though, you'll find that it offers to look in the Documents Library instead. This, and the other libraries for Music, Pictures and Videos, don't relate to a single folder on the hard disk. Instead they allow you to view several folders, all holding the same kind of file, at once.

This makes a lot of sense if you have several storage devices, all full of music and documents – rather than having to check each one you can simply view their contents in one place. Even if you don't, using the libraries isn't any more complicated than a My Documents folder – and that folder is still on the disk should you prefer the old-fashioned method.

Changes have been made to the way Windows works with home networks, too. The new Homegroup tool makes it easier to share files between several computers, and it's easy to set up: you enter a short password-like code on each PC. This is a great idea but it's a shame there isn't a tool that allows Windows XP or Vista PCs to connect to a homegroup.

Microsoft has also responded to the complaints about Vista's User Account Control (UAC). Windows 7 is set so that it won't ask for confirmation when you make changes to settings, and you can choose from three other levels of security.

Seventh heaven?
Windows 7 is faster than Vista, runs more comfortably on slower computers, has an improved desktop, easier networking and a less annoying version of UAC. If you're buying a new computer you'll get Windows 7 as standard, but is it worth paying to upgrade an XP or Vista computer?

If you're using Vista, Windows 7 will make your computer faster, smarter and easier to use. The Home Premium version is supposed to sell for £150, but look online and you may be able to pay less than £70 – an annoying cost if you previously paid for a Vista upgrade, but otherwise reasonable.

If you skipped Vista and stuck with XP, this price is even better – but first be sure to check whether any old peripherals such as scanners and printers will work.