Apple makes subtle under-the-hood fixes and refinements in Snow Leopard, while, Windows 7 is developed on Vista’s foundation. Surely, we'll have plenty to say about how Microsoft’s odd number and Apple’s next feline predator stack up against one another.
• Preview Capabilities Windows 7 uses an optional preview pane that can be used in any Explorer window. Choose a file, and the preview will show up in the preview pane. When compared to the preview feature found in Snow Leopard, Windows 7’s preview capability seems pretty basic (simple texts with no formatting for example), but of course it’s better than nothing. Also, just like Vista, folder icons in Windows 7 allow you to get a peek at the contents of the folder.
• Smart Folders Nothing in Snow Leopard directly comparable with Windows' libraries. Smart Folders is the closest OS X equivalent with its search saving capability; however a saved search gathers files based on certain search criteria, instead of location. You can’t, for example, make a smart folder that has all of the songs from two particular folders. Of course, Windows 7 also has a smart folder feature.<br>
• Big Icons Both Windows 7 and Snow Leopard allow large icons. Windows 7 may use up to 256 X 256 pixels. While, Snow Leopard one-ups Windows 7 with its capability to display the seemingly absurd 512 X 512 pixels icons (the Finder can't use it outside the Cover Flow and Quick Look views).;
• Files Management Windows 7’s Explorer and Snow Leopard’s Finder have strikingly comparable interfaces, with quick search fields in the path bars, upper-right corner, and sidebars that allow easy access to various typical locations on your machine. The most practical aspect of Aero Peek is the desktop peek feature. If you prefer to take a quick look on the desktop without minimizing all of your windows, just move your mouse pointer on the lower-right corner of your taskbar; at once, every window will turn transparent. You can click the lower-right corner of your taskbar to simultaneously hide all open windows and give you a clean desktop; click again it to get back to your work. This option is pretty much comparable to the Show Desktop capability in OS X's Exposé, which displaces all windows off the screen with a single keystroke (or if you've set a hot-corner for Exposé, you can do that with a click of the mouse).
Both Snow Leopard and Windows 7 are solid updates to their respective OSs, but there is no guarantee that either one will sway many users of the competing operating system to cross to the other side. If you are a Mac user and never consider switching to Windows, Windows 7 is likely won’t change your mind. Likewise, if you are perfectly happy with Windows XP or Vista, Snow Leopard probably won't make you sell your PC.
Related Items:
