Originally posted on the Technet forums:
Recently I took Linux Mint for a test drive and one of the most satisfying features I encountered while using it was this; When inserting a media device or CD it would simply place a icon/shortcut on the desktop and you could access it there rather, than the methods Windows requires like navigating to the device via My Computer or using Autoplay.
My question is simple: Is there any way to enable a feature similar to this in Windows 7 and if not, will Microsoft ever change Windows Autoplay method?
I think I speak for most users when I say Autoplay is intrusive and annoying rather than functional. Sure it works, like if you know you are going to browse the device or watch a movie you can select the appropriate option, but what if you close the dialog box? Then what? You are stuck with navigating to your media; which isn't hard at all, but it is just one more step and one more inconvenience. I would much rather settle with a feature for this situation like the one Linux or even OSX incorporates.
I've been using Win7 since its initial Beta release and am 99% satisfied with nearly all of its features and changes, but when I saw how Linux had taken a extremely simple and elegant approach to managing devices, it really made me feel....well, cheated. Ease of access is the most important feature I require in a OS, and Windows 7 has fallen short in my eyes of achieving that. I will mention again though, I am still 99% satisfied with the product and look forward to its official release.
Recently I took Linux Mint for a test drive and one of the most satisfying features I encountered while using it was this; When inserting a media device or CD it would simply place a icon/shortcut on the desktop and you could access it there rather, than the methods Windows requires like navigating to the device via My Computer or using Autoplay.
My question is simple: Is there any way to enable a feature similar to this in Windows 7 and if not, will Microsoft ever change Windows Autoplay method?
I think I speak for most users when I say Autoplay is intrusive and annoying rather than functional. Sure it works, like if you know you are going to browse the device or watch a movie you can select the appropriate option, but what if you close the dialog box? Then what? You are stuck with navigating to your media; which isn't hard at all, but it is just one more step and one more inconvenience. I would much rather settle with a feature for this situation like the one Linux or even OSX incorporates.
I've been using Win7 since its initial Beta release and am 99% satisfied with nearly all of its features and changes, but when I saw how Linux had taken a extremely simple and elegant approach to managing devices, it really made me feel....well, cheated. Ease of access is the most important feature I require in a OS, and Windows 7 has fallen short in my eyes of achieving that. I will mention again though, I am still 99% satisfied with the product and look forward to its official release.
