Windows 7 has already revealed a number of exciting, new features. "

Jump lists

" make the

Windows taskbar

even more useful by giving it added functionality. Now you can jump to the things you like best quickly, with just two clicks.

Windows Vista has its share of problems. One of the biggest annoyances for users turned out to be the

User Account Control (UAC)

which harassed users with permission dialog boxes every time they tried to make a system change. Microsoft shows it's been listening and in Windows 7 RC1 you can

change the UAC settings

for the way you work.

In the past you may have been annoyed by Windows always giving you messages about one thing or another. Notices about Windows Updates, messages about virus protection, warnings about the firewall and the like. Now, in Windows 7 RC 1, you can take control of User Account Control (UAC) or even turn UAC off entirely.

You may have installed Windows 7 RC1 on one of your computers. You may have put it on one of your laptops. It's also possible that you've created a few Windows 7 RC1 virtual machines. At the same time you probably have a machine on your network that's running XP. Here's how you can easily

share printers

between all of them.

You may have installed

Windows 7 RC1

on one of your computers. You may have put it on one of your laptops. It's also possible that you've created a few

Windows 7 RC1 virtual machines

. At the same time you probably have a machine on your network that's running XP. Here's how you can easily

share files

between all of them.

Have a lot of music on your home or home office computer? Too bad you can't easily listen to it on other computers in the house. Well, with

Windows 7

you will be able to.

Windows 7

has some pretty handy media streaming functions built right in. Here's how to use them.

The taskbar has received a number of improvements in Windows 7 RC1. One old standard that's missing, however, is the QuickLaunch toolbar. Not to worry. You now have the ability to "pin" icons to the taskbar. This gives you the ability to create your own quick launch section on the taskbar.

With all the cool changes in Windows 7, a few things have disappeared and a few things have been moved. If your desktop is crowded with Windows and you want to see it, you may miss the Show Desktop shortcut. It still exists, but in a different form and you have to look in a new place to find it.

Most power users and IT professionals tend to use keyboard shortcuts whenever possible. Why? Because it makes them more efficient. If you don't have to move your fingers off the keyboard to grab the mouse you can work faster and more efficiently. Windows 7 RC1 is loaded with lots of keyboard shortcuts to make work easier.

One fairly dramatic change in Windows 7 RC1 is the new taskbar. It has some new features, it's lost some old features, and overall it's greatly improved. One of these improvements is "hot colors." Hot colors let you know what's going on with program icons sitting in the taskbar.

The beta release of Windows 7 drew a lot of attention from all different types of media. So, it's nots urprising that the news of Release Candidate 1, a major step between the previous beta version of Windows 7 and the finished product, should cause a lot more excitement. This download is available now through at least June, 2009.