Windows 7 Professional from Microsoft is the long-awaited successor to the ubiquitous Windows Vista operating system. Building upon Vista's impressive feature set, Windows 7 adds many features which simplify the way you use your PC, as well as the way that your PC connects to the world.The Professional edition of Windows 7 is designed to meet the needs of business and home use alike. It omits none of the features that are found in the Home Premium edition of the software. These include improved desktop navigation, improved speed, the Internet Explorer 8 web browser, Windows Media Center, and HomeGroup networking.Features gained by moving up to the Professional edition include Windows XP Mode, which allows you to run legacy applications in a true virtualization of Windows XP. You'll also be able to join Domains, which is often a requirement for connecting to corporate networks. Finally, the Professional edition adds the ability to backup your system to a home or business network. This version of the software is meant to be installed on 64-bit systems. An improved taskbar allows you to launch programs and switch between them when they're open. You can pin any program to the taskbar, making it just a click away. Rearrange icons via clicking and dragging, Icons are bigger than in previous versions, making them easier to identify. Hover over an icon and view thumbnails of every file or window that is currently open in that program; hover over the thumbnail and see a full-screen preview of that window. Move the cursor away, and the preview disappears.Jump Lists allow you to quickly reach files with which you've been working. Simply right-click an application icon to see which files it has recently opened.

You can even pin files to a Jump List, ensuring they always appear on it, allowing you to access frequently-used files with only a few clicks. Certain programs, including Windows Media Player, can pre-populate their Jump Lists with common tasks. You can play all of your music or resume the most recently played playlist via the Media Player Jump List. In Internet Explorer, frequently-visited and recently-visited websites will appear There are numerous Desktop enhancements present in Windows 7. Snaps allows you to quickly grab a window and pull it to either edge of your screen, automatically resizing the window to occupy half of your screen. You can also quickly view gadgets, or grab a file from your desktop. Move your mouse to the lower right corner of your desktop and all open Windows will become transparent. Need to hide all but one window? Grab the one you would like to keep at the top and shake it, all other windows will hide. Shake the window again, and they'll return. Windows Search has been improved since its introduction in Windows Vista. You'll be able to find files, e-mail messages, and applications via the search box, conveniently located at the bottom of the Start menu. Simply enter a word or a string of letters from the file name: you'll receive an organized list of results.