Improving OS usability

Start with the packaging.

Here’s a bit of good news for anyone who struggled with the cruel puzzle that was the Windows Vista retail packaging. Microsoft today released details and pictures of the upcoming Windows 7 packaging, promising a much more simple and streamlined experience.

“We’ve reduced the number of elements in the package down to three: the plastic case, the paper sleeve, and a simple Getting Started Guide,” writes Microsoft’s Brandon LeBlanc on the Windows 7 team blog. “The plastic case opens easily like a standard DVD case and it will have a single easy-to-remove seal at the top — and that’s it!”