Windows 7 marks the second full-on release of Windows that I have never used. Ask me to help you with your post-Windows-XP computer, and I will perform elaborate magic tricks:

via XKCD

Fortunately, those antics can solve just about any computer problem nowadays. As long as I can find the right menu or control panel option, we’re all set.

I knew Windows XP intimately; I could change networking settings or customize anything without skipping a beat. But I switched to the Mac never having used Vista.

Now, it only looks like I know what I’m doing in Windows because I click through each option very quickly. I haven’t the slightest idea how to change your display resolution, but if I don’t see it in one control panel, I’ll jump to the next one before it even finishes loading.

Ah, now you know my secret.

I was a little put off with the realization that I no longer know what features Windows supports, what applications and utilities are most useful on Windows, and I haven’t any idea how to use the latest version of the Office suite. Windows was all I knew, frankly; we were together since Windows 3.1. But I’ve moved on.

All is not lost, though: For most people, Windows is irrelevant. Their browser matters. Then again, they don’t care about their browser either. But I know browsers. I can whip out an installation of Chrome faster than Windows boots.

These days, browsers and I hang out an awful lot. I think we have a bright future together. So long, Windows.