Windows 7 dishes out bold backgrounds

As Microsoft rolls out free downloads of its Windows 7 Release Candidate, photographers and artists are taking this opportunity to dish out some creative desktop backgrounds to try out with the new operating system.

"We are unveiling some new personalization content (wallpapers, glass colors and sounds schemes) in the RC build which allows people greater flexibility to personalize their experience," Windows product design team members Denise Trabona and Samuel Moreau said in a blog.

The design team said they chose the backgrounds not just based on how good it looked, but on how well "the image flowed under the new task bar and striking the right balance between visually compelling, and not too distracting when it came to finding that important file on your desktop."