Windows 7 beta - shipping January 13?

Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Wednesday, 03 December 2008 14:38

Opinion and Analysis

This can be verified at the official Microsoft Developer Conference site.

ZDNet’s Ed Bott has an additional theory. He says that Steve Ballmer, who is now doing the pre-CES keynote that Bill Gates has done for years on the night before CES officially opens, will be primarily talking about Windows 7, and will “officially” unveil the beta to the world.

While the keynote takes place on January 7, meaning the beta could then be made available at any time between January 8th and January the 13th, the consensus seems to be that the 13th is the day.

Whether consumers will be able to download the beta from the 13th is yet to be announced, but if not then surely it would go live soon thereafter, with Microsoft’s servers set to receive a massive hammering.

Following the first beta, there’s supposed to be a release candidate, and then a final release.

While some expect Windows 7 to go “gold” in mid 2009, other reports say it will come in December, but if Microsoft leaves it too late, computer OEM manufacturers who supply comes to retail stores around the world won’t be able to sell their Christmas stock with Windows 7, and that’s a very bad thing.

We all saw how pointless it was to sell Vista in January, at a time when consumers are tapped out and not really interested in buying new computers, so you’d have to think Microsoft will be doing its utmost to get Windows 7 out the door on time, mid year, as bug-free as possible – and not the “official” release date of 2010.

Microsoft has stuck doggedly to its “official” release dates so it can’t be accused of overpromising and under delivering, with the obvious hope that Microsoft can, for once, under promise and over deliver.

Well, in my books, a 2010 delivery is not good enough. Windows 7 has to come in 2009, and early enough for OEMs to take advantage of it.

So far, the Windows 7 pre-beta bodes very, very well indeed for a mid 2009 release. Let’s hope nothing screws up the “unofficial” time frame, and Windows 7 is the success that Vista wasn’t.