Windows 7 - Alpha/Beta/RC | The Coffeehouse

nosajis

If one looks around on the internet there are several articles mentioning an interview with Bill Gates in which he supposedly mentions Windows 7 out this year. (Note: Was he saying within a year from his mentioning it, or was he saying this year in '08?).

How can this be? Are there any plans for a Beta or CTP? I mean, it is not the "new year" anymore. We're nearing the half way point. I don't it just doesn't seem like there is nearly as much "Hey look what's coming and try it out" with Windows 7. And that scares me. They had a lot of prerelease stuff out for Vista and a lot of people still heap the dung pretty high on it. How's "Seven" going to do?

So anyway, I'm not trying to start another flame war. Some of our customers are talking now about waiting until Windows 7 and skipping Vista and we're getting asked whether or not there is any preview available since it will be "released this year, right? RIGHT?"

CannotResolveSymbol
{insert caption here}

I'd expect a beta or something to be announced during or around PDC this year (27-30 October 2008). Microsoft only holds PDC in years where they've got something new to talk about: this year, "something new" could only be Windows 7 (the last PDC was held in 2005 to promote Longhorn and the new Longhorn technologies which became WPF, WCF, WWF, etc.).

IMO, there's not a chance there'll be a final release this year, unless they've got an extensive private beta program already going and they've managed to successfully enforce their NDA (which simply won't happen).

Sven Groot
My name has 9 letters. Coincidence? I think not...

I've heard 2009 for Windows 7. Then again, I've also heard that Windows NT5 would be released in early 1997 and Longhorn would be released in 2003.

PaoloM
Hypermediocrity

From what I understood, he meant "within a year from now (date of the interview)".

Yes, we're keeping Windows 7 on a shorter leash than what we did for Vista. I can guarantee you that I can't wait to start talking about it, but there's a "controlled disclosure plan" (and I agree with the reasons of it being there) so we all have to wait a bit more.

If your customers want to wait for Windows 7 (are there specific reasons why they're skipping Vista?), you just have to tell them to wait until we announce an official release date, until then the only things I can tell you are:

We are working on a new version of Windows, codenamed "Windows 7"
It will be available in 32 and 64 bit versions
Development is scoped to three years from Vista's GA (general availability date)
It is currently in the planning stage.

Smiley

BHpaddock

Paolo just loves repeating the four things we're allowed to say Smiley

PaoloM
Hypermediocrity

BHpaddock wrote:

Paolo just loves repeating the four things we're allowed to say

I have them stored on a txt on my desktop. It's just a copy/paste away... Smiley

Ramble

Three years puts it at Jan 2009 - yet it's only in the planning stage now?

Either this release will be boring and will bring nothing of much worth or the date is going to slip.

Bas
It finds lightbulbs.

I personally doubt we'd see a beta at PDC, but I'm expecting the first official information about it to be disclosed there. Let's hope they stick to their "we only talk about what we can actually ship" intentions, because that would mean we can get genuinely excited about whatever is shown, rather than awe at what turns out to be a mockup video.

Amiga forever!
Turrican II

My guess is end of 2009... I also am guessing that windows7 will actually be something very cool. A lot more WPF involved in it I guess Big Smile

Dovella
Go Microsoft !!!!!!!

i'm very very Happy for Windows 7 3 year distance from Vista .
But Vista it's great s.o. underestimated Sad

Dovella
Go Microsoft !!!!!!!

I can not imagine how it could be minimally Windows 7.
when we have seen for years videos of Longhorn was much easier to imagine the appearance of Vista

CKurt
while( ( !succeed=try() ) ) { }

Dovella wrote:

I can not imagine how it could be minimally Windows 7.
when we have seen for years videos of Longhorn was much easier to imagine the appearance of Vista

I just hate to see that and see al the cool things missing in vista (If only the cool 3D login window)

Sad

Dovella
Go Microsoft !!!!!!!

DukeNukem wrote:

Dovella wrote:
I can not imagine how it could be minimally Windows 7.
when we have seen for years videos of Longhorn was much easier to imagine the appearance of Vista

I just hate to see that and see al the cool things missing in vista (If only the cool 3D login window)

i see this video 51 bilion times Big Smile

i Love this

and this calendar zoom like Seadragon

CKurt
while( ( !succeed=try() ) ) { }

I love this :

Esspecially the animation of the block rotating

Dovella
Go Microsoft !!!!!!!

Yes Big Smile it's very cooooooll!!!!!

Listen Evangelist!!!!!!!!! Wink

mVPstar
I'm white because I smelt an onion.

PaoloM wrote:
snip

What's your take on bribes? [6]

PaoloM
Hypermediocrity

Ramble wrote:

Three years puts it at Jan 2009 - yet it's only in the planning stage now?

Please define "planning stage" Smiley

PaoloM
Hypermediocrity

mVPstar wrote:

PaoloM wrote: snip

What's your take on bribes?

There's that Rolex Submariner Sea-dweller all steel with the black dial...

I used to have one, but I sold it to finance my first startup. I'd like a new one Smiley

Dovella
Go Microsoft !!!!!!!

I love Daytona

esoteric
λ

Maybe a more modular system with more virtualization. Better scheduling for real-time media etc.

atehrani

Or how about an OS that does not need a quad-core and 4gigs of RAM to run decent?

With virtualization the way it's going, Windows 7 is becoming more meaningless IMO. I hope Microsoft understands this...

If only WoW released their native Linux client

GoddersUK
I CAN has cheezburger and you CAN'T has stop me!

Ramble wrote:
Three years puts it at Jan 2009 - yet it's only in the planning stage now?

I think it's a new meaning of the word planning as they've released the M1 milestone. That would certainly fit with Paolo's comment above Wink

GoddersUK
I CAN has cheezburger and you CAN'T has stop me!

atehrani wrote:
If only WoW released their native Linux client

If that's all you live for then you probably deserve linux [6]

Tongue Out

Dovella
Go Microsoft !!!!!!!

atehrani wrote:
Or how about an OS that does not need a quad-core and 4gigs of RAM to run decent?

With virtualization the way it's going, Windows 7 is becoming more meaningless IMO. I hope Microsoft understands this...

If only WoW released their native Linux client

no no we wont 12 gigs Ram min. Req. ed 14 Nehalem

problem ??

ZippyV
Fired Up

PaoloM wrote:
It will be available in 32 and 64 bit versions

Why 32-bit? I can understand a light weight 32-bit client for certain devices but if the system requirements are going to be the same as Vista's then I don't see a reason to release a 32-bit version.