14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has updated a collection of resources designed to let customers test drive free of charge a plethora of its technologies, including Windows 7.
Version 2.0 of the Proof of Concept Jumpstart Kit is now available on the Microsoft Download Center, although the Redmond company has yet to announce the refresh officially, or to provide details about the update itself.
At first glance, nothing much has changed from the previous iteration of the Proof of Concept Jumpstart Kit, meaning that the focus is still placed on Windows 7, Office Professional Plus 2010 and Internet Explorer 8.
Obviously, since the PoC Jumpstart Kit is a set of technologies designed for business users, the download also contains products such as Application Virtualization and the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack.
Customers interested in setting up a proof of concept within their organization will also find additional solutions packed into the kit, including: Windows Server 2008 Enterprise Edition, Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit (MAP), Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT), Microsoft Office Migration and Planning Manager (OMPM), Microsoft Office Environment Assessment Tool (OEAT), Microsoft Office Code Compatibility Inspector (OCCI), Microsoft Security Compliance Manager (SCM), Microsoft Deployment Toolkit, Visio Premium 2010, Project Professional 2010 and SQL Server 2008 R2 Evaluation Edition.
I’ve combed through the information available with the download, but failed to come across any details related to Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) or Internet Explorer 9.
It would make sense to me that a jump to version 2.0 for the Proof of Concept Jumpstart Kit would include the latest products offered by the software giant, including the Windows 7 SP1 upgrade and IE9.
Instead, as far as the successor of Windows Vista is concerned, the kit seems to still offer the free Windows 7 Enterprise 90-day Trial image which is also available for download via TechNet.
Since the subject already came up, maybe it’s also time for Microsoft to build an integrated Windows 7 Enterprise SP1 RTM 90-day Trial image and offer it to customers, perhaps even alongside the plain vanilla Windows 7 Enterprise 90-day Trial ISO.
Proof of Concept Jumpstart Kit v2.0 is available for download here.
Windows 7 SP1 RTM and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 RTM are available for download here.
Windows 7 RTM Enterprise 90-Day Evaluation is available for download here.