Windows 7 is alive and kicking, and despite the fact that Microsoft has gagged the details about the next iteration of Windows almost to perfection, details managed to slip through the Redmond giant's fingers. The initial Windows 7 Milestone 1 build was dropped at the end of 2007, and in early
January 2008, only to close partners of the company. But the development of Windows 7 has moved along since version 6.1 Build 6519.1.x86.fre.winmain.071220-1525. From build 6519.1, Microsoft went up all the way to Version 6.1 Build 6574.1, reportedly made available in March 2008.
But even with the development milestone label of 6.1.6574.1, Windows 7 is still at the Milestone 1 stage as ThinkNext revealed. With this release, the Redmond company has tweaked the installation process of the operating system only superficially, but now the License Agreement references Windows 7 instead of Windows Vista. The next version of Windows still features the same kernel as Vista, the move to MinWin has yet to take place, and even the same editions, namely the Windows 7 Business, HomeBasic, HomePremium, Ultimate, HomeBasic N, Business N and Starter SKUs.
The new Windows 7 installer no longer requires the introduction of a product key until the finalization of the installation process, and after the initial setup, and even at that time, the phase can be skipped entirely, permitting users to run the operating system as a trial. Windows 7 also creates a hidden 500.0 MB partition which is not accessible via Windows Explorer, and is dedicated to management purposes.
Windows 7 M1 Build 6.1.6574.1 features a touched-up graphical user interface. Windows Explorer comes with two new buttons, one for Views and the other for switching the preview panel on or off. The March 2008 edition of Windows 7 M1 brings to the table the Health Center, complete with mouse over reactions. Windows 7 M1 Build 6.1.6574.1 also permits end users to temporarily disable the User Account Control in scenarios where the UAC requires multiple confirmations.
What's that annoying thing about indexing that keeps coming up in the Windows Explorer search? With so many people working on it they can't manage to make a good, non-annoying OS in a reasonable amount of time? Vista was just a beta of 7... that's why they still sell XP.
Comment #2.1 by: Panda X on 10 Jun 2008, 22:02 GMT
That's quite the dumbest thing I've heard. Vista is a normal OS as is XP. When XP first came out they still sold 2000 and ME. Does that make Windows XP a beta? No. Your logic is skewed.
Josh is right... there's no evidence to support the article's statement "Windows still features the same kernel as Vista, the move to MinWin has yet to take place".
What do you mean by "same kernel"? Well yes it's still the NT kernel, as all versions of NT have been. It's 6.1 (as is the whole OS), not 6.0 as Vista is, so it's false to say it's the "same kernel" as Vista, even if the 6.0 -> 6.1 changes are minor.
Regarding MinWin, my bet is that MinWin is already there. :)
Csybe: no, Vista SP1 is not 6.1, but only 6.0 build 6001, so hoopskier is right Windows 7 M1 use new version of kernel.
Comment #6.1 by: Rusty1983 on 11 Jun 2008, 23:37 GMT
Just to say i'v tried it, And weather it uses the same kernal as vista or not doesn't really make a difference at this stage, All previous OS's have especialy in BETA stages chopped and changed there core settings, at this early stage Windows7 (VIENNA) looks and feels like vista at RC1 stages, however this will (hopefully) change, as i am very excited about this new relese, although i have tested it on a pretty good pc and it seems to run ok, there is still ALOT of work to be put into it.....Very eager to try the RC1 next year.... at these very early stages it looks like it could be a nice OS