14 DAY TRIAL // On July 16 2007, Microsoft announced that it was releasing the code for Windows Home Server to manufacturing. The product - formerly code-named Quattro and Q, and debuted as a project authored by Charlie Kindel, GM, Windows Home Server back in 1999 - had been finalized, and ever since mid July, the Redmond company promised to deliver a 120-day evaluation edition of Windows Home Server. Last month, Microsoft only indicated that the evaluation and the system builder's edition will ship almost concomitantly until the end of September. Half of that promise has already been dealt with, and Todd Headrick, the product planner for the Microsoft Windows Home Server revealed that the remaining details are coming your way.
"The System Builder version of Windows Home Server is already available in some countries, with additional countries expected to come online in the coming weeks. Additionally, a 120-day Evaluation Edition will be orderable from the Windows Home Server product pages for a cost recovery basis to cover shipping and handling in the next 4-6 weeks," Headrick stated.
Following the RTM date and in preparation for the general availability of Windows Home Server Microsoft has also discontinued the Code2Fame Challenge. Friday, August 25, 2007 was the last day when entries could be sent, and the Redmond company will no longer accept submissions beyond August 31. The Code2Fame Challenge was designed in order to catalyze the building of software and hardware add-ins for Windows Home Server. At this point in time, Microsoft only informed that August 27 was synonymous with the first day of Windows Home Server support for system builders. Additionally, the HP MediaSmart Server running Windows Home Server is scheduled for general availability on September 15.
"The Connect site has been updated so that beta participants can no longer download the Release Candidate (RC) version of the software. Beta testers will be able to continue to use the beta product keys they downloaded from the Connect site, but we will not be issuing any more product keys for the RC software," Headrick added. "In the future, the Windows Home Server team will continue to use the Connect site for interacting with the Windows Home Server community by releasing additional items that we want people to get an early look at. All of the suggestions submitted by the community will continue to exist, as we are busy digging through all of the great ideas as we start planning the next release of Windows Home Server."