Windows 7 will be made available by the end of this year. Furthermore, the next iteration of the Windows client will have a general availability deadline that will precede the 2009 holiday season, Microsoft has officially confirmed. While on stage at the Microsoft Tech•Ed North America 2009, Bill Veghte, senior vice president of the Windows Business at the Redmond company, made it clear that the software giant managed to underpromise and overdeliver with Windows 7. While the official GA deadline for Windows 7 was three years after the GA of Windows Vista (no later than the end of January 2010), fact is that the operating system will make it to markets around the world in time for the shopping rush associated with this year's holiday season.

“If you're waiting for Windows 7, holiday broad availability, that's what we're tracking for. Obviously, quality is job number one, and we will hold if we think we have quality issues. But we're tracking very, very well to holiday,” Veghte explained.

On May 5th, 2009, Microsoft made available for public download the Release Candidate of Windows 7, Build 7100. The next stage in the development of Windows 7 is RTM. The software giant has yet to pinpoint the exact date when it plans to release Windows 7 to manufacturing, but tradition indicates that the wait period is from three to five months following the RC build. Still, one thing is clear. Customers will be able to buy Windows 7, both in retail boxes and preloaded on new computers, well ahead of the end of 2009.

“Microsoft is committed to ensuring that IT professionals and developers continue to have the platform and technologies to drive maximum value and business results. Getting the most out of IT investments is even more important in today’s economy,” Veghte added. “With early RC testing and extensive partner feedback we’ve received, Windows 7 is tracking well for holiday availability.”

32-bit and 64-bit Windows 7 (Release Candidate) RC Build 7100.0.090421-1700 is available for download here.