Despite speculation and forecasts that Microsoft was going to adopt a new strategy for Windows development as far as future releases go, with a strong focus placed on modularization, the company promised that Windows Vista would not be the last of its kind. Windows 7, the next monolithic iteration of the Windows client, is already available to Microsoft's closest partners for testing as a Milestone 1 release, with M2 up next. But, at the same time, the first public demonstration of Windows 7 is just around the corner.

From May 27 to 29, the Four Seasons Resort Aviara in Carlsbad, California will act as the stage for the sixth edition of Wall Street Journal's D - All things Digital Conference. According to Long Zheng, D6 will feature a showcasing of Windows 7, the first of its kind. Microsoft has not confirmed any details officially about Windows 7's first public appearance behind the translucent barricade set in place by Steven Sinofsky, Senior Vice President, Windows and Windows Live Engineering Group.

Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates and Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer will take the stage at D6, delivering the keynote address together. "There will be a special joint appearance by Microsoft chairman Bill Gates and CEO Steve Ballmer, who will share the stage for an in-depth interview just weeks before Mr. Gates steps down from his day-to-day role at the company. And that's just the beginning," the organizers of D6 promised.

Gates did point out in the past that Windows 7 would drop as early as 2009, and not in 2010, which is the year officially indicated by Microsoft for the availability of Vista's successor. Windows 7 is currently in development, the Redmond company moving ahead with pre-Beta milestone releases. It is unclear at this point in time whether D6 will feature the presentation of a new build of Windows 7 or Microsoft will deliver merely a taste of the operating system such as a demonstration of the technologies and features included in the next version of the Windows client.