14 DAY TRIAL // With Windows 7 available as a public download since January 10, 2009, Microsoft has now moved onward into the Release Candidate-branch of the operating system. Revealing that it is receiving feedback from millions of copies of Windows 7 installed worldwide, the Redmond company said that the next development milestone of the operating system would in fact be extremely close to the gold version that Microsoft would release to consumers. Following Beta Build 7000, the software giant will make available Windows 7 Release Candidate (RC).
“This release will be Windows 7 as we intend to ship it,” revealed Steven Sinofsky, senior vice president, Windows and Windows Live Engineering Group. “We will continue to listen to feedback and telemetry with the focus on addressing only the most critical issues that arise. We will be very clear in communicating any changes that have a visible impact on the product. This release allows the whole ecosystem to reach a known state together and make sure that we are all ready together for the Release to Manufacturing. Once we get to RC, the whole ecosystem is in “dress rehearsal” mode for the next steps.”
Users will still be able to download Windows 7 Beta Build 7000 until February 10, 2009, with Microsoft having promised to discontinue downloads only on February 12. The first, and only, Beta of Windows 7 came after three development milestones and a pre-Beta build aimed at developers. “The pre-beta – This at the PDC introduced the developer community to Windows 7 and represents the platform complete release and disclosure of the features,” Sinofsky explained.
The Windows boss indicated that a couple of million testers now have the opportunity to test drive the feature complete Windows 7 and to offer telemetry and feedback to Microsoft. Initially, the software giant was considering pulling down Windows 7 downloads after the first 2.5 million testers grabbed the Beta bits. Sinofsky indicated that the Beta is necessary to “validate the quality, reliability, compatibility, and experience of Windows 7. We are working with our partners across the ecosystem to make sure that testing and validation and development of Windows 7-based products begins to enter final phases as we move through the Beta.”
Microsoft has not only debuted work on Windows 7 Release Candidate, but has also offered the build to its close partners for testing. Details of Windows 7 RC Build 7025 have already been leaked in the wild. But just the details so far, as the bits failed to follow.
“Release to Manufacturing (RTM) – This release is the final Windows 7 as we intend to make available to PC makers and for retail and volume license products. General Availability (GA) – This is a business milestone and represents when you can buy Windows 7 pre-installed on PCs or as full packaged product,” Sinofsky added.
The big question for the Windows 7 development process is indeed related to the operating system's availability. With the Beta release, Windows 7 is feature complete, so in this respect there are no more surprises waiting for end users. Microsoft continues to be hesitant to point to 2009 as the deadline for the delivery of Windows 7, sticking to an official scenario in which the operating system would be made available in 2010. However, fact is that the release of Windows 7 will be based on the quality standard alone, and judging from the Beta users will not have to wait until next year.
“The obvious question is that we know the Pre-Beta was October 28, 2008, and the Beta was January 7th, so when is the Release Candidate and RTM? The answer is forthcoming,” Sinofsky promised. “We are currently evaluating the feedback and telemetry and working to develop a robust schedule that gets us the right level of quality in a predictable manner. Believe me, we know many people want to know more specifics. We’re on a good path and we’re making progress. We are taking a quality-based approach to completing the product and won’t be driven by imposed deadlines. We have internal metrics and milestones and our partners continue to get builds routinely so even when we reach RC, we are doing so together as partners. And it relies, rather significantly, on all of you testing the Beta and our partners who are helping us get to the finish line together.”
Windows 7 Beta is available for download here.
Product keys to activate Windows 7 Beta are available here.