14 DAY TRIAL // RTM+2 days, August 6, August 7, August 16, August 23, September 1, and October 22, 2009 – Microsoft made public the key dates associated with the general availability of Windows 7. Far from having a single release deadline for the next iteration of the Windows client, Microsoft will spread the GA throughout the upcoming three months, delivering the gold version of the operating system to various audiences, a process culminating on the previously announced October 22, when the platform will be officially launched for the public. The first to get the finalized Windows 7 will be the Redmond company's original equipment manufacturing partners.
1. Two days after Windows 7 will be released to manufacturing: “OEMs will receive Windows 7 RTM software images beginning approximately 2 days after we officially RTM, as a little time is required to release and distribute these images. This will allow them to begin preparing images for new PCs to ship with Windows 7 on them. We know our OEMs are excited for Windows 7 and we can’t wait to hand them the final RTM bits,” revealed Brandon LeBlanc, Windows communications manager on the Windows Client Communications Team.
2. August 6th: Come August 6th, Microsoft will allow ISV (Independent software vendor) and IHV (Independent hardware vendor) Partners to download Windows 7 RTM from Microsoft Connect or MSDN. “If you are a partner who has been working on Windows 7 for a while, now is the time to complete your testing with final version of Windows 7. For partners that haven’t gotten started yet with Windows 7, now is the time to get involved,” LeBlanc noted.
3. Also on August 6th: Along with ISVs and IHVs, Microsoft will open up Windows 7 RTM to its communities of developers and IT professionals. In this context the gold bits of Windows 7 will be offered to subscribers of MSDN and TechNet. “IT Professionals with TechNet Subscriptions will be able to download Windows 7 RTM in English on August 6th and remaining languages by October 1st,” LeBlanc stated. “Developers with MSDN Subscriptions will be able to download Windows 7 RTM in English on August 6th and remaining languages by October 1st.”
4. August 7th: Next in line to get Windows 7 RTM will be Microsoft Volume License (VL) customers that have a Software Assurance (SA) license agreement. The availability date for businesses via SA with VL will be August 7th for the English version of the OS through the Volume License Service Center (VLSC). “The rest of the languages for Windows 7 RTM should be available within a couple of weeks after that,” LeBlanc stated.
5. August 16th: Microsoft will move next to serve Windows 7 RTM to all Partner Program Gold/Certified Members. The English version of Windows 7 RTM will go live on the Microsoft Partner Network (MPN) Portal on August 16th. The software giant promised that by October 1st all remaining languages would also be made available for download.
6. August 23rd: “Microsoft Action Pack Subscribers will be about to download Windows 7 RTM in English starting August 23rd. By October 1st, the remaining languages will become available to download,” LeBlanc revealed.
7. September 1st: The Redmond company will offer Volume License customers without a Software Assurance license the gold edition of Windows 7 through Volume Licensing on September 1st.
8. October 22nd: “Windows 7 will be in retail stores and shipping on new PCs starting October 22nd. If you pre-ordered Windows 7, it should be delivered sometime around the October 22nd timeframe (depends on the retailer),” LeBlanc concluded.