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Windows 7 will be available on new computers starting Oct. 22, according to Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT).
That date puts Microsoft ahead of the year-end retail season; however, it largely misses the annual back-to-school sales window.
Those who buy a Vista PC in the weeks preceding Oct. 22 may be eligible for a free upgrade to Windows 7 once it's available, but details of that program remain unclear.
Microsoft announced the final release date for its new operating system Wednesday, during a keynote address at Computex 2009 in Taipei, Taiwan. Microsoft also promised to deliver the Release to Manufacturing (RTM) code to partners in the second half of July, meaning computer makers will get a head start on installing the OS in their products and have them ready for sale by Oct. 22.
Windows Server 2008 R2 will be broadly available at the same time, according to Steve Guggenheimer, Microsoft's OEM division corporate vice president.
Code writers have made enough progress with beta responses to be confident about the new OS's quality and its ready date, he said. In addition, Microsoft will offer an upgrade option that allows computer makers to sell Vista-loaded computers before the release of Windows 7 and then upgrade those computers to the new OS when it's ready.
"The October release was not unexpected," Michael Silver, research vice president and distinguished analyst for Gartner (NYSE: IT), told TechNewsWorld. "With so many organizations planning to skip Vista, there will still be a huge amount to test, and even organizations that deployed Vista will need to test applications and wait for support. Most organizations will not have a choice but to deploy Windows 7, because they cannot stay on Windows XP forever. Microsoft support will end in early 2014, and independent software vendor support will end before that."
Better Beta
For now, it appears that Microsoft sidestepped many of the development problems that plagued the release of Windows Vista. The widespread availability of a free Windows 7 beta version likely helped Microsoft expedite the process.
Engineers received great feedback, Guggenheimer said in announcing the release date.
"This updated guidance is based on what we've heard from pre-beta to now from the partner ecosystem and customers and through our own internal testing," Microsoft spokesperson Brittany Robbins told TechNewsWorld.
Two New Features
Users will not find any new features slipped into the final release of Windows 7.
"We have been feature-complete since beta. At RC (release candidate), we turned on a couple of 'surprise' features as well," Robbins said.
One of those add-ons was a Windows XP mode, which was made available to enterprise users. It will facilitate the migration to Windows 7 for organizations that skipped the upgrade to Windows Vista out of concerns over compatibility with critical applications.
Another item added since the beta version of Windows 7 is Windows Media Streaming. This will enable Windows 7 users to access their media collections on other PCs and devices in the home, as well as on the road.
Upgrade Details Unclear
"Consumers can buy that new PC -- whether for a student heading off to college or just because they need a new one -- and know they'll get Windows 7 as part of the deal," said MIcrosoft's Guggenheimer during his keynote address.
However, for some consumers, the devil may still lurk in the details. New computer purchases made too far in advance of the Oct. 22 release date may not qualify for a free upgrade to Windows 7. The actual start date for the program has not yet been announced.
"Participation in the Windows 7 upgrade option is decided by the retailers and PC manufacturers," said Microsoft's Robbins. "There are costs associated with implementing the offers, so they may opt out of the program for certain models, particular timeframes or in specific markets. We encourage customers to work with their retailers and PC manufacturers to better understand availability."
Excitement or Yawns?
Anticipation for the release of Windows 7 may grow as the calendar gets closer to October, provided no last-minute delays stall the release. However, planning for the inevitable migration, especially in large enterprise settings, may continue to produce yawns from IT staff and workers.
"I've seen a decent amount of excitement, especially since Vista interest has been so disappointing. Press and bloggers seem to like Windows 7," observed Gartner's Silver.
However, enterprises will probably need at least 12 to 18 months before they will start deploying it, he noted. That, by itself, puts a damper on growing excitement.
"But my clients have shown a decent amount of interest," said Silver. "The reality for enterprises is that we are in a recession, and many are not spending much on this type of activity anyway -- but hopefully, the economy will be better by the time organizations will need to spend resources on this."
Small Version Coming
Perhaps the main thrust for consumer interest in upgrading to Windows 7 will come from buying a smaller, more economical netbook computer rather than a new desktop or larger notebook PC.
The economy appears to be facilitating growth in the netbook space, Microsoft's Guggenheimer pointed out. That's pushing buyers toward less-costly and more mobile hardware.
Several OEMs have announced plans to issue new, small notebook PCs and netbooks designed for the Windows 7 operating system, he noted.
Server Side
Windows Server 2008 R2 is intended to address businesses' needs in the fields of virtualization, Web and management, said Guggenheimer.
For smaller businesses, the recently released Windows Server 2008 Foundation will be offered preinstalled on hardware products from Acer, Dell (Nasdaq: DELL), Fujitsu, HP (NYSE: HPQ), Lenovo, IBM (NYSE: IBM) and NEC (Nasdaq: NIPNY) later this year, he said.
"We expect this new server platform to be popular in markets across
the globe, with its modest cost making it possible for small companies
to grow, innovate and stay competitive, which in turn can ignite
growth for their local economies," commented Guggenheimer.
