Sick of your copy of Windows Vista? Microsoft is releasing a near-finished version of Windows 7 on May 5th, available for download to the general public. Based on feedback from those who’ve tried earlier beta releases and from what has been shown so far, it looks like a good idea to chuck that poor excuse for an OS you’ve been tolerating on your laptop in favor of Windows 7 – people seem genuinely excited by it.
The free copy will not expire until June 1, 2010, giving users almost 13 months to try the OS. According to pundits, Microsoft is hoping that the move will erase some of the bad press they’ve incurred because of Vista as well as finally spur other folks (like me, yes I still have XP) to upgrade.
Microsoft is eyeing January 2010 as the official release date for the finished product, although most people are hinting that Windows 7 is so close to the finish line that a fourth-quarter availability seems more likely. Personally, I just want to know how much the thing will cost – I’ll stick to XP if it’s too expensive (which is likely, since the Redmond guys will undoubtedly try to recoup poor Vista sales).
Those who installed earlier beta versions are advised to start Windows 7 from scratch, although I doubt many will. Microsoft does offer a workaround, which involves just updating one system file, before running the upgrade. From what I’ve seen of Windows 7, it looks like a real solid implementation. I, personally, can’t wait to get my hands on it.
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