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Redmond (WA) – No more rumors about Vista SE: Windows 7 is all about simplicity and that’s why Windows 7 will simply be called Windows, Microsoft announced today.
Mike Nash, corporate vice president for Windows product management at Microsoft, had the honor of announcing the official name of the new client Windows: Windows 7. Nash noted that he was excited to show a new product “to the world for the first time” and that he is “very excited about the opportunity to tell [people] more about Windows 7 in the coming weeks.” But clearly there is not much excitement in the name of the new Windows.
According to Nash, the name “Windows 7” is simple: The company decided against a date in the name (such as “Windows 2008”) since the company does not ship a new Windows every year and it decided against an “aspirational” name (such as “XP” or “Vista”) since it is not really an entirely new release, but just an enhancement over Vista. “Simply put, this is the seventh release of Windows, so therefore "Windows 7" just makes sense,” Nash said.
Ok, we get it. But does it have to be that boring? Is it just us or is this the most boring Windows name since Windows 3.11? Perhaps all of Microsoft’s creativity got stuck in the current $300 million Windows marketing campaign? If it is simplicity that Microsoft wants to express, “Vista SE” or “Vista Enhanced” would have made more sense. But judging by the speed Microsoft is developing Windows 7 and considering the new name it seems that Microsoft intends to close the Vista chapter as quickly as possible.
We are sure that Microsoft will have no problems to sell the new name, but even for a transitional product that Windows 7 seems to be, the name is a bit out of place and not consistent with anything Microsoft chose for Windows in the past. Nash noted that “While I know there have been a few cases at Microsoft when the codename of a product was used for the final release, I am pretty sure that this is a first for Windows.”
Microsoft will provide a first glimpse at Windows 7 at the upcoming PDC 2008 event, at which the company will be handing out pre-beta releases of the software. Windows 7 was originally scheduled to be released in 2010, but apparently has been pulled into H2 2009. According to our sources, Windows 7 will be available in time for the 2009 Christmas season.
We previously learned that Windows 7 will be based on the kernel of the Windows Server 2008 kernel, which is an evolution of the Windows Vista kernel. Windows 7 will also keep Vista’s driver model. PDC 2008 will have a strong focus on the new operating system: The majority of Windows 7 sessions will discuss graphics topics, performance and energy efficiency as well as communication services.
What an original name. Maybe they should have called it doorway and put their foot in it....
Oh well windows 7, Vista SE, 2008 client, all the same thing. Why they keep releasing new versions instead of perfecting current ones and issuing upgrade packs so those that want them can pay for improvements and others just stay as is I really dont know.
I guess with me about to start playing with 2008 server I will have to try it out but I still think vista is a really nice O/S even though loads of people hate it.
I really do like Vista even if they do keep nerfing the network capabilities every time they update it ( no hyperterminal in original, no GPMC in Service pack 1....) It installs amazingly fast for its size and is incredibly stable along with being really cool ( I even like ultimate even though they haven't developed much in the way of extras).
I think where they went wrong is the number of different versions they released. They should have stuck to home, business and had ultimate as an extra like they did with windows 95 with windows + (think that was its name).
I don't understand why they never listen to their customers,
and release niche versions of Windows, like Windows for Games, Windows for business,
Windows for media, etc etc
and just keep releasing service pack style updates / improvements/addons when new tech
emerges.
I still think vista is a really nice O/S even though loads of people hate it.
You know who hates it? Pikeys and people with pikey computers. It should say on the box not to bother if you are using a shitty old pc or basically any laptop. But it is really good on a good machine. Once you get the hang of it.
I wonder if Windows 7 might not need such a strong pc to run it when it comes out, because they must have learned the lesson from Vista. People will clamour over a new OS even if their hardware isn't quite up to the job and then poison the well by telling everyone it's slow etc.
By the way if anyone reading this has a crappy old pc, don't feel like I am calling you a pikey, unless you actually are one. You may just be smart with money and have IT skills. XP is a perfectly fine OS and a Vista capable pc really isn't worth it if you are on a budget. Still, Vista is sweet on a fast box.
That and the memory management confuses people. When it starts up itll idle at say 768mb of ram if you have a gig, then you run something that uses say 400mb of ram and your ram useage will still be at about around 800mb. It convinces people that vista needs a gig for itself and a few gig of ram for its apps, which isnt entirely true.
That said i wouldnt put it on my PC, because my pc is a pikey pile of crap
I got the Beta of 7 when it was released and installed it on my laptop which previously ran XP really well. It seemed ok at first glance, but as you started to use it the crashes became more and more frequent. I wrote it off as a beta problem and gave up.
I run Vista on my office PC and my home PC, and i have to say i'm not THAT impressed with it, i undersdtand (understood) at the time it was the 'future' OS, so i gave in and began using it. After a while i came to accept it (even though its not as quick as XP, i have a Dual Core Xeon HP ML110, 2GB ram blah blah)
I got the RC of Wnidows 7 a few days ago and i have to say, its unreal!
I would go as far as to say that the difference between the Beta and RC of Windows 7 could well of been a different OS completely.
I thought Vista was an improvement, i was wrong. 7 is everything Vista should of been to start with . This is looking more and more like Vista will be the next Windows Milennium Edition write off OS.
I've taken the plunge and installed the 7 RC on my office PC to see how i get on, i'm half a day in and its fantastic!
Shame on Microsoft for releasing Vista... Congratulations to them for stepping up to the mark and releasing 7...
...even though im guessing the main driving forces were the lack of a proper MS Windows OS in the 'netbook' market (7 is supposed to be 'scalable')... and the hammering that Vista gets in tech circles.
I just hope they improve its installer. I tried for 2 days with no success to install it on my home machine, but I've got it on a spare in the office today, and I am very impressed with it thus far. An update to the installer was released today, gonna give my home version another crack this evening, but for an RC, its the best I've seen since '98 RC1.
How is the support going to work, will vista users get a cheap upgrade to W7?
It seems a bit harsh that like XP was and is in use for freaking years and fully supported, but those people buying vista are going to be on an outdated OS in a relatively short time.
Will all the software I currently have on XP 32 Pro SP3 work with this new operating system? Because having tried out XP 64 and Vista, I had serious problems with compatibility with certain software and applications that are absolutely essential to me and for my work and ended up going back to XP 32 Pro SP3 again, which is a pain in the ass returning software and trying to get a refund, when the actual o/s itself does work, thankfully i've been using Aria for so damn long that I have some kind of trade account with them these days and so they are pretty good with these things with me.
Will all the software I currently have on XP 32 Pro SP3 work with this new operating system? Because having tried out XP 64 and Vista, I had serious problems with compatibility with certain software and applications that are absolutely essential to me and for my work and ended up going back to XP 32 Pro SP3 again, which is a pain in the ass returning software and trying to get a refund, when the actual o/s itself does work, thankfully i've been using Aria for so damn long that I have some kind of trade account with them these days and so they are pretty good with these things with me.
Yes! Windows 7 is going to have a 'windows XP mode' you will have to buy win 7 pro or
higher, to qualify for downloading it, it uses desktop virtualisation and there's a report about it here:
How is the support going to work, will vista users get a cheap upgrade to W7?
It seems a bit harsh that like XP was and is in use for freaking years and fully supported, but those people buying vista are going to be on an outdated OS in a relatively short time.
There is a plan for upgrading... doesn't help me though, as i have a retail box Vista Ultimate license (which i won at an MS event, i wasn't stupid enough to buy it)
"All PCs bought with a Windows Vista license on or after July 1, 2009 to January 1, 2010 qualify for a free upgrade to Windows 7. OEMs may choose to shorten the period within those dates. All upgrade media must be shipped to end users by April 30, 2010"
Windows 7 gets a name
but I still think vista is a really nice O/S even though loads of people hate it.
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