Windows 7 RTM Is Released to MSDN
Developers with an MSDN subscription can download the Windows 7 RTM in English today.
When I checked MSDN, a little before noon East Coast time, the Windows 7 release candidate was still the latest download. I'm guessing that the Windows 7 RTM will be made available later today.
Brandon LeBlanc of the Windows Team offered guidance on when developers and everyone else could expect to have access to the Windows 7 RTM in his Windows Team Blog post on July 21.
"Developers with MSDN Subscriptions will be able to download Windows 7 RTM in English on August 6th and remaining languages by October 1st."
LeBlanc outlines availability for business customers with various licenses, Microsoft partners and OEMs, IT professionals -- they can also get it today via TechNet -- beta testers and consumers.
The Windows XP Mode Release Candidate was also made available earlier this week. According to LeBlanc, this XP virtualization for Windows 7 is targeted at small and medium-sized businesses that have XP apps that can't be made compatible with the new operating system. The Windows XP Mode RC, which requires Windows Virtual PC, works with the Windows 7 RTM and the Windows 7 RC Professional, Ultimate and Enterprise editions. The Windows 7 RC expires on March 1, 2010.
Windows 7 is receiving accolades from many developers who have tested it. App compatibility with Windows 7 is a must for every company that provides software to their customers.
The hiccup will be getting Windows 7 onto desktops. As Denise Richards likes to say, it's complicated. The migration path for anyone using XP is going to be painful. Outside of purchasing new hardware -- unlikely for many folks in this climate -- or turning your systems over to techies who feel comfortable wiping out hard drives for clean installs -- yikes! -- Windows 7 for many users may have to wait.
What's the migration path from where you sit? Express your views below or drop me a line at [email protected].
Posted by Kathleen Richards on 08/06/2009