Windows 7 out in October

Microsoft Corp. said its new Windows 7 operating system will be commercially available in late October, well ahead of its original schedule and in time for the holiday shopping season.

The milestone comes amid intense pressure on the world's largest software maker to reverse its perceived missteps with the current Windows version, Vista, and as evidence mounts that computer makers are increasingly considering alternatives to its ubiquitous operating system.

"We feel confident that we will deliver Windows 7 with our partners on Oct. 22," said Bill Veghte, senior vice president for Microsoft's Windows business. Microsoft originally planned to ship Windows 7 in early 2010, but recently suggested it would be ready this year.


While the release date confirms Redmond, Wash.-based Microsoft will be able to get the latest version of its most important product onto retailer's shelves and into manufacturer's computers by the all-important holiday season, it also means the company will miss some opportunity to get the product into the hands of students going back to school in the fall.

Windows generated around one-third of Microsoft's $60 billion in 2008 sales and is on more than 90% of the world's personal computers. Microsoft has been under unusual pressure to deliver a smooth launch for Windows 7 to avoid some of the glitches which affected Windows Vista.

Vista's launch, in late 2007, was dogged by compatibility problems with other software applications and components, and many corporate customers avoided the product, saying it required costly hardware upgrades, preferring to rely on an earlier version of the operating system, Windows XP.

With Windows 7, Microsoft also needs to address another growing challenge, the growth of the so-called netbook computer. Sales of these small, low-cost laptops, designed for lightweight computing, have soared over the past two years, appealing to cash-strapped consumers, and now some computer manufacturers are exploring alternatives to Windows, such as versions of the Linux operating system and Google Inc.'s Android software.



from the washinton journal