Redmond released Win7 Build 7600 to manufacturing last Wednesday. This is it, they are packaging it and preparing it for final release.

Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor Beta

Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor scans your PC to see if it's ready for Windows 7, and tells you about any known compatibility issues.

This tool is available at:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=1b544e90-7659-4bd9-9e51-2497c146af15

Windows 7 beta/RC update

From the Springboard Series newletter:

First things first. Are you still on the Windows 7 Beta? If so, we recommend that you move to the Release Candidate (RC) and fast. Starting today, July 1, the Beta will start to reboot every two hours and will expire on August 1, 2009. Also, the RC download program will close August 15th so make sure to download the RC before then if you haven’t already. You will still be able to install your downloaded copy, and get a key if you need one, after August 15th.

Micorsoft announced that XP will continue to live on until somewhere in 2011.

"Windows 7 Professional and Ultimate customers will have the option to downgrade to Windows XP Professional from PCs that ship within 18 months following the general availability of Windows 7 or until the release of a Windows 7 service pack, whichever is sooner, and if a service pack is developed," a company spokeswoman said in an e-mail.

Vista to Windows 7 Upgrade is free...

Consumers who purchase a Vista-based computer on or after June 26 will be allowed to upgrade to Windows 7 for free, according to a leaked corporate memo from electronics retailer Best Buy (NYSE: BBY).

Windows 7 Will Be On The Streets On October 22!!

Windows 7 will be available on store shelves as well as on new equipment purchases on October 22. Microsoft is will be some kind of discount program (maybe free upgrade) for those that buy computers with Vista of XP now to get to Windows 7 when it is released.

Low priced Win 7 and the new netnooks

Sort of the sum and substance is that the netbooks are eating a significant hole in the laptop business so the vendors are getting together and doing what some are calling price fixing. The deal is like this. Computers with spec GREATER than these are no going to be be able to load the lower priced version of Windows 7 (there is one for the miniature PCs) 10 inch screen, or 1 GB or RAM and 250 GB HDD or 64 GB SDD. I am not going to comment except to say this doesn't appear to be in the best interest of anyone except the controlling group.

Windows 7 RC1 now available

If you are interested, here is a link to the Release Candidate pages at Microsoft. Please read them carefully.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/dd353205.aspx?ITPID=mscomsc

Windows 7 RC1 available tomorrow

The final release candidate for Windows 7 is being released out to the world tomorrow. You are welcome to download and try it. DO NOT PUT IT ON YOUR PRIMARY COMPUTER! This is still unreleased software so needs lots of testing before you put on anything critical. Do a search on Windows 7 RC1 and you should find it.

Windows 7 Release Rumors

No confirmation on this but it appears that Acer is going to start packaging Windows 7 on their computer on or about October 23, 2009.

kootie report...

Symantec Security folks just reported on their findings for 2008. It appears that they saw a 256% increase in malware such as virus and/or spyware infections. As is usually pointed out, these attacks come from some poor forlorn third-world country, well, not so McGee. The US was the world leader in web based attacks. More info for those that are interested may be had at:

http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/163390/malware_had_a_great_year_in_2008.html

Jim

Vista -> XP -> Windows 7 upgrade path defined!

Jibberish? Yeah, just about but there is some information here if you will hang in with me for a few minutes.

What this all means is that those of you that purchase a new computer between June, 2009 and January, 2010 with EITHER Vista or Windows XP downgrade factory installed will be able to upgrade to Windows 7 when it hits the streets for little or nothing. This idea behind this is to help the equipment vendors continue to sell computers to people that will want to upgrade. If they, the vendors and MS, don't take this approach there are a lot of buyers out there that will be lookers until Windows 7 is released.

Here is a link to an article from Computerworld that gives more details:
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9131169

Jim

Windows 7 - sooner than we think!

Not substantiated yet but strong rumors that Windows 7 will be out in September. This would be wonderful if it happens.
Probably still a very good idea to wait a few months and let the bugs shake out unless you have a Vista computer that is a problem child (most are). In the later case you are better off switching sooner than later...Windows 7 beta version is better than Vista after two service packs.

Windows 7 - the next release

Windows 7, the next release of Windows, is in beta testing. Based on my experience with the beta and the comments from others using the product it is a MAJOR improvement on Vista. Don't have a release date yet but I would not be terribly surprised to see it in the market place for the Christmas season...just my thoughts, though, nothing official. More as I have more to comment on.

What is Microsoft going to support going forward...

Pretty much the bottom line is that MS is going to support Windows XP, as long as it is patched to the most current service pack (SP3 right now), until 2014. There is information as to what they plan to do to support Vista, but, frankly, who cares. You can get more info from the pages to which this link points.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/lifecycle/servicepacks.mspx

Vaious operating sytem market shares

Her is a link to the Market Share website that gives you some idea of what operating systems are out there and what share of the market each has.

http://marketshare.hitslink.com/operating-system-market-share.aspx?qprid=10

Hi and how are ya!!

This is the beginnings of what I hope will be an informative resource for my clients and friends about things that are happening in the computer world. I will attempt to post happenings, alerts, failures, and successes. Suggestions as to content are encouraged; if there is something of interest that I can post please let me know.

Jim