Jumping the gun a little on its plans, Microsoft has posted its release candidate for Windows 7 for public download. Although the software is still in a pre-release form—and Microsoft has never promised even final versions of Windows are exactly bug-free—the Windows 7 RC has generally been garnering favorable reviews from industry watchers and Windows enthusiasts, many of whom can’t wait to put Windows Vista behind them.
Downloading the Windows 7 RC will typically require a few hours, even on broadband connections, depending what version and language a user selects. However, there’s no extreme rush to grab the RC: Microsoft plans to keep the release available through at least July 2009, and the company is not limiting the number of product keys that can be used with the test release. Furthermore, the Windows 7 RC1 release will run uninterrupted through March 1, 2010—at that point, Windows will start shutting down every two hours. The RC release expires on June 1, 2010.
Windows 7 includes a revamped taskbar and numerous desktop and interface enhancements, along with Internet Explorer 8, better searching, and enhanced device management.
Microsoft hasn’t announced when it plans to offer Windows 7 for sale to consumers or let OEMs begin bundling it with new PCs, but all signs are pointing to Microsoft working to get Windows 7 hour the door in plenty of time for the end-of-year holiday buying season. Microsoft has only publicly committed to a January 2010 release, which would be three years after Windows Vista was released to consumers.
