First look at Windows 7 beta 1 (build 6.1.7000.0.081212-1400)
Summary: I have to thank Santa for leaving me a copy of Windows 7 beta 1 in my stocking for Christmas Day. This beta (build 6.1.7000.0.081212-1400) should be the first and only beta from Microsoft of Windows 7, and I'm pleased to report that it's a good one.
I have to thank Santa for leaving me a copy of Windows 7 beta 1 in my stocking for Christmas Day. This beta (build 6.1.7000.0.081212-1400) should be the first and only beta from Microsoft of Windows 7, and I'm pleased to report that it's a good one.
UPDATE: Check out the Windows 7 beta 1 review!
Gallery: Windows 7 beta 1
Note: If you want to know more about what that long string of digits that make up the build number mean, check out this excellent post by Mary Jo Foley.
I've not had a long time with Windows 7 beta 1 (given the holidays) but I've played with it long enough to form a few opinions:
- There are no new features in this build. If Microsoft has any new stuff lined up for the RTM then we're going to have to wait to find out. Features-wise, build 6.1.7000.0.081212-1400 is similar to earlier builds I've looked at (here are some posts for you to check out: 1, 2, 3).
- This beta is of excellent quality. This is the kind of code that you could roll out and live with. Even the pre-betas were solid, but finally this beta feels like it's "done." This beta exceeds the quality of any other Microsoft OS beta that I've handled.
- Performance of this beta is exceptional. I've not had a chance to benchmark it yet but it feels snappier and more responsive than earlier betas I've handled.
- Judging by the quality of this build, I expect Windows 7 to be released June/July of '09. I really can't see Microsoft dragging out the release a year.
Here are some screenshots to whet your appetite:
I'll have a more in-depth review for Windows 7 beta 1 later ...
Any questions? Pop them in the TalkBack section!
Kick off your day with ZDNet's daily email newsletter. It's the freshest tech news and opinion, served hot. Get it.
Talkback
Windows 7 - Which Version?
one with not enough for it's target user? Or will MS finally
just release a Server version and a Consumer version? I
know all the arguments "Selling just two flavors will
increase the cost of PC's", "Most people just need what MS
offers". Truth is, people suckered into the low end
Windows OS soon realize this fact and it really makes them
angry to have purchased an OS that won't let them ftp or
rdc or whatever when their best buddy shows them how
easy it is to do on their Windows OS.
Apple has been selling their OS like this forever, doesn't
raise the cost either. And on a comparably equipped PC,
the price is usually the same. Strangely enough, if I
customize a - let's say - HP Vaio to spec out the same as a
MacBook Pro, the Vaio is much more expensive. The Vaio
usually doesn't come with Windows Ultimate either - you
have to add it ($$$).
This may be a great revenue stream for MS, but it does the
customer wrong when MS's "Realize Your Potential" adds
say one thing and the OS says another. Bad Microsoft, just
be honest and sell to people what you say they're getting...
You are truely pathetic.
Is this what the ABM crowd has been reduced to? Bashing MS for the number of versions of their OS? If this is the best argument you can make against Windows then Microsoft must be doing something right.
Vaio same price as Mac Book pro?
HP Vaio? LOL. Sony Vaio, not HP. You really expect us to believe you specked it out now? Much more expensive? LOFL. Yea, the Mac is MUCH MORE expensive.
C2D 5.3, 4 gig RAM, 320 HD, video card ATI mobilty 360 512 dedicated memory. The video card comparison was iffy what with Apple having two video chips on the pro so I added a read/write Blu ray drive to the Sony just to cover any discrepancy and a 16 inch screen and the Sony came to $1639. Add $100 for full HD screen. The Mac is only 1440 x 900. Sony fully loaded $1739.
Similarly equipped Mac book pro was 2499. 17 inch screen? 2,799.
As for Vista Ultimate it offers almost nothing of essential value over Home Premium.
http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/SYCTOProcess?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&LBomId=8198552921665519347
HP manufactures the Vaio?
I would imagine that person has been let go as of now.
Vaio is way cheaper than a Macbook
(holiday pricing) with the following advantages over a
~$2000 Macbook:
2.53 GHz processor
6MB L2 cache (twice that of a Macbook)
LED backlit screen
Brighter screen
Better black levels in screen
ATI discrete graphics /w 256MB L2 cache
HDMI output
7200RPM hard drive
SD & MemoryStick readers
Firewire
Lighter
Longer real-world battery life
A THOUSAND bucks more in my pocket
To be fair, it has the following disadvantages from
the Macbook:
Not milled billet aluminum
No slot loading disc drive
Sony installs TONS of junk on the machine from the
factory
It came loaded with Vista 64 Home Premium, not some
stripped down version.
Draw your own conclusions about pricing. I'll enjoy my
left-over $1000 :)
So what your VAIO sucks for one reason.
your backlit keyboard or gesture trackpad that works just
like the iPhone? Plus the MacBook has LED backlit screen
and a Magsafe power adapter. I won't be tripping over the
cord and dragging my computers into the ground.
Windows is the budget car of operating systems and OS X
is luxury vehicle. You get what you pay for. Plus, just look
at the iPod and iPhone, clearly user experience is trumping
price.
OS X is no luxury vehicle
The iPhone on the other hand is really revolutionary, though unforgivably under featured ATM. I gotta hand it to Apple there but there is no analogy here to the PC OS situation.
No body said the Mac book pro wasn't a very nice machine, it is, all other things equal it has some extra value, some . . - the OP was saying a Vaio of similar spec would cost "MUCH MORE". If you put as much money into a Vaio as you do into a MBP (if this is even possible) you will come away with a very superior package, it will lack the Mac cool, which for you and the rest of Steve's little beeches is unacceptable, at any price, LOL. This is the reason Mac will go on being a successful niche product and a massive money maker for APPL for some time to come. Until the RDF is gone and the cool wears off that is.
Car analogy?
Yes, with an Apple I can also run Windows. But then what's the advantage of having OS X in there? It just doubles my maintenance, configuration and software licensing cost, makes things more cumbersome, and confuses me with a double UI.
Apples are nice machines. But they ARE expensive and somewhat niche. Live with that.
RE: First look at Windows 7 beta 1 Windows 7 beta 1 (build 6.1.7000.0.08121
BTW
It was obvious what the extra digits meant. There's no need for MJF to act as some kind of medium between consumer-universe and a microsoft-developer one.
We're not as dumb as you might prefer us to be.
can you tell me the MD5 hash of Win7 .ISO file?
32-bit
Santa's response
Santa told me that this is indeed ...
Where did you download it from?
Thanks for Explaining Numbers....
Yet this sharpens focus, its Ultimate, which Dell is Now warrenteeing at $2K, yet better, all complete & ready to go,From Day 1, yet actual size is smaller I believe, so Less. Good For Microsoft.
Signed:PHYSICIAN THOMAS STEWART von DRASHEK M.D.
RE: First look at Windows 7 beta 1 Windows 7 beta 1 (build 6.1.7000.0.081212-1400)
Since this article isn't anything but some screen-shots here's my reaction:
- wallpapers look a lot like they hired some Fedora artists
- the overall impression of menus, some icons and panels is that it resembles KDE more than ever before
The above isn't said as criticism, Microsoft is free to use whatever design they prefer. It's just what went through my head when looking at the gallery.
Luckily my MCSEs worked the holiday....
Not only that...
...but a manager who's nice enough to spring for pizza. Who could ask for anything more? (You didn't make them pay for their own pizza, didja Mike?) ;-)
Who are you kidding..
workers must be angry.