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Topic: Operating Systems

Microsoft confirms no more betas for Windows 7

Summary: Microsoft officials on January 30 reiterated that there will be no public Beta 2 of Windows 7 and the next milestone will be the Release Candidate (RC) test build of the operating system.

Mary Jo Foley

By for All About Microsoft |

Microsoft officials on January 30 reiterated that there will be no public Beta 2 of Windows 7 and the next milestone will be the Release Candidate (RC) test build of the operating system.

On the "Engineering Windows 7" blog, Windows development chief Steven Sinofsky reiterated what officials stated less plainly at the Professional Developers Conference last year: There will be just one beta of Windows 7.

Sinofsky emphasized in his new post that Microsoft is not sharing any new ship date targets for Windows 7. As has been known for a while now, Microsoft's delivery plan for Windows 7 is to deliver a public beta, an RC (it's not clear at this point if that will be public or private) and then release to manufacturing (RTM). The RC will be"Windows 7 as we intend to ship it," Sinofsky blogged. More about the RC from his post:

"We will continue to listen to feedback and telemetry with the focus on addressing only the most critical issues that arise. We will be very clear in communicating any changes that have a visible impact on the product. This release allows the whole ecosystem to reach a known state together and make sure that we are all ready together for the Release to Manufacturing. Once we get to RC, the whole ecosystem is in “dress rehearsal” mode for the next steps."

Microsoft's "official" response when asked for a ship-date target for Windows 7 remains three years after Vista's general availability date (which was January 29, 2007). Many customers and partners believe Microsoft is continuing to target Q3 of this year as its RTM date.

For those hoping Microsoft might rush Windows 7 and release it now? Don't hold your breath.

Topics: Operating Systems, Microsoft, Software, Windows

About

Mary Jo has covered the tech industry for more than 25 years for a variety of publications and Web sites, and is a frequent guest on radio, TV and podcasts, speaking about all things Microsoft-related. She is the author of Microsoft 2.0: How Microsoft plans to stay relevant in the post-Gates era (John Wiley & Sons, 2008).

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103 comments
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  • They better fix UAC first

    They better be fixing the new security hole found by Long Zheng and Rafael Rivera in the UAC this morning before it goes RTM.

    Otherwise I feel more lawsuits coming on....
    The one and only, Cylon Centurion
    Reply Vote

    • [UAC story links]

      http://blogs.zdnet.com/gadgetreviews/?p=1052

      and

      http://blogs.zdnet.com/hardware/?p=3410
      andrew.nusca
      Reply Vote

    • Really?

      It's 6 months from launch... Why wouldn't they fix it in that time frame? Of course, the system preventing the script from running in the first place would be better right? And wouldn't the script have to be run with admin privileges if it's vbs and running in WSH?

      Maybe it's not even a problem...
      LiquidLearner
      Reply Vote

    • No more beta's doesn't mean RC.

      It means the shareholders are getting twitchy.
      fr0thy2
      Reply Vote

    • They should fix it but you can turn off UAC in Vista already

      it's just harder and less likely for the average user.
      tech_walker
      Reply Vote

      • Using a PC with UAC off is like driving without a seatbelt

        Whilst is may be annoying at first, you should rarely be interrupted by UAC unless you're REALLY doing something that requires admin rights.

        If you're using apps that work properly and respect your safety, they should rarely require elevation.

        Win7 makes UAC even more invisible because MS has done the work to make Windows' own components safe and auto-elevate ... except for those apps that load and run user defined code (e.g. command, regedit, VBSCript, etc).

        Leave UAC on - really - it could really make your day that one time it catches a piece of malware trying to hose you.
        de-void-21165590650301806002836337787023
        Reply Vote

  • Since Microsoft insists upon removing more and more

    user freedom, in the guise of making it more safe for the bumbling idiots, soon only the bumbling idiots will want to use it. [and that is not only a criticism of UAC]
    chrome_slinky@...
    Reply Vote

    • Ummmm ... whut?

      Care to share what you mean with specific issues / concerns rather than just make opaque statements of no value to anyone?
      de-void-21165590650301806002836337787023
      Reply Vote

      • I can help here.

        The bumbling idiot is the hapless consumer with no rights and expensive computers that don't work properly.
        fr0thy2
        Reply Vote

        • Ah, I see...

          ... you mean Mac users!
          Confused by religion
          Reply Vote

          • LOL!

            Ya! What I want is a slim fast kernel with depencency aware processes that can be closed or opened only for use, or automatically is one wishes. It would be easy for end users, just have an tab somewhere with options such as "run internet processes automatically", "run internet processes when needed" and "don't allow internet processes to run" so you can quickly exclude processes you won't need say when playing a game. It could also increase security. I think they should put it right in the task manager. That way when I get my new laptop I don't end up continually closing my pointer device driver thinking its some stupid addon that came with it.... I don't know.... generally I want all the extra BS that makes vista "bloated" I just don't need it running all the time.
            shadfurman
            Reply Vote

          • No! I mean linux users...nt

            nt
            fr0thy2.
            Reply Vote

          • Hahahahah!! Nice one Hahaha!!

            Hahahahah!! Nice one Hahaha!!

            You so right!! Hahaha!!
            EricDeBerg
            Reply Vote

          • SUre sounds like Mac users

            It does.
            Baer
            Reply Vote

          • Confused by religion

            Ah, I see...
            Must be the only thing that your religion offers in education for you huh? Lets keep Windows 7 separate from Mac, specially when I'm sure you've never even touched a Mac. I've been working in Linux, Windows and Mac for over 20 years and I've never seen issues and experiences like all you have in Windows. Mac is no by perfect, however put against the experiences and flaws of all the windows version, Mac is the best hands down when it comes to development and use. You need to focus on what this threat is about and not blatantly post crap about Mac users. I get work done on a Mac far better than Windows. Ya, I'm hoping Windows 7 is better than Vista, Vista is the worst OS MS ever released. I'm still using XP. I've been testing 7 beta and there's hope. You'd do better to keep you Mac comments to yourself and say something more meaningful about Windows 7. However I'm sure your religion doesn't allow that. LOL
            djzoey
            Reply Vote

        • Agreed

          People like yourself...uneducated blog trolls
          kitch1967
          Reply Vote

        • You can thank the DoJ for that ...

          ... unintended consequence of the Consent Decree. As a result, every computer you buy from an OEM is loaded with crapware which drags the system down ... and Microsoft can do nothing about it, or the bad rap they get for the lousy performance. Don't believe me? Buy a new machine and reformat and reinstall from Microsoft media (using the key from your machine) and you will get a dramatically improved performance.
          M Wagner
          Reply Vote

    • So they should...?

      So, MS gets roasted for poor security in XP, but Vista's UAC is too intrusive.

      Exactly what is MS supposed to do here?
      BuckedUp
      Reply Vote

      • UAC isn't bad

        its easy enough to turn off for advanced users... and not so easy for a "bumbling idiot" to accidently turn off. Its a good system, just not for everyone. The only piece of security I've ever run is your basic software firewall, and the only viruses of got in the last ten years was one for a game I downloaded (I of course had the original disk) and forgot to scan, and when I friend of mine got on to "check his email" TRIED to look at porn and ended up downloading a smit fraud variant (he did it again even after I told him I could track that it was him... he never could grasp the concept that web surfing leaves a trail... silly man... that was even after a showed him the "safe" way to look at porn... silly silly man)
        shadfurman
        Reply Vote

        • I'm not really sure...

          just how the UAC helps any. Screen pops up and asks for permission to run a program. ok great, but how is the average computer user going to know if the program is legit? I had quite a few clients tell me that they installed Antivirus 2009 because they thought they needed it, not knowing squat about what they were in for. Click "yes" and you can still install crapware. Not all computer users are techs and most will install something that looks legit if they think it'sneeded or "cute"
          Dave32265
          Reply Vote
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