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Mary-Jo Foley
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Who will get the Windows 7 bits and when?

By | July 21, 2009, 2:37pm PDT

Summary: On July 21, via a posting on the Windows Team Blog, Microsoft shared its delivery timetable for the Windows 7 bits. Without yet disclosing the release-to-manufacturing date — which Microsoft has said will be before the end of this month — company officials provided the following new dates.

Microsoft sure is trickling out the Windows 7 news as slowly as possible.

On July 21, via a posting on the Windows Team Blog, Microsoft shared its delivery timetable for the Windows 7 bits. Without yet disclosing the release-to-manufacturing date — which Microsoft has said will be before the end of this month — company officials provided the following new dates:

OEMs: Two days after RTM

ISVs and IHV partners: August 6 (downloadable via Microsoft Connect or MSDN)

Microsoft Gold certified resellers: August 16 (downloadable from the partner portal in English only); October 1 (other language)

TechNet subscribers: August 6 (English only); October 1 (other languages)

MSDN subscribers: August 6 (English only); October 1 (other languages)

Microsoft “Action Pack” subscribers: August 23 (English only); October 1 (remaining languages)

Volume licensees with existing Software Assurance license: August 7 (downloadable from the Volume License Service Center in English); a couple of weeks after that for other languages. (So my original post on when business users would get Windows 7 wasn’t really wrong, after all. Glad we cleared that up. Not!)

Volume licensees without a Software Assurance license: September 1 (downloadable from the Volume License Service Center)

Consumers: General availability begins October 22. Retailers and OEMs will be offering new systems preloaded with Windows 7 and copies of Windows 7 at retail on that day.

The good news: There will be a family pack for Windows Home Premium, Microsoft is confirming, and it will allow installation on up to three PCs. Microsoft still isn’t talking pricing on that one, but my colleague Ed Bott already had the pricing details.

The bad news: No free copies of Windows 7 for techical beta testers. The 50 percent discount offer that already closed for Windows 7 Home Premium and Windows 7 Professional was your thank you.

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Topics

Microsoft Corp., Microsoft Windows 7, Microsoft Windows, Operating Systems, Software, Mary Jo Foley

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).

Disclosure

Mary-Jo Foley

Freelance journalist/blogger Mary Jo Foley has nothing to disclose. WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get). I do not own Microsoft stock or stock in any of its partners or competitors. I have no business ventures that are sponsored by/funded by Microsoft or any of its partners or competitors.

Biography

Mary-Jo Foley

Mary Jo Foley has covered the tech industry for 25 years for a variety of publications, including ZDNet, eWeek and Baseline. She has kept close tabs on Microsoft strategy, products and technologies for the past 10 years. In the late 1990s, she penned the award-winning "At The Evil Empire" column for ZDNet, and more recently the Microsoft Watch blog for Ziff Davis.

Got a tip? Send her an email with your rants, rumors, tips and tattles. Confidentiality guaranteed.

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RE: Who will get the Windows 7 bits and when?
jackson1984-24316069205748857739440257893812 10th Oct
Let us hope this just disappears wholly. On the other hand, which will nfljersey wish the Vikings to begin attaining and I do not like that both equally.
View in thread
0 Votes
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Hooray Technet Subscription!
GoodThings2Life 21st Jul 2009
You know, I knew it was a good investment of $350 for my TechNet subscription, consider I get licensed copies of pretty much EVERYTHING Microsoft has to offer.

Really makes me wonder why more people don't go this route.
0 Votes
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Yes but
The 'G-Man.' 24th Jul 2009
It's only a demo / test version not a full licence!

Read the terms!
0 Votes
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MSDNAA
TheRackow 21st Jul 2009
Does MSDNAA get it when MSDN gets it?
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Contributr
MSDNAA
Mary Jo Foley 21st Jul 2009
Hi, I don't know. No word. Maybe try posting that question on the Windows Team blog?

http://windowsteamblog.com/blogs/windows7/archive/2009/07/21/when-will-you-get-windows-7-rtm.aspx

MJ
0 Votes
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The windows blog still says Win 7 hasn't RTM?
Randalllind 22nd Jul 2009
So why the delay and why are they acting like we made July 13 up? Microsoft themselves said July 13th.

0 Votes
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RE: Who will get the Windows 7 bits and when?
MATGLO 22nd Jul 2009
Yes, great huh?
0 Votes
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RE: Who will get the Windows 7 bits and when?
gagan.sethi@... 22nd Jul 2009
I have been using Win 7 for last 10 months or so. It is very stable system and has beaten everyone else hands down. I have a MAC, Vista home premium and a Linux system. I have to say Win 7 is my preference now. At the same time I also acknowledge that Diff operating systems have their own advantage and everyone should choose what works well for them. So choose for yourself once you have understood your requirements and what each OS has to offer.
0 Votes
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Yayyy! The wait is finally over..
ursulus 22nd Jul 2009
I have been using Windows 7 for months and love it! I beta tested VISTA and was even given a free copy of Ultimate for my trouble.. but I only used it on my media centre, never as my main desktop as I didn't like it.. I love Windows 7..

Well done MS!

Malcolm
0 Votes
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50 percent discount offer was only available in the US!!!
mikeymike76@... 22nd Jul 2009
The 50 percent discount offer was only available in the US, so what is the thanks for the rest of the world who tested international features??!?!?
0 Votes
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RE: Who will get the Windows 7 bits and when?
graphic trash 22nd Jul 2009
who cares when you work for a state government agency. We
just got XP last year.
0 Votes
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Re: 50 percent discount offer was only available in the US!!!
Hans@... 22nd Jul 2009
Wrong.

It was available through different sources for different countries. You had to look for it.
0 Votes
+ -
RE: Who will get the Windows 7 bits and when?
jackson1984-24316069205748857739440257893812 10th Oct
Let us hope this just disappears wholly. On the other hand, which will nfljersey wish the Vikings to begin attaining and I do not like that both equally.

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