Windows 7 Release Candidate due date is May 5

Summary: Looks like Microsoft's March slip-up that pinpointed the next milestone delivery date was correct. The Windows 7 Release Candidate (RC) -- the one and only public RC -- is set to be available on May 5.

Looks like Microsoft's March slip-up that pinpointed the next milestone delivery date was correct. The Windows 7 Release Candidate (RC) -- the one and only public RC -- is set to be available  on May 5.

I've been hearing Windows 7 Server, a k a Windows Server 2008 R2, also will be out in RC form the same day.

Still no absolute confirmation on what the build number will be for the RC. One thing is for sure: Windows 7, both client and server, are almost soup. (I'm still hearing this fall, most likely October, will be the official release date.)

Topics: Windows, Microsoft, Operating Systems, Software

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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  • Paid by MS

    MS owns this site or something...
    Christian_<><
    • the whole world is lying...and

      i don't know, but i feel the whole world is lying...and this is one of a few websites that tell the truth.
      jk_10
    • One billion people care about this, so who cares what you think...

      Just because you loser OS isn't getting anywhere in life, doesn't mean the rest of the world is interested in Win7.
      Qbt
    • Horse manure...

      There are only two bloggers on ZDNet that are unashamed to be in the Microsoft camp. Mary Jo and Ed Bott.

      Most of the others seldom have anything nice to say about Microsoft. Some come off as fairly impartial (Larry Dignan), some come off as dinosaur fossils (Jason Perlow), while those covering the Mac and Linux beats tend to show hard core favoritism for their particular brand of choice.

      Like it or not, ZDNet does have a mostly balanced team of bloggers/reporters. If you don't want to read about Microsoft or Windows 7 related stories, then why not go read the Mac or Linux blogs instead?

      It seems to me the only reason you bothered to click on the link to this article was so you could post a rather LAME troll. Aren't you just special. How long did it take you to come up with that tidbit? Sheesh.

      Wolfie2K3
      • You put Mary Jo in the Microsoft camp?

        I wouldn't. Ed Bott? Absolutely. I don't see Mary Jo falling all over herself trying to boost Microsoft's image or put a tornado's spin on their transgressions.
        kozmcrae
        • No.. But her posts ARE generally positive towards MS.

          She doesn't come up with cutesy insults like Jason Perlow (Fixta), nor does she go out of her way to sing the praises for some other OS while calling Microsoft wares a load of crap.

          She simply reports the facts, without negativity. Then again, she reports on MS for a living. She only expresses herself in what could only be called a professional and unbiased manner.
          Wolfie2K3
          • MJ Reports

            I've been reading her reports for a number of years, and find her writing to be fair, clear, and factual, and thankfully snark-free (unlike several of the other reporters here on ZD).
            Cosmo54
          • RE: MJ Reports

            I'd say MJ is a bit more emotional toward Microsoft rather than factual. She does report the dirt along with the good though. Very skeptical reporter, and rarely wrong, just over-board if anything.

            Ed however, is extremely factual and very methodical in his examination of everything Microsoft. If you do truly look at their products, there is little to be upset about. Though most Bloggers and their repliers are often blown away by the most simple of things. (The sky is falling! syndrome...)

            Every other reporter at ZDNet is either an Apple Zealot or a Linux Zealot who try to find every little thing they can to gripe about the #1 OS in the World. To a point of stupidity from what I see. If Windows doesn't float your boat, fine. But to actually try to make money by writing articles bashing it into the ground? Where's the good in that? Fortunately most Windows centric reporters are smarter, and don't see the need or reason to bash other OSes into the ground.
            Narg
          • just call me Ms. Emotional :)

            As an unemotional New Englander, that one made me laugh out loud. I've been called a lot of things -- especially by Apple users (most of which are not reprintable here. But emotional is a new one.

            Remember, everyone: This site is part of a blog network. Opinion is supposed to be part of what we write. And to the readers who complain all I write about is Microsoft, the name of this blog is "All About Microsoft."

            Thanks for reading, fans and foes! MJ
            Mary Jo Foley
        • Ed Bott? You are wrong.

          we readers are not supposed to be too personal, but i just can't help to say something. MJ reports more facts than opinions, she is not afaid of being hard on Microsoft or who ever she reports. That's called professionalism. Ed Bott reports facts and opinions. As far as i can read, i don't see anything what he say is not the truth.
          jk_10
    • M$ owns the cash, they choose the music

      ZDNet must dance to their tune.
      InAction Man
      • Oh, that is so true!

        Oh man, I was in my basement yesterday installing the latest Ubuntu distro on one of my 1st generation Pentiums, so cool.

        Anyway, I was telling my mom that M$ owns ZD NET and she's like "totally".
        BFD
        • That means Linux is ready for the masses!

          When a teenage girl can install it on her own (OK with some assistance from her mom) and finds it cool, then... &#160; nough said.
          InAction Man
          • That's absolutely correct, Linux is ONLY for us nerds!!

            I reckon Linux is great but it's been developed by nerds for us nerds. It'll never be a popularity winner no matter how hard we push it.

            Just forget Linux for the rest of the world - we've lost that battle big time. M$ is truly King with a capital 'K', they've the 105mm cannons and 16" guns, all we Linux users have in our arsenal are slingshots. Just forget it.

            If we'd really and truly wanted to compete with M$ then about 10-15 years ago we would have taken the best of Linux and built a proper native Win32 code compatible O/S to run in parallel with Windows. BUT WE DID NOT. Now it's far too late. And now M$ has no competition whatsoever.

            A Win32-compatible O/S could have at least competed in the same ball park with Windows; we'd have at least played with the same rules. Windows and Linux are not only in different ballparks but in practice they're so far apart as to be in different countries.

            -----

            A lesson from ancient history. Anyone who owned a Tandy TRS80 will remember Tandy's TRSDOS operating system. Well, back then along came an API-compatible superstar O/S called NEWDOS-80 which relegated TRSDOS to the junk-heap. Everything that ran on TRSDOS also ran better on NEWDOS as native code.

            Windows and Linux are non-API compatible O/Ses and vastly different to boot. Why are we even bothering to mention them in the same breath?

            Stupidity that's why.

            Irritated_User
          • Then bow to...

            your King Gates and his court jester Monkey Boy Ballmer. I prefer not to, but thanks anyway.
            Dave32265
          • I prefer not to too, but there's no choice.

            I prefer not to too, but there's no choice with Windows penetration being what it is (and with Linux being so very user-unfriendly to Windows users).

            My approach is to use Linux in industrial control applications, servers etc. and Windows where humans hang out.

            Not only does it make economic sense, but it also makes the site easier to manage. This approach means way fewer tantrums from Windows users forced to cold-turkey on Linux machines.
            Irritated_User
          • Debating linux again?

            Linux acolytes are like Mac acolytes ten years ago. They love to jump on anything MS related just to bash it and proselytize about linux.

            I use RHEL, Fedora, and Ubuntu 90% of the time; I've got my family using it too. It's reliable, fast, and easy to use, but I don't feel the need to troll around in forums preaching to other nerds about the virtues of linux. They already know and don't care what you think.
            urbandk
          • Well you obviously do

            [i]...preaching to other nerds about the virtues of linux. They already know and don't care what you think.[/i]

            Otherwise, you wouldn't have responded to his message.

            ;)
            hasta la Vista, bah-bie
    • Attacks instead of constructive criticism

      I have yet to understand why people read an article and then jump to attack, when nothing in the article warrants attack. It seems that many use the opportunity to see themselves in print or stand on their soapbox but unfortunately do nothing to provide constructive criticism to anything in the article. It makes it time consuming for those of us, who would like to know more about the information presented, as we wade through the rants.

      I recognize everyone?s right to freedom of speech. It is too bad people don?t use it to say something. If you do not find the articles useful and feel the site is biased, find a different site and don't raise your blood pressure reading things you don't like.
      dlk2009
      • That's just the way it is

        @dlk2009

        On ZDNet, attack is the rule in the comments. It really stinks, and it certainly costs ZDNet readers (and money).

        They should have a full-time troll-killer on staff. They'd look for phrases and words like Windoze, MacN00b, etc.

        Never happen...
        FrankleeMiDeer