Windows 7 will be called... Windows 7

By | October 13, 2008, 7:38pm PDT

Summary: It’s official. The final name of the product codenamed “Windows 7″ will be “Windows 7.”

It’s official. The final name of the product codenamed “Windows 7″ will be “Windows 7.”

Mike Nash, Corporate Vice President, Windows Product Management, announced the decision via the Windows Vista Team Blog on October 13.

“(A)s you probably know, since we began development of the next version of the Windows client operating system we have been referring to it by a codename, ‘Windows 7.’ But now is a good time to announce that we’ve decided to officially call the next version of Windows, ‘Windows 7.’”

Microsoft is attributing the name choice to a desire for greater “simplicity.” (Funny, “clarity” was the same reason the Softies gave for going with Vista for the Windows release codenamed “Longhorn.”)

I think the name choice is a good one. There’s no way Microsoft was going to stay on the Vista track, with the negative perceptions many have of the current Windows release. So it’s on to numbers now for the product that increasingly seems like the “anti-Vista.” ….

What do you think of Redmond’s decision to stick with Windows 7 as the final name of the next release of Windows client, expected in late 2009?

Kick off your day with ZDNet's daily e-mail newsletter. It's the freshest tech news and opinion, served hot. Get it.

Topics

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.

43
Comments

Join the conversation!

Just In

RE: Windows 7 will be called... Windows 7
jackson1984-24316069205748857739440257893812 10th Oct
Hey, i imagine you visited my web sites so i arrived to "return the favour".I mulberry bags am hunting for procedures to include variables to my web sites!I suppose its alright to use many within your possible choices!!
0 Votes
+ -
Great overview of Windows 7 available here...
Martin_Australia 13th Oct 2008
Here is a great overview and FAQ of what is in Windows 7 and what has changed etc.

Go here -

http://www.winsupersite.com/faq/windows_7.asp
0 Votes
+ -
How exciting Martin, well done.
fr0thy2 13th Oct 2008
Let's all consume that tripe, kid ourselves yet again that it might be accurate on features to be released, and remain locked in to expensive proprietary systems for the next few years.

Brilliant.
0 Votes
+ -
Nice useless post again DonnieBoy!
Martin_Australia 14th Oct 2008
ZDNet is going the way of Youtube...full of useless trolling 'morons' with absolutely nothing to say.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/web/youtube-helps-you-discover-your-inner-moron/2008/10/13/1223749908757.html

How many accounts do you have on here DonnieBoy?
0 Votes
+ -
Just curious, Martin....
MGP2 Updated - 14th Oct 2008
I thought you were leaving ZDNet for good. I quote:
Other than Ed Bott and maybe one or two others, the writers on here have lost all credibility which is a real shame cause I have been using ZDNet for the past 7 years.

But no more, I have also advise my marketing team to stop advertising on ZDNet. Hasta la vista baby.....


http://talkback.zdnet.com/5208-12554-0.html?forumID=1&threadID=50903&messageID=955594&start=-9916
0 Votes
+ -
They used only part...
fairportfan 15th Oct 2008
...of the original cartoon in that article, and failed to credit the source: http://xkcd.com/481/
0 Votes
+ -
Win7 is good enough
jimfuhl 15th Oct 2008
The name does not make the screen go black, or turn my IE ( which crashes every 5 minutes) while while I get the never ending Circle pointer.

I need it to work, every day, all the time. no failures , improved speed. I should not have to buy a CRAY computer to run a dumb desktop Browser! PS: I HATE VISTA

If this fails
0 Votes
+ -
Who doesn't hate vista?
bendib Updated - 3rd Nov 2008
stop the madness.
Just get linux.
go to my site.
Get it. Learn it. You will start worshiping linux. It's that good.
If you want to do very basic stuff you won't need to know anything but how to type and click.
(of course this depends on the linux distro you choose).
Here is my site:
http://linuxmadegeeky.weebly.com/
0 Votes
+ -
I am so happy they went with Windows 7. It gives me warm, fuzzy kind of feeling that the rumours, the expectations that are going around in the world are actually coming to be.
But won't Windows 7 be largely Vista ME tweaked? Plus the media center stuff disabled in the current Vista ME release....

More re$ource$ to do the same work just as fast and as safe as with XP?

Still awaiting that compelling reason to move to a true upgrade.
Oh, and it helps fund their anti-competitive antics.
0 Votes
+ -
Vista SP2 is coming...
qmlscycrajg Updated - 14th Oct 2008
0 Votes
+ -
Windows 7 and Core i7
fredx21 14th Oct 2008
What a coincidence...
0 Votes
+ -
Good!
rjohn05 14th Oct 2008
I think this is good as it seems that it already has a lot of positive press on it as well as excitement. I just hope they deliver.
0 Votes
+ -
Maybe we can now concentrate on what the product will deliver.
0 Votes
+ -
I agree
liquidglow 14th Oct 2008
The title does seem trivial compared to what the OS will actually be capable of delivering. I am hoping that Microsoft puts its all into this next one considering the state of Vista.
I'd rather have 300 blogs about trivalities than any more posts like this:

http://talkback.zdnet.com/5208-12558-0.html?forumID=1&threadID=53033&messageID=1000893&start=-9977

http://talkback.zdnet.com/5208-12558-0.html?forumID=1&threadID=53033&messageID=1000894&start=-9977

This is what passes for "discussion" here; sound and fury signifying nothing.
0 Votes
+ -
For a product with such global impact...
supercharlie 14th Oct 2008
I find it mildly amusing they cant seem to decide on marketing. Is it the year? Windows 95, 2000, is it some nifty sloganish deal? XP, Vista, ME (eww)or hell.. is it just a version.. 3.1, 7.

I dunno.. just seemes to me, theyd pick a marketing strategy, brand it, and run with it.. but apparently, having a bag full of mismatched socks is how they roll.
0 Votes
+ -
RE: Windows 7 will be called... Windows 7
AdamLefever 14th Oct 2008
Doesn't matter what they call it. Just make good software that's compatible and doesn't require more RAM that most current systems have to run stable.
0 Votes
+ -
Still Vista SE
Anton Philidor 14th Oct 2008
The software is not going to break older drivers or require more hardware than the current version.

I expect that major changes will await the next major release.

And this will escape the negative muttering around Vista, preventing attitude from delaying upgrades.

An attempt to do the marketing right, wothout installation problems. That should be worth a few $ billions, no?!
0 Votes
+ -
You can't polish a turd.
0 Votes
+ -
hehe
jk
0 Votes
+ -
Says who?
MGP2 Updated - 14th Oct 2008
You can't polish a turd.

http://tinyurl.com/45ptyl wink
0 Votes
+ -
Win7, I Like it!
mikefarinha Updated - 14th Oct 2008
I never thought they would stick with the codename but I'm glad they did.
0 Votes
+ -
I think they made a great decision to stick with Windows 7. It's simple and rolls off the tongue quite smoothly, not that I have proof of simplified linguistics boosting revenue but I think it helps. But if not that, you've got to admit that a vast majority of people attach good luck with the number seven.
0 Votes
+ -
About those version numbers...
SpikeyMike 14th Oct 2008
Windows NT 3.5, 3.5.1 and 4.0 had no conflicts with customer-facing vs internal versions.

Windows 2000 is Windows 5.0
Windows XP is Windows 5.1

Windows Vista is Windows 6.0
From everything I've read so far on Windows 7, it is going to be Windows 6.1 - That is to say, a variation of Vista, using the same drivers, etc. Not a 'Major' upgrade, for sure.

I find this internal vs external version difference annoying and, to some extent, deceptive.

If they name it Windows 7, but internally it is 6.1, I think we're going to see some complaints. Call me silly, but selling a product with a version 7 label on the outside, while delivering version 6.1 may not sit well with some consumers.
0 Votes
+ -
I agree as a kernel programmer...
ZwFlushKey 14th Oct 2008
All the headers will be NT 6.1 There is a bad smell about writing code for a 6.1 version called 7 on the store shelves!
I'm going to bet that the kernel will go to 7.0 before RTM.
0 Votes
+ -
RE: Windows 7 will be called... Windows 7
Greg Martin 15th Oct 2008
Personally, I like the name. I guess they could have called it 7, but there is a Science Fiction character with that name.
0 Votes
+ -
Actually 7 of 9...
bgrh Updated - 15th Oct 2008
You will be assimilated... (If you are very lucky, by 7 of 9...)

http://users.aol.com/alscherer/7of9.jpg
0 Votes
+ -
7??? shouldn't it be 10???
scottmat 15th Oct 2008
How can this one be called 7. Shouldn't it be 10?
windows 3.xx ... 3
windows 95 ..... 4
windows 98 ..... 5
windows ME ..... 6
windows 2000 ... 7
XP ............. 8
Vista .......... 9
7 .............. 10
0 Votes
+ -
DOS != NT
logic_earth Updated - 16th Oct 2008
You are mixing Windows NT with DOS, two different branches of Windows.

Windows NT 3.*
Windows NT 4
Windows 2000
Windows XP
Windows Server 2003
Windows Vista / Server 2008
Windows 7
0 Votes
+ -
RE: Windows 7 will be called... Windows 7
bgnblk40@... 15th Oct 2008
Well, I love Vista. Everyone is bitchin, ,bout it, but I have had only minor problems with Vista. My Emachines does very well with Vista. It might be the Celeron D proccessor, I don't know, but I am happy. Windows 7. Well, I will just have to try it on a new system, but this one wins Vista.
0 Votes
+ -
Am I spurprised?
mwagner@... 15th Oct 2008
Not really. MS is simply dealing with perception though. No matter what you call it, "Windows 7" is still based upon the NT6 (Vista) kernel.

Now MS can choose to rename the kernel without making any serious changes if they want and call it version 7.x.xxxx but we call know it is really version 6.1.xxxx of the NT6 kernel.

If MS ends up calling it Windows 7, they will need to lie about it and call it the NT7 kernel and change the version number to 7.x though. Otherwise, they are going to cause LOTS of confusion.

In the end, the name is unimportant. It's the (total unfounded) public perception of Vista which Microsoft needs to adjust.
0 Votes
+ -
Version confusion...?
logic_earth Updated - 15th Oct 2008
Why would a different Kernel Version cause confusion? It doesn't seem to affect Linux distros. The Kernel version is completely different to the distribution version. How many people do you know, that are average computer users actually know Windows Vista is Windows NT 6.0?
0 Votes
+ -
RE: Windows 7 will be called... Windows 7
Neutron Man 15th Oct 2008
As release date will probably be close to 2010 why not Windows OS-10
0 Votes
+ -
A little double entendre there?
MGP2 Updated - 15th Oct 2008
why not Windows OS-10

Hmmmm...Roman number for 10 = X.
OS-10 = OS-X.

"I'm a Mac"
"I'm a PC with an operating system whose name sounds like a Mac"

Then again, OS10 might work. It could be called OS10tatious. wink
0 Votes
+ -
OMG-ROTFLMAO!!!! [nt]
sqr(cos(180)) 15th Oct 2008
.
0 Votes
+ -
If you put lipstick on 7 it's still Windows.
0 Votes
+ -
why 10???? windows 3.xx 3
windows 95 4
windows 98 5
windows me 6
windows nt 7
windows 2000 8
windows 2003 9
windows xp 10
windows vista 11
windows7 12
0 Votes
+ -
I cannot believe this,,,
raul62 16th Oct 2008
Hi Danny boy,
95, 98 and 98 ME were the Home/SOHO variant. All of them were 95, a kind of 4.0 light. NT was the true 4.0, industrial performance (in its days).
Win 2000 joined 9x line and 4.0. It was the true 5.0.
Win 2003 belongs to the server side.
XP is 6.0
Vista says to be 6.0 as well.
The next one should be 7.0 (let's hope a real 7.0)

Kind regards, Raul
0 Votes
+ -
DOS != NT
logic_earth Updated - 16th Oct 2008
You are mixing Windows NT with DOS, two different branches of Windows.

Windows NT 3.*
Windows NT 4
Windows 2000
Windows XP
Windows Server 2003
Windows Vista / Server 2008
Windows 7
0 Votes
+ -
Consumer line
logic_earth 16th Oct 2008
Actually if you go down the consumer line of Windows it matches up to 7 version.

Windows 3.*
Windows 95
Windows 98
Windows ME
Windows XP
Windows Vista
Windows 7

Of course there is Windows 1.0 and 2.0 but how main stream were those two in the consumer market?
0 Votes
+ -
Uhm... what about Windows 2000?
renfred.teo@... 19th Oct 2008
Uhm... what about Windows 2000? That version was quite a mainstream commercial release of Windows too. So Windows 7, is not really a #7 version by any stretch of the imagination, even ignoring version 1 & 2 doesn't work.
0 Votes
+ -
RE: Windows 7 will be called... Windows 7
jackson1984-24316069205748857739440257893812 10th Oct
Hey, i imagine you visited my web sites so i arrived to "return the favour".I mulberry bags am hunting for procedures to include variables to my web sites!I suppose its alright to use many within your possible choices!!

Join the conversation!

Formatting +
BB Codes - Note: HTML is not supported in forums
  • [b] Bold [/b]
  • [i] Italic [/i]
  • [u] Underline [/u]
  • [s] Strikethrough [/s]
  • [q] "Quote" [/q]
  • [ol][*] 1. Ordered List [/ol]
  • [ul][*] · Unordered List [/ul]
  • [pre] Preformat [/pre]
  • [quote] "Blockquote" [/quote]
ie8 fix

The best of ZDNet, delivered

ZDNet Newsletters

Get the best of ZDNet delivered straight to your inbox

Facebook Activity

White Papers, Webcasts, & Resources
ie8 fix