Analyst sees Windows 7 done by summer

[Terminator]

Although slumping PC sales will certainly hurt Microsoft, the software maker's year could be better than expected, according to one financial analyst.
In a research note on Monday, Collins Stewart analyst Sandeep Aggarwal projected that Microsoft will finalize the code for Windows 7 by June or July and also suggested that a search deal with Yahoo is likely to happen sooner rather than later. And, although it won't be here this year, Aggarwal said that the next version of Office, code-named Office 14, should come early next year.

Officially, Microsoft has said only that it will have Windows 7 on the market by next January, the three-year anniversary of Windows Vista's mainstream launch. However, the company has been aiming to have it out in time to be on PCs that ship during this year's holiday shopping season. PC industry sources told CNET News last month that Microsoft continues to push toward that goal.
The release of Windows 7 should allow Microsoft to make $1.5 billion in additional revenue, Aggarwal said, with nearly $1 billion coming from the upgrade market and as much as $680 million possible if Microsoft is able to increase the number of premium versions of Windows being used on Netbooks.
Even with a sluggish PC market, that makes the company's shares a good investment, Aggarwal wrote in the note. "We are recommending Microsoft as our top large cap pick because at the current level risk-reward appears to be very compelling," Aggarwal said.
Clearly not all is rosy, Aggarwal noted. "There is no doubt that the trends with PC shipments and Netbooks will get worse for at least the next 2 (quarters) but both of these concerns are now largely reflected in the stock price," he said.

[Odd]

The release candidate version is out and available to the public. If you want a sneak peek, or maybe just want a legit copy of Windows for a spare parts computer to use until next March (or June, depending on useage) here ya go.

The beta was significantly faster than Vista, haven't heard how the RC is by comparison yet, though the leaked builds have retained speed.

Download is about 3gigs. You'll get an .ISO to burn to DVD-R and product key.

Windows 7 Release Candidate Customer Preview Program

If you do check it out, you might also like this tips and tweaks for Win7.
http://blogs.msdn.com/tims/archive/2...7-secrets.aspx

[pgg]

The release candidate version is out and available to the public. If you want a sneak peek, or maybe just want a legit copy of Windows for a spare parts computer to use until next March (or June, depending on useage) here ya go.

The beta was significantly faster than Vista, haven't heard how the RC is by comparison yet, though the leaked builds have retained speed.

Download is about 3gigs. You'll get an .ISO to burn to DVD-R and product key.

Windows 7 Release Candidate Customer Preview Program

If you do check it out, you might also like this tips and tweaks for Win7.
Tim Sneath : The Bumper List of Windows 7 Secrets

I have what any of that means

[Odd]

I have what any of that means

Alpha software is rough, usually the first glance an author will give anyone.

Beta is pretty much there, but with lots of things yet to fix. (Except Google products which are in a permanent beta no matter the state of the code)

Release Candidate is damn near finished, "take a last look and see what I missed"
Often the RC version is the same code you'll see in retail (barring unforeseen major problems)

Then there's Gold, which is the version that goes to press to be sold at retail.

What it means in this instance is newest version of Windows, Windows 7, is being given out to everyone to try for the next 10 months. (it'll start shutting down after 2 hours next March)

All up to whether you want a preview. If you - like normal people - turn the computer on, use it, and turn it off when you're done there's no reason to try W7.

[mtaylor]

I'm running the beta on my home computer and besides some programs not recognizing the operating system it works fine.

[MacLean]

Alpha software is rough, usually the first glance an author will give anyone.

Beta is pretty much there, but with lots of things yet to fix. (Except Google products which are in a permanent beta no matter the state of the code)

Release Candidate is damn near finished, "take a last look and see what I missed"
Often the RC version is the same code you'll see in retail (barring unforeseen major problems)

Then there's Gold, which is the version that goes to press to be sold at retail.

With the certain knowledge that Microsoft's gold version should actually be called a release candidate, of course.

[resq14]

I have a pretty cool setup going right now.

My desktop is a Mac Pro. I have 4 drives inside:
- OS X
- clone of the above
- Ubuntu
- Win7

I can natively run OS X, Ubuntu, and Win7. In OS X, I can also virtually boot into the Win7 drive via Parallels. Mainly I do this for fun, since I have no desire or need to leave OS X.

I will say that I am impressed that Win7 installed with NO problems on my Mac. Just doesn't seem right!