Windows 7 released to manufacturing

Microsoft has released the much anticipated Windows 7 operating system to RTM, or Released To Manufacturing. This is the last software development step in which all changes are considered finalized and the product is sent off to computer makers. Windows 7 will start appearing on shelves and in computers sold at retail come October 22, with an earlier September 1 date for businesses.  

Until then, it will be all marketing work, though Microsoft has taken a decidedly muted response this time round. Indeed, the New York Times reported on how even "the excitable Steve Ballmer," has toned down somewhat where Windows 7 is concerned.

This is probably understandable in the context of the disaster that was Windows Vista. And we all know about Windows Vista, which was widely known to be bloated, and which ran ruinously slower than Windows XP, the predecessor it was supposed to replace. As a confirmation of how poorly Windows Vista was received, a recent Forrester Research report noted that 86 percent of corporate PCs continue to run on Windows XP. This is a staggering figure, considering that Windows XP was first released some eight years ago.

On the positive side though, reaction to Windows 7 has been very much in the positive. I've personally used it for almost three weeks, and I am certain that I will upgrade from Windows Vista to Windows 7 when it becomes available. And yes, I would consider it an upgrade this time.  I suppose it helps that most versions of Windows 7 will be slightly cheaper than comparable versions of Windows Vista.

Mike Angiulo, the general manager of Windows, sums up the current situation by telling the New York Times, "This is the first time we haven't doubled the system requirements with a new release."  What irony.

For more on this story:
- check out this article at the New York Times

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