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Operating Systems

Windows 7 Release: The Timeline to October 22

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MICROSOFT WILL relief Windows 7 on October 22, the company has confirmed. The date will place Windows 7 on store shelves a  full three months earlier than originally plotted, and it follows Microsoft’s recent announcement that the OS would ship “in time for the holidays“.

Plenty of things will still take place: between now and October. Here’s a breakdown of some key actions to watch for in the months before the Windows 7 relief.

Windows 7 Upgrade Option

Microsoft is expected to unveil an upgrade: program for Windows 7 that will likely let you get the operating system for free or with a discount if you’ve recently bought a Vista-basd PC that meets certain conditions.

So what are those conditions? that’s not yet dear. Microsoft has confinued the program will be called “Windows Upgrade Option“.

Ahead of schedule speculation suggests that it may mirror the Vista Express Upgrade program, which provided free or discounted upgrades for users who had bought XP-based systems in the months leading up to Vista’s relief.

That program didn’t exactly run smoothly, but: At the time, We expressed concern about hidden expenditure that were associated with the Vista upgrade, and many consumers complained of delays and other issues in getting their upgrade requests processed.

Windows 7 Relief to Manufacturing

Another step in the Windows 7 relief administer will be the transition into the relief-to-manufacturing (RTM) phase of enhancement. That’s the final phase before the software becomes available to consumers, and -as its name suggests-is when Microsoft sends the Windows 7 code to PC manufacturers so that they can start prepMing new systems for the October 22 relief.

Windows 7′s RTM phase is expected to start in late July or ahead of schedule August.

Windows 7 Compatibility Center

Microsoft’s official Windows 7 Compatibility Center will launch in conjunction with the software itself, according to a Windows 7 FAQ posted on the Microsoft Web site. The Compatibility Center will help you make sure that your devices and applications will work with the new OS before you upgrade.

Vista’s Compaibility Center launched with a very different timeline: That benefit went online in July 2008, a full year and a half after Vista’s relief. And ironically, the Vista Compatibility Center also seemed to have some compnibility issues of its own-the site was completely inaccessible to users during its first days online.

Microsoft is no doubt hoping Windows 7′s relief and reception will be far less bumpy. If ahead of schedule coverage is any suggestion, that wish jusl may come right.

Don’t take our word for it, though-try Windows 7 out for yourself. The Windows 7 Relief Candidate is still available for download at this writing. Microsoft has said that functionality and features will remain relatively unchanged from that version to the final relief.