(image found on ARS technica)There have been a lot of various rumors out there on Windows 7. But, Microsoft is now announcing that if all goes as planned Windows 7 beta users will be able to get the Release Candidate build on April 10, 2009 according to Microsoft.
"Microsoft is currently compiling pre-RC builds of Windows 7, the latest build being 7046. Many beta testers are frustrated that they have not received a build since build 7000, which was released to everyone on January 9, 2009.
When Ars asked Sinofsky if Microsoft Connect testers as well as MSDN and TechNet subscribers will get the RC before the public, Sinofsky told me no: "The build will be available broadly."
Sinofsky has also been talking to Geeksmack, sending them an e-mail yesterday dispelling the buzz that Microsoft wasn't paying attention to what testers were saying: "We have received an amazing amount of feedback, many suggestions for new features too, during the beta—over 500,000 suggestions just from the Send Feedback button (which is only one of many feedback mechanisms). Putting that in perspective it is 500 suggestions for each and every developer on the Windows team, just since beta!" That is a lot of feedback to go through, and it looks like Sinofsky is up to the challenge."
(image found on Amazon.com)So it looks like the Windows 7 release is getting closer and closer. I have had Windows 7 installed on a Samsung NC10-14GB 10.2-Inch Netbook (1.6 GHz Intel Atom Processor, 2 GB RAM, 160 GB Hard Drive, 6 Cell Battery) Blue and it works great. I installed an assortment of various utilities and programs on the machine too so i can see if this version of windows will work or flop. So far it works great.
Granted its not as fast as my desktop or my full sized Lenovo x300. But, for the tasks I've been using it for, the machine works great with Windows 7. I think these netbooks that are now coming on the market are a great idea and they do perform well for basic computer use.
I look forward to seeing how the Release Candidate will perform on it as opposed to the beta since things do change from one version to the other, that i saw in Vista and it wasn't pleasent.
Rumor: public to get Windows 7 RC build on April 10, 2009 (ARS technica)
