Microsoft to hand out Windows 7 "pre-betas" at PDC, WinHEC
By Donald Melanson 
posted September 25th 2008 4:57PM
posted September 25th 2008 4:57PM
We've already seen a few apparent Windows 7 screenshots and videos turn up, and it looks like there could soon be plenty more where those came from, as Microsoft has now officially announced that it'll be handing out "pre-beta" builds of the OS at both the Professional Developer Conference (PDC) in late October and the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC) in early November. As we had heard previously, you can also expect to hear plenty of technical details about the OS straight from Microsoft at PDC and, who knows, we may even get word of an actual release date.
It sounds like they will actually have fewer versions - which is good.
Maybe it was excessive, maybe not. But FFS there were only four versions; I'm sure you don't have the same problem keeping up with the four iPod models now do you?
I agree with Chris, it just seems to soon to release a new windows release. They should either offer it at a for free or at least for a cheaper price for vista owners especially for the people that forked out the money for vista ultimate.
I've gotta say, my favorite new feature of Windows 7 Ultimate is Item 2, by far. Though Item 3 has been a long time coming.
But seriously, everyone knows Item 1 is a worthless resource hog.
What are these items? I'm sure Item 1 is DreamTheater...What's 2 and 3?
I WANT I WANT
I likey
Vista by any other name is still Vista.
"If" not "With"
Five years, millions and millions of dollars spent on R&D, supposedly. Thousands of engineers working feverishly, supposedly. Upon release... Vista is a dud. Thank goodness that monopoly guaranteed profits/sales from Windows PC manufacturers stuck loading Vista. Two years later, Windows 7 is introduced as new.
It's really more like a giant service pack for Vista but it will be sold as a full version with 50 versions coming out. W7 Ultimate, W7 Pro, W7 Basic, W7 32 Ultimate, W7 64 Ultimate, W7 Pro 32, W7 64 Pro, W7 Basic 32, W7 Home Edition 32 bit..... yada yada yada....
Or, you know, just the same 3 that were used for Vista- Basic, Premium, and Ultimate. Not hard- actually very simple. The 32 bit and 64 bit variations aren't their own special versions. They're the same as the others, just running optimally on different setups.
But hey- I can understand why you're mad- you probably bought Leopard... You know, the equivalent to a Window's Service Pack that we get for free. Just like the iPod, money hungry Apple just can't support their products properly. They give you a few nice features and then nickel and dime you to death as well as install crap you don't want with their "updates" (us, and the rest of the tech world, that you obviously aren't connected to, call it bloatware).
50 versions? Prove it.
Oh its ZG. Back to confuse himself again. Glad you figured out how to reply properly. LOL
"Just like the iPod.... few nice features..." uh huh. Well at least with the iPod, iPhone/Touch, we can enjoy, thanks to the new features..
8.5 million songs
125,000 podcasts
30,000 television episodes
2,600 movies
HD TV Mainstream Shows
Mobile Games....
On your Zune for Vista, you get.... Squirt.
What about the all important feature "price"? The full version of Vista should cost $129 or less.
Apple manages to price their OS (which has more features but sells less) ... at $129 .. so why the hell can't Microsoft?
Thats because Apple's OS is only worth $129.
Because Apple is selling you a service pack and MS gives those away for free.
So should Microsoft require proprietary over-priced hardware to run their OS as well?
Apple doesn't make their OS for $129 a copy. They take a loss (or possibly break even) and make up for the difference elsewhere.
Apple and Microsoft have different business models. Apple manages to generate the extra revenue via their hardware sales, which the OSX that you later purchase is bound to.
Apple sells their software for cheaper because Apple is a hardware company. That and they also nickle and dime you for every service pack they release. In the end, Apple costs their users more money.
Torrent sites to hand out Windows 7 "pre-betas" after PDC, WinHEC
I'm waiting for the first person to report it is slow on their computer and then some MS Fanboy to say - it runs fine on my tape dispenser because I have 2 GIGs of ram - it must be your computer or "that's why it is still beta"
it amuses me to see everyone treating this as big news when this is standard procedure for Microsoft for these two conferences
apples software only works on certian or apple computers, thats why they sell it at 129$
Interesting comment relating to the article
* Interesting comment relating to the article Item 1
* Interesting comment relating to the article Item 2
* Interesting comment relating to the article Item 3
Zeus: better than you'd think.
Article based on Mac placeholders
Article based on Mac placeholders
Article based on Mac placeholders
http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/25/new-mac-placeholders-appear-in-future-shop-stock-system/
I wouldn't be surprised if the press find out once the open up the packaging, the cd is just an OS X installation DVD.
Hey- I hear Jubei gives good head- is this true?
I heard they were giving out OSX dvd's, but they were only to rest the beer mugs that come in the package. Thats all they are good for anyways.
Microsoft better have a really good deal for upgrading to this version. Heck Vista isn't even 2 years old yet and Windows 7 is about to hit beta?!
@CaptCaveman: Yes, Microsoft is coming out with windows 7 a bit "soon" after Vista. Regardless of how "bad" vista was (please don't start another flaming contest...), look back at their history. How often were they releasing OS's? The most obvious ones: Windows '95 and Windows 98 (Not gonna mention ME...) as in 1995 and 1998. Not a MAJOR update, but a substantial one nonetheless. that's three years in between the two of them. As of now, Windows 7 is slated for end of '09 or Q1 of '10 (rumors as of right now, but possible, especially since they're already kickin' out the alpha). So that puts it at about 3 years, unless my math is incorrect.
Soon? Yep. But it's only because they stuck with XP for SO long, but that's another topic all together. XP was around for nearly 5 years before "Longhorn" came around.
Microsoft is getting back into their roots, getting back to the patterns that made them so successful in the first place. A step in the right direction.
Signed up with a code my manager gave me "PDC2008". Hope it owrks for you. Saved 200 bucks. Cheers.
Why would ANYONE demo a Microsoft Windows version X beta? Microsoft has historically made it difficult, if not impossible to remove a beta of Windows without a complete reformat and reinstall of whatever previous version of Windows one had originally installed.
If Microsoft wants beta testers, Microsoft should provide complete ability to install the beta of their newest and bestest version on a separate partition, and provide an uninstall utility to restore the original boot sector on the user's HD.
Perhaps I missed something when I jumped through hoops to install a late beta of Vista, and when I was fed up to my neck with Vista, had to reformat to reinstall my working XP. No, the boot sector utility DID NOT WORK, so get over that.
Q
Hey Bill, if you think I'm dumb enough to pay for Service Pack 2 just because you haven't made windfall profits from Vista you're Freaking nuts.. It is so obvious that this should be distributed for "Free", as it's nothing more than a ton of needed patches put together & referred to by another name...
What patches do you need? Tried Windows Update? Or are you making up a little story there? One where you're running Vista, need something unspecified patched, and will HAVE to go to Win7 against your will?
- Bill.
Nice. So, they will be on BitTorrent sites really soon.....