Microsoft Windows 7 beta due out in January 2009?

Not even a full day after hearing that the Windows Vista / Server SP2 beta would be breaking loose for select individuals tomorrow, in flies word that a Windows 7 beta could be out and about as early as next month. Granted, this conjecture is far less written in stone, but on the official MSDN Developer Conference website we're told that "all attendees will receive a Windows 7 Beta 1 DVD." The events are scheduled to run from December to January, and given the whole "attendees at events scheduled for December will have DVDs mailed to them when they become available" coupled with the line we quoted before, it's a pretty safe bet that next month is it. Hang tight, Windows lovers -- your first real peek into the wide world of WinVII could be just around the bend.

[Via PC World]

[Elideb Posted Dec 3rd 2008 5:01PM]

Unfortunately, if the Vista Beta is a valid reference, this will be no beta. I'd say that Microsoft Project Management Standards call Beta what should be Alpha code, Release Candidate what should be a Beta and Shippable Product what is really an RC. Only after their usual SP1 is released are the Operating Systems complete.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 3rd 2008 5:04PM]

Sweet, I'm gonna start using this full time from the first public beta like I did with vista. Been using it since Beta 2 when it was still code named "Longhorn."

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 3rd 2008 5:20PM]

Anyone know how us normies can get in on the beta action? I mean, without hitting the pirate bay?

[nicmonson Posted Dec 3rd 2008 6:57PM]

and there is something wrong with this...?

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 3rd 2008 10:37PM]

Get Gates and Ballmer on the phone, NOW!

[Llnx Posted Dec 3rd 2008 5:36PM]

Despite what people say, I was impressed with Vista. The improved manageability just from AD was worth it.

With Windows 7, I can only hope it gets better.

And for those who think that Windows never improves... it does! I've been a faithful user since Windows 2.

[chansthename Posted Dec 3rd 2008 7:26PM]

I can't say I'm surprised that windows has improved since 2.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 3rd 2008 6:03PM]

I really hope Microsoft doesnt screw this one up by allowing ridiculous minimum requirements. They need to require 2 GB RAM as a minimum or they and the brand will suffer when all the people who install it on low resource machines complain about it.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 3rd 2008 6:30PM]

The memory footprint in Win 7 has been substantially decreased. Or so people who have gotten their hands on the pre beta has been saying. So unlike Vista, Win 7 should "theoretically" run better on 1GB of RAM. For those wanting to run it on a 512MB system I point and laugh in your general direction.

[ChaosEntity Posted Dec 3rd 2008 9:15PM]

I've been running build 6801 as a virtual machine with 1GB of ram, that's really all you need.

[patho Posted Dec 3rd 2008 6:09PM]

Dear god please make it modular. So much is right with Vista, just give us a lil more love.

[decapitor Posted Dec 3rd 2008 6:16PM]

Since the underpinnings are so similar does anyone know if xp/vista drivers might just work automatically in 7? I need software from several companies that aren't exactly quick when it comes to releasing new drivers, especially 64bit.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 3rd 2008 6:21PM]

Windows 7 is just about as good as they talk about. There a handful of new GUI features that are exciting to play with, and some mouse guestures that make it a new and enjoyable experience.

New movements like dragging up on the task bar icons reveals the "action/sub" menu that lets you acess features like specific folder access of play your music without opening media player (I REALLY hope other companies, Zune Player, take advantage of some of these features). And the other more famous window drag-and-snap motion. Both were a little forgien to my normal movements, but quickly feel normal and quite fun...similar to what i hear from Mac Users when they added multi-touch to the Mac Books.

Windows 7 is great so far with few bugs and is worth enough at the M3 build to be your primary OS. Though look out for sound card driver compatibilty. The sound card in my HP was Vista compatible, but in 7 it says "Not Compatible!!" and blocks the driver from running...this is annoying, but the default windows sound driver works fine.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 3rd 2008 6:24PM]

Engadget, that's some serious date calculations you made there. Thanks for elaborating.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 3rd 2008 6:25PM]

This is actually the first MS OS that I've been excited about in a while. I think the last time was Windows 2000. Vista since day one was always meh. The end result was interesting, but as has been commented on ad nauseum Vista was not fully baked. Don't get me wrong. It has been a hell of a lot more stable then 10.0 when it launched....something Mactards LOVE to forget when they beat on Vista. Yet it has been painful for users who migrated to Vista on day one...who?
Win 7 is to Windows as 10.2 or debatably 10.3 was to OS X. If we are to believe the stability and speed already in beta is is a fully baked OS ready to rock on my quad core Precision laptop that I ordered this week. Bring it on.

To the Mac zealots who are now foaming at the mouth....since this site isn't OS X and you get confused by anything that isn't Apple let me help....the down rank button is over on the right there.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 3rd 2008 10:26PM]

PHAIL. OS X 10.0 is like Windows 8. So good, that its not even up to what Windows will never be in this planet of lifetimes!!!


bakedness!

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 4th 2008 4:31AM]

Here's a tip. If you make sensible statements, such as you just did, then there is no reason to Low Rank you. However, if you describe people in derogatory terms such as "Mactards" and "zealots" then this is deserved. Personally, I absolutely agree with your comment but I'm still Low Ranking you for insulting people.

[say592 Posted Dec 3rd 2008 7:05PM]

Dear Engadget, Please do not refer to Windows 7 as "WinVII" ever again.

Thank you.

[Perspective Posted Dec 3rd 2008 7:09PM]

Scheduled BETA release: January '09. Actual release: January '11.

[TMC Posted Dec 3rd 2008 7:18PM]

I wonder if its gonna be available for MSDN subscribers...

[LonnieDVD Posted Dec 3rd 2008 7:32PM]

I just hope they keep supporting Vista for a few years after Windows 7 comes out. They can't expect every Vista owner to pay another $150 to install Windows 7, even if windows 7 is a major improvement.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 4th 2008 9:35PM]

The Win7 prebeta runs FAST on my old Dell c521 with it's single core Athlon CPU and it's mere 1gb of ram and a lame 2400 ATI graphic card. WOW plays good on it.

You can tell it's been tweaked under the hood a lot to boost speed.

[skatekarate Posted Dec 3rd 2008 8:45PM]

'all attendees* will receive a Windows 7 Beta 1 DVD'

*and those that visit certain (torrent) sites about 35.2 seconds after people leave the conference

[chansthename Posted Dec 3rd 2008 8:51PM]

If you go to the right places you can get it in 30s saving 5.2s of your precious time ; )

[prototism Posted Dec 3rd 2008 8:58PM]

LOL, Windows 7. And we thought Vista was a copycat.

[billy5000 Posted Dec 3rd 2008 11:22PM]

Who gives a crap. Vista was the worst OS I've ever used. Long live XP, I say.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 3rd 2008 11:51PM]

Bring on the 7!

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 14th 2008 10:01PM]

It's interesting how people just want to stick with xp and move on. When xp came out, it was buggy and unstable, and really insecure. Personally, I didn't think much of it originally. Then with SP2, everyone started loving it that as soon as a new OS came out, they refused to move on. Now Windows 7, and people still refuse to go forward. It would be the equivalent of someone saying that they refuse to upgrade from Win 98 (or was it 95 that was so good?) to Vista because they think Vista is crap. Rather, Vista was a step in the right direction. Yeah, there were a lot of complaints, but when have there not been? Vista was better than xp all around, and just because the drivers from third party manufacturers weren't updated isn't Vista's fault. Yeah, Vista could have kept the same structure to keep compatibility (like 7 will do), but then when do you plan to get those updates in the OS that really matter under the hood? Windows xp is dying and people need to move on.

[zero94teen Posted Jan 7th 2009 12:16AM]

I would say... some people are just plain cry babies... listening to what others yak yak yak without trying out.

I pity this people... they don't know what they're missing.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 8th 2009 7:52PM]

I have checked out all I can see is not for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How about you?????????????