Windows 7 Beta goes public
![](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/8af29xcKwgBts26jEpl6qg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTYzNw--/https://s.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/GAZ3Xv1irDXwo4TK9iUG.Q--~B/aD0zOTg7dz02MDA7YXBwaWQ9eXRhY2h5b24-/https://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2009/01/keynote-0158-ballmer.jpg)
But this time, you don't have to head over to your favorite torrent tracker to get it. Microsoft just began its Windows 7 Beta Customer Preview Program, which means you can head on over to your favorite internet, download the ISO, burn a DVD and start living the ultra-fantastic lifestyle of a Windows 7 user. The Beta expires August 1, 2009, and Microsoft is of course piling on the caveats in case this destroys your computer with fire -- and limiting this first run of downloads to 2.5 million users. We're hearing reports of sluggish downloads at the moment, but we're sure with a bit of patience you can be rocking this OS -- or, you know... find it on the torrents.
Update: Oops. Microsoft's Windows 7 download servers have crashed under the strain as has the Microsoft blog reporting the crash. We'll let you know when the servers (and Windows 7 beta) return.
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