The Windows 7 beta is now available for download from Microsoft. Unlike Vista, this will be the only beta that Microsoft will release. After that, there will be a Windows 7 Release Candidate (probably in about 3 months), followed by the final release itself.
Microsoft is not saying when they will actually release it, but according to Paul Therrott, one of my favorite Windows experts and founder of the Windows Supersite, Windows 7 is basically finished and works very well. The beta expires in August of this year, so that may give you some idea when the actual Windows 7 will hit the market. Another columnist I read, Ed Bott, says to look for a July release.
So, I would not run out and buy a copy of Vista if I were you. From everything I hear, this version of Windows may be a huge success as it can run on many older machines that Vista can never run on and it is much faster. Here is more from Paul:
Paul Thurrott's SuperSite for Windows: Windows 7 Beta Compatibility
On the several PCs to which I've installed the Beta so far--two desktop PCs and four notebook computers--every PC was usable "out of the box," meaning that I never had to seek out third party drivers before actually getting to work.
More on Windows 7
The following is from the most recent Windows XP News Newsletter:
Can I upgrade Windows XP to Windows 7?
QUESTION:
I keep hearing that Windows 7 is the operating system XP users have been waiting for, and now I hear the beta is going to be available to the public. My question: can I upgrade my XP computer directly to Windows 7 or do I have to install Vista first? And if I don't like it, can I roll it back to Windows XP without any problems? Thanks. - Troy L.
ANSWER:
Microsoft released a public beta of Windows 7 last week, announced by Steve Balmer at CES and it's already been downloaded by many computer users. If you're running XP, it's important to note that upgrading from Windows XP is not supported. An upgrade from Vista SP1 to Windows 7 is supported - but we don't recommend it.
The best option is always to do a clean installation, and since this is beta software, we recommend that you either install Windows 7 on a separate partition so you can dual boot it with your current operating system (leaving the current XP or Vista OS intact), or install it in a virtual machine that runs on top of your existing OS. Read more here:
http://www.wxpnews.com/9LH8QB/090113-XP-to-Windows7
For instructions on how to dual boot Windows 7 with XP or Vista, see this article:
http://www.wxpnews.com/9LH8QB/090113-Dual-Boot
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