Ballmer unleashes Windows 7 into public beta

Thu Jan 8, 2009 11:12AM EST

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As was widely expected, at last night's CES keynote speech, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer gave Windows 7 the full dog and pony show, formally announcing the availability of the upcoming operating system as a public beta.

Want to see what the fuss is all about? You can download it starting January 9 at www.microsoft.com/windows7 and give it a spin on your own PC. (You will have to burn the OS to a DVD in order to install it, so prepare accordingly.)

Ballmer acquitted himself admirably in his first CES keynote (a job that's been diligently performed by Bill Gates every year for as long as anyone can remember), but aside from the beta news, there was little that was truly earth-shaking in the presentation, largely consisting of demos of previously seen features and a lot of talk of corporate partnerships and economic tough love.

Ballmer also formally launched Windows Live Essentials, at last officially bringing it out of beta. Not much new here aside from its non-betaness. As well, Robbie Bach, president of Microsoft's entertainment and devices division, came out to discuss some largely well-known announcements, including the upcoming Halo games, plus more news about partnerships with hardware makers like Toshiba.

You can watch the entire keynote (82 minutes) at the link in the first paragraph.

Comments on Ballmer unleashes Windows 7 into public beta

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  • 6 Posted by sdelliott31 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:10PM EDT Report Abuse

    The end date is 8/1/09, however I read that you'd be able to extend the license by 30 day increments up to 120 days after that, but then if the O/S hasn't been released, I'd assume you'd have to install something else. I'm really excited about what I've read about Windows 7, I wish they'd let it be a Beta, with the option to purchase so you wouldn't have to worry what to do when the license expires.

  • 7 Posted by wildone_106 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:46PM EDT Report Abuse

    Not installing this. Sounds like a tuned up(down) Vista. Im still quite happy with XP thank you.

  • 8 Posted by andrew6868 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:53PM EDT Report Abuse

    Gee wiz, Vista isn't worth a crap, so now here comes another one.. What are they thinking... Ya, they said a lot of good things about vista too, then reality set in..

  • 9 Posted by odegani@pacbell.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:43PM EDT Report Abuse

    It would have been nice, no, absolutely imperative that an announcement be made as to how Vista customers should be compensated for the hassle, agony and expense, suffered on account of Vista. Obviously, none was made. I guess Windows 7 will cost my second arm and leg...!

  • 10 Posted by joecontreras@ymail.com on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:38PM EDT Report Abuse

    Vista was/is actually a good OS, especially after SP1. I have been in IT for many years (well before XP came out) and I heard the same complaints about XP when it began showing it's face years back. If Windows 7 is just a tuned up and feature added Vista it should be a big boost for Microsoft. Looking forward to downloading and installing it tomorrow.

  • 11 Posted by lafguys on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:55PM EDT Report Abuse

    If I am looking to buy a new computer in the next couple of months should I just wait?

  • 12 Posted by hbunnell04 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:17PM EDT Report Abuse

    This reminds me of the Windows ME era. It was a nightmare, I "upgraded" back to 98, and waited til XP came out. Xp was released not long after ME, I suppose as an apology of sorts. :) Deja Vu anyone?

  • 13 Posted by jleslie48 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:36PM EDT Report Abuse

    OH yeah, I can't wait to jump on board this... I'm still in the process of reloading all these Vista machines back to XP so my people can actually get some work done.

  • 14 Posted by mmerobin on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:23PM EDT Report Abuse

    Microsoft is at a crossroads; either Windows continues to stagger under legacy programming for ancient versions and becomes ever more buggy (we get how many patches per week?!)... or Microsoft takes the Apple route and throws Windows out the window for a wholly Linux-based product with no legacy junk fettering it. Yes, it'll wreak havoc in the business community, but hey, Apple does this almost every other year and look where they are! Until then, I'm hoarding my XPpro discs.

  • 15 Posted by sparkyhoosier on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:35PM EDT Report Abuse

    What's wrong with XP? All of these versions is confusing more and more people.

  • 16 Posted by latte212000 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:57PM EDT Report Abuse

    Well said odegani. Last year I needed to buy a new desktop and had no choice but to get the Vista O/S. If Windows 7 turns out to be a major improvement over Vista, I think customers who already have Vista should be able to download Windows 7 for free. If you wanted to buy XP, MS made it difficult for you to do so.

  • 17 Posted by kawaasani on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:48PM EDT Report Abuse

    It took him 80+ minutes to present this? I could have done it in 2 words..."Ho Hum" (where IS that Vista Patch???)

  • 18 Posted by amigax123 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:52PM EDT Report Abuse

    I got a kick out of the headline "Ballmer unleashes Windows 7 into public" which makes it sound like one of the 7 plagues of ancient Egypt. After Vista, maybe it's appropriate.

  • 19 Posted by tigerball_0893 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:09PM EDT Report Abuse

    well.. let's check it out more info regarding this windows 7

  • 20 Posted by bloo_dog on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:09PM EDT Report Abuse

    Whatever happened to fixing Vista? Thanks, Microshaft. And what, pray tell, does the number 7 refer to? Have I missed something? You know, I held onto Windows 98 (Never boughtt XP), and when 98 was no longer supported by The Developer That Dare Not Speak Its Name (with Vulture Home Premium preinstalled) , I bought a new computer. I performed a clean reinstallation of Win98 onto my old 256 HP machine, and that baby outperforms Vista on a Dell 510s 2 gig machine in every way. I just can't use it online, and I don't network it. I think there's money to be made in buying legacy platforms and licenses now, then reselling them later. Bloo Dog

  • 21 Posted by randypj@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:29PM EDT Report Abuse

    W2K Pro SP4. Still the best and most stable OS, other than DOS, ever made by M$ft. 3rd party software out to do everything you want in a "normal" OS. But, no, can't stop with good enough.....there's gotta be more $$$'s to be made by forcing junk down our throats.

  • 22 Posted by pal350 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:48PM EDT Report Abuse

    I spent 23 years in the data processing field and never ran across an OS as poorly conceived as Vista. Even MicroSludge itself admitted shoving the V-word out the door before many components were ready. Then they expected users to help them work out the bugs! My 80+ y-o mom (who's made impressive strides learning how to process her camera pix, tracking stocks, etc. under Win 2000) was literally reduced to abject frustration after finding virtually none of her programs would even install on her new laptop. I use 98SE, 2000, and XP depending on machine and application. After messing with Vista I wouldn't touch it with a 10-ft USB cable.

  • 23 Posted by adinsfo on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:46PM EDT Report Abuse

    Ballmer needs to fix Vista or return the money to the people and then talk Windows 7 or whatever

  • 24 Posted by alan_r_cam on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:49PM EDT Report Abuse

    Gotta love the MS talk about "Homegroup" making home networking easy.. PROVIDED you have windows 7 everywhere. So if you have XP, Vista, Ubuntu, OSX, or even a big ol' NAS setup, you're hosed before you even start !

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