Mark your calendar: October 22 for Windows 7 official

Tue Jun 2, 2009 4:27PM EDT

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Microsoft is today confirming what has been widely suspected for nearly a month: Windows 7 is now slated to ship officially on October 22, 2009.

Previous rumor had it wrong by just one day: In early May, Acer leaked that October 23, 2009 would be launch day. Despite the grievous error, I'm still going to give them credit for this one, though.

While some had been dreaming of a Windows 7 launch in time for back-to-school, the October time frame still gives manufacturers and Win7 enthusiasts plenty of opportunity to outfit machines for the holiday season and gives Microsoft a shot at redeeming 2009, which has otherwise been a lost cause from a sales standpoint.

The next issue becomes a guessing game of whether the ship date will slip. Not only has this been known to happen in the past, it's almost never been known not to happen as far back as I can remember. Vista, for example, was originally scheduled to ship in 2003. It ultimately was released in January 2007.

That's an extreme example, of course, and actually I don't think we'll see that problem here. In fact, my bet is that, for once, Microsoft will hit its deadline and get Windows 7 out the door as scheduled. The beta process for Windows 7 has gone more seamlessly than any other Windows product I can recall, with in general nothing but praise for the changes Microsoft has made since Windows Vista.

And so the next question gets handed over to you: Will you upgrade your existing PC to Windows 7? Will you buy a new computer? Or will you pass on the operating system altogether? Windows 7 is awfully stable right now, but that will improve after it's been on the market for a few months and sees its first round of patches. Is this going to be another "wait for the Service Pack" release, or are you confident enough about Windows 7 to be an early adopter?

Comments on Mark your calendar: October 22 for Windows 7 official

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  • 6 Posted by jammer2k@sbcglobal.net on Tue Jun 2, 2009 6:23PM EDT Report Abuse

    Been running the Beta and now RC on my HTPC, have to say I really like it. Probably will buy it within a few weeks of it coming out for that system and then maybe later for my game system which is still running XP. Anybody running the Beta or RC have any compatibility issues?

  • 7 Posted by dcsoccer25 on Tue Jun 2, 2009 6:26PM EDT Report Abuse

    I've got the RC running on my old laptop. I haven't gotten into much heavy use yet but have only had one problem so far, and it's not really a Windows problem. I like it and - depending on the price - will most likely start dual-booting shortly after it comes out.

  • 8 Posted by jseyfield on Tue Jun 2, 2009 7:42PM EDT Report Abuse

    Looks good but I will wait until they stop supporting Vista. I actually am content with Vista. I was thinking about switching to Linux when they stop support but after some prelimenary trials I think I'll stick to Windows.

  • 9 Posted by swg1952 on Tue Jun 2, 2009 8:18PM EDT Report Abuse

    I've used the beta and am using the rc. I like it. I'm scheduling my next new build, an intel i7 rig, to coincide with the release of win7. I've been putting it off, waiting on an actual release date of win7.

  • 10 Posted by shadowman_26 on Tue Jun 2, 2009 8:48PM EDT Report Abuse

    I will be buying the day it is released. Don't know yet what version I will be buying.

  • 11 Posted by azfreel2000 on Wed Jun 3, 2009 1:19AM EDT Report Abuse

    I’ll wait…again to see if 7 will support my scanners and printers. Vista won’t so why would I think 7 will. Are we supposed to take our legacy printers and equipment to a land fill? Apparently we must as uSoft has shown itself to be 180 degrees opposite green on the color wheel regarding being a green corporation. Let’s see how our peripheral equipment survives this “updated” OS. The peripheral equipment manufacturers may just love it all over again as they did with Vista. I’ll hang on to my XP…again and see if Windows 7 is another OS with lipstick.

  • 12 Posted by hlawlink on Wed Jun 3, 2009 3:08AM EDT Report Abuse

    I will buy a new laptop shipping with Windows 7 for sure.

  • 13 Posted by shadowman_26 on Wed Jun 3, 2009 7:10AM EDT Report Abuse

    azfreel....here's the scoop on 7. It is using almost the same exact driver model as Vista. You say it's Vista's fault that your scanner and printer don't work. Try placing the blame on the manufacturer of such hardware as THEY did not make Vista drivers. I just love how people blame Redmond and Microsoft over everything, including things that they didn't make.

  • 14 Posted by k600r@verizon.net on Wed Jun 3, 2009 7:52AM EDT Report Abuse

    Good operating system so far with only very minor glitches that I can see. I'm sure Microsoft will fix the little bugs before it hits the shelves at stores in October as they seem very serious about getting this one right.

  • 15 Posted by jamesporourke on Wed Jun 3, 2009 10:49AM EDT Report Abuse

    Windows 7 runs like a dream, I'll upgrade the moment my beta licence runs out

  • 16 Posted by donferney@ymail.com on Wed Jun 3, 2009 11:14AM EDT Report Abuse

    Am thinking about it.. just got Vista Utimate about 7 months ago and don't like putting more bucks if there is not a signifcant advantage to upgrade. Maybe MS can give us Utimate buyers some kind of discount.. dream on!!!

  • 17 Posted by jmchristian56 on Wed Jun 3, 2009 11:33AM EDT Report Abuse

    Will be building a new computer around this time and will install the new OS.

  • 19 Posted by im4kissimmee on Wed Jun 3, 2009 12:37PM EDT Report Abuse

    Iv'e used 7 RC for 2 weeks. I like it but........Norton 360 is inop and I can't use my Dell v305 wireless printer. Dell says it will issue drivers sonn as does Norton. It's a good system though.

  • 20 Posted by twohlrab3 on Wed Jun 3, 2009 5:22PM EDT Report Abuse

    Windows XP / Ubuntu 8.10 until proven otherwise. Windows 7 = the way vista should have been. I'm sick of giving Monoposoft more money so they can invest it in crappy operating systems.

  • 21 Posted by oett on Thu Jun 4, 2009 11:24AM EDT Report Abuse

    haha windows 7 is the best thing theyve ever done. i actually use the release candidate as my primary computer. its more stable that vista, and its only in beta. beaultiful programming and a shiny ui. im proud of u microsoft!

  • 22 Posted by azfreel2000 on Thu Jun 4, 2009 12:05PM EDT Report Abuse

    shadow man: You may have not thought about collusion. This is common in any industry that one would care to mention. Planed obsolescence on part of the peripheral manufactures, non-support issues for uSoft…OK you may be correct, I’ll blame it on both.

  • 23 Posted by foridude on Thu Jun 4, 2009 1:27PM EDT Report Abuse

    Why would I bother to mark my calendar, for a another useless piece of crap from Microsoft. Microsoft needs to go out of business, they are a monopoly! I haven't used anything from Microsoft in over three years. Linux is the way to go!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • 24 Posted by foridude on Thu Jun 4, 2009 1:29PM EDT Report Abuse

    Did I mention, the first thing I did was to totally remove Vista from my new Laptop. Then i installed Suse Linux!

  • 25 Posted by azfreel2000 on Thu Jun 4, 2009 3:45PM EDT Report Abuse

    foridude on: If uSoft went under then the USSA would bail them out...not a good idea. Then we wouldn’t only have Government Motors, GM east, we’d have Government Microsoft GM west…..that would be ugly. One other post, shadow man mentions "7 is using almost the same exact driver model as Vista". That's enough to scare me away.

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