Microsoft: No Beta 2 For Windows 7

Microsoft: No Beta 2 For Windows 7

Author JoeDigital

Microsoft Corporation announced on Friday that there will not be a Beta 2 release for the new Windows 7 operating system. For many in the industry, this did not come as a big surprise, given the expected Release of the OS late this summer. Instead of a Beta 2, Windows 7 will be moving directly to a Release Candidate (RC), and the final round of testing and feedback before the final.

One advantage for this OS is that it is not really a totally new creation. While Windows 7 is the replacement for the highly criticized Vista, which replaced the highly criticized XP, this version still uses a great deal of Windows Vista code, and is really more of a streamlined version than a new OS in its own right. Because of a reluctance of computer users to switch from XP to Vista, Microsoft hopes this version will have more appeal, and draw less critical fire.

A final release date has not yet been announced, but the latest announcement included a schedule of testing leading up to the big event:

• Pre-Beta – Developer testing and awareness. Already complete.
• Beta - General user testing and feedback. Currently in progress.
• Release Candidate - Final testing and modifications at the industry level.
• Release To Manufacturing - Final release to the computer industry.
• General Release – Public Release. Expected to be between August and October.

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