Like most of my colleagues, I’m feeling pretty upbeat about the new Windows 7 beta. I think almost every one of its new features and tweaks is a step in the right direction, and it’s already replaced Vista on my PC.
But what I find particularly encouraging is not just the code itself, but what it reveals about how Microsoft’s mood and methods have changed since the Vista launch.
For a start, Windows 7 shows every sign of arriving on time, or even early. That alone bespeaks a major improvement in Microsoft’s internal processes. Remember that Vista was originally intended for release in 2003, with a number of headline features that never, in the end, saw the light of day. Its successor, by contrast, is already so complete, and so stable, that many of us here at PC Pro are happily using it as our primary work OS.
What’s more, I think this is the most generous Microsoft beta programme I’ve seen. Anyone at all who wants to try Windows 7 can use the Ultimate edition – in either 32-bit or 64-bit flavour – absolutely free for almost eight months. I’ve had entire computers that didn’t last that long. And, since this beta installed smoothly as an upgrade from the pre-beta distributed at PDC, I’m hopeful that you’ll be able to transition just as cleanly from the beta to the final version when it arrives.
Waking up smarter
When you remember the “Mojave Experiment” of a mere six months ago, Windows 7 seems to represent a remarkable change of heart. The empty swagger of the run-up to Vista is nowhere to be seen. Microsoft seems finally to have recognised that its current woes stem directly from its own past arrogance, and that it can no longer take the patience and loyalty of its user-base for granted. It seems that the company really has, in Steve Ballmer’s deathless phrase, “woken up smarter.”
For it’s surely no coincidence that where Vista was criticised as sluggish and over-complicated, its successor is praised precisely for its responsiveness and simplicity. While Microsoft has been publicly brushing off criticism of Vista its developers have evidently got the message loud and clear - and have acted on it. Now, as our esteemed editor so neatly puts it, the product of their labours is “what Vista should have been.” No wonder they wanted to show it off as widely, and as early, as possible.
Stand and be counted
But though the beta is already here, we’re many months away from the final release. And that gives us all, as Windows users, a rare opportunity. Because if you’ve tried the beta, you’ll have noticed a little link at the top-right of most windows inviting you to “Send Feedback”. Click on it and you can beam your comments on any part of the OS directly to Redmond.
Generally I ignore links like that, and I’m sure you do too. But in this case I think it really is worth using it. I suggest you press it every time you have something to say about Windows 7 – be it praise, a complaint or a suggestion. Let the Windows team know exactly what they’ve got right and what they haven’t.
Because, for once, it looks like Microsoft really is listening. At this stage there may not be time for major code revisions, but there’s a lot they can still do to make Windows 7 the OS we actually want. Let’s help them get there, and not leave them to produce another Vista.
Tags: beta, feedback, Vista, Windows 7
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January 13th, 2009 at 6:30 am
“Its successor, by contrast, is already so complete, and so stable, that many of us here at PC Pro are happily using it as our primary work OS.”
You guys have read the licence agreement, right? Where it states that it cannot be used on work or production machines?
January 13th, 2009 at 1:16 pm
It is just Vista wth a few minor enhancements.
January 13th, 2009 at 1:30 pm
I too am using it as my main OS now. It’s brilliant.
January 13th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
Think I will be downloading it tonight.
I’m probably going to buy a new pc in 2 months and I can install it on that.
Did you all go for the 64 or 32 bit version ?
January 13th, 2009 at 4:22 pm
Well only having a Pentium 4 I had to go for the 32 bit. I want to get a quad core in the next couple of months and then I’ll be getting the 64 bit version
January 13th, 2009 at 6:23 pm
They should give existing Vista customers a free upgrade to the final released version (OS enhancements& bug-fixes used to be called service-packs, before the “Mojave Experiment”).
January 13th, 2009 at 6:42 pm
Forgive my naivety, but what happens when the beta expires? Aren’t Microsoft just going to pull the plug until users buy an upgrade to the release version?
Also maybe someone can enlighten me if it works so well, what are Microsoft spending the next eight months doing? Isn’t that just plenty of time to clobber whatever good work they’ve done?
January 13th, 2009 at 8:16 pm
I’m not sure if you’re getting confused with Trial versions. This is a Beta so there will be no upgrade option to a release version.
It’s for developers and system builders to make sure they are up to date and that their software and hardware works when the OS is released. It’s also so that Microsoft can test it against as many hardware configurations as possible to test for bugs.
There will almost definitely be a Beta 2 coming out that addresses the bugs that are found in this version, possibly some new features and also to test for if any bugs that have been introduced since this version.
Perhaps they will skip a Beta 2 if everything is working really well but then they will make available a Release Candidate which is effectively the finished product, no major code development will be done before general release.
January 14th, 2009 at 7:11 am
c6ten:
“Forgive my naivety, but what happens when the beta expires? Aren’t Microsoft just going to pull the plug until users buy an upgrade to the release version?”
Yes. It is a Beta and at the end of July it will stop working. The user will then need to decide whether they buy an upgrade to Windows 7 (if it has been released) or put some other software on their test system.
It is one of the reasons why Microsoft are at pains to point out, that it should not be used on a production machine, only on test equipment. They also won’t be held responsible for any lost productivity or data - they specifically state that it is a beta and should not be used in a production environment.
It is there for people to see if it can be integrated into their existing infrastructure cleanly, what problems they will encounter etc. All problems with Windows 7 should be reported to Microsoft - that is the main point of the Beta programme, it is there to enable Microsoft to get feedback on what does and doesn’t work from users of diverse software and diverse skill levels.
Anybody who has it on a live machine will have to nuke the machine and re-install after 6 months - I’m not sure if you can upgrade from the Beta to the finished version (which is due Q3 sometime), there would be a lot of library and registry conflicts which could make the finished product unstable, so I’m expecting that the upgrade will not be recommended.
At the end of the day, Microsoft probably don’t worry about upgrading Beta to Live, because, according to their records, everybody who has the beta has agreed to put it on a test rig and not use it in a live environment… :-S
c6ten:
“Also maybe someone can enlighten me if it works so well, what are Microsoft spending the next eight months doing? Isn’t that just plenty of time to clobber whatever good work they’ve done?”
It is still in Beta status, so things like the redraw bugs in Explorer will be worked on. Likewise, they will respond to all bug reports that the Beta Testers filed - this is, again, a large part of the reason for the beta, to get feedback from those that have downloaded and are testing it alongside their normal setups.
As muck says, it is mainly aimed at system developers, software developers and large companies looking at moving to Windows 7 on release - they can get a feel for how it works, work on training courses for their staff, work out processes and procedures for roll-out etc. Oh, and report back any issues they find to Microsoft.
muck:
Microsoft have said that they will not be doing a Beta 2 (although I guess, if they find major problems with Beta 1, they will have to rush out a Beta 2 to cover all the fixes).
I agree though, the system should now be “feature complete” and they are just working on fixing the bugs and general fettling of what is already there.
January 14th, 2009 at 9:10 am
No Beta 2? blimey. They are pushing this one but then it really seems to be feature rich and stable. Still a few bugs here and there so they’ve got 6 months to get them sorted