More information is trickling in on the Windows 7 launch announced for later this year. Expect the code to be released to manufacturing during the second half of July. Anyone using a BETA of Windows 7 will start to see their computers reboot every two hours starting July 1, 2009. If you’re on the Release Candidate you’ll have until June 2010 to move to an official version of Windows 7 (Starter Edition, Home Premium, Professional, Enterprise, and, for emerging markets only, Home Basic). For now Microsoft has nixed plans to limit Starter edition to running only three applications. Watch for details of the upgrade program which will soon be revealed and will allow customers who purchase a new computer with VISTA to upgrade to Windows 7 when that becomes available October 22, 2009. I still think Microsoft’s making another big mistake by segmenting all their different operating system versions. Why not offer one version and make the operating system purchase a much easier choice.

More