Windows 7 - Build 6801 Already Leaks

I won't give out any information on where you can get the file, but, suffice it to say, it appears at least one attendee of PDC couldn't keep their software to themselves, and decided to put build 6801, or Windows 7's M3 build (the 32-bit version only at the time of this post), out into the open.

This should come as no shock to anyone really, considering some that attended PDC had certainly no allegiance to Microsoft, and no reason to hold back on letting everyone else join in the fun. Build 6933, which some feel could be the Beta 1 version Microsoft releases either later in '08, or in early '09, will be a tougher find on torrent sites and elsewhere. This build has only been released for internal testing, and those that actually do have a copy certainly have a vested interest in making sure it doesn't go out.

Build 6933 screenshots, taken from PDC itself and posted on Teknobites, show an all new taskbar, a simplified interface for syncing external devices, and a cool graphical feature that entirely glasses open windows so that gadgets and other desktop items can be seen.

Windows Cloud: Bad Timing?

With all the hype surrounding Windows 7's Pre-Beta 1 being debuted at PDC, Microsoft definitely wouldn't do anything to steal the thunder from under the next version of their flagship product . . . or would they? Well, Steve Ballmer actually seems to have done just that by, likely prematurely, mentioning that Windows Cloud, a cloud-computing based OS, will also surface at PDC.

Despite mentioning the product, not a whole heck of a lot was mentioned about Windows Cloud by Ballmer, but it does appear as if it will compete directly with Google App Engine and Amazon EC2. Microsoft wants to go beyond just web-based application use within browser windows, and move onto integrating these apps with Windows Cloud.

So, what the heck does this all mean? As John Brandon mentions over at Computerworld, a "cloud" OS isn't really a tangible thing, but more of an idea. From what I understand, it would include an incredibly light infrastructure from the OS itself, and then have straight web-based apps that ran so that the system resources wouldn't be bogged down.

It almost sounds like Ballmer wants to turn Windows into a web-based form of Linux: a quick, stripped down OS where open source apps rule the world. I'm getting ahead of myself, thinking Microsoft would open up Windows Cloud to programmers galore . . . but I can dream, can't I?

Back to the timing of all this. Why would Ballmer drop this ball when Windows 7 is slated to be the focal point of the PDC? He dropped the news at a Microsoft-sponsored conference in London, and apparently went on to bash Google's web-based offering, saying that wants "software more powerful than software that runs in a browser."

Oh snap Steve! They're reeling at the Google HQ now. I'm a Microsoft guy, but he's gotta get past the jealousy, and recognize that Google has gotten to the "cloud" realm first, and is doing a pretty good job laying the foundation for web-based apps to come.

Windows 7 Beta Coming Sooner Rather Than Later?

According to a couple sources, it actually sounds as if the first beta of Windows 7 (possibly still codenamed "Vienna," although I haven't heard it called that name for quite some time) will likely be dropping before the end of the year.

Mary Jo Foley, an author on all things Windows who I particularly enjoy reading, has made it known that she belives that Microsoft will not introduce Beta 1 at either PDC (October) or WinHEC (November), two upcoming Microsoft conferences. Although, she does mention that it appears as if Microsoft will be on target for a mid-Decemeber release of Beta 1, which would mean it would be public in beta form for about a year before its consumer release target in early 2010 (NOTE: Many people posting around have now seem to come to the conclusion that Microsoft is dead set on late 2009, but they've said 3 years after general availability of Vista, which was January, 2007, so I still look at it as early '10).

However, there is another source claiming that Beta 1 goodness will reach the public even earlier than December. Andy Patrizio at InternetNews.com apparently has a source that puts the RTM release of Windows 7 in June, 2009, and a Beta 1 release at PDC. In fact, Patrizio believes that the Beta 1 will actually be released to the general public on the first day of PDC, October, 27.

Considering I'm a tech guy, and love beta testing, I really hope that Patrizio is right. For those of you out there thinking a 2009 release means that certain proposed additions to Windows 7 will get cut as a result of the early release, you're really missing the main thing here:

Windows 7 will NOT, mark my words, be a major OS release. Those who have tried, or currently have, Vista will be surprisingly familiar with 7, because it will simply be Vista +. Is this a bad thing? No. I assume Windows 7 will have all the reliability that Vista will have one year from now, which should mean the OS will be pretty stable.

Upgraders from XP who initially tried to upgrade to Vista in 2007 will probably say "wow, this Windows 7 recognizes a lot of my devices, and never crashes on me!" Well, guess what, Vista in 2009/2010 would do the same thing! Windows 7 is going to retain the Vista kernel, and devices that work under Vista will also work under 7. Windows 7 will simply add the touch capabilites, Office ribbon, and faster boot times that have already been talked about.

If you haven't upgraded to Windows Vista, you may as well try it out, because what it represents as an OS will be the Microsoft standard for the next few years to come.