The next version of Windows – Windows 7 – will be available in 18 months, according to a letter company senior vice president Bill Veghte has sent to Microsoft customers.
Veghte said Windows 7 will become available three years after Windows Vista became widely available, thus setting the target release date for the new operating system as January 2010.
The letter - titled 'An Update on the Windows Roadmap' - told customers: "You have told us you want a more regular, predictable Windows release schedule", following the 5-year gap between the release of XP and Vista.
Veghte also said Microsoft had learned from the application compatibility problems customers have experienced with Vista, promising the migration process between Vista and Windows 7 will be "straightforward".
"You've also let us know you don't want to face the kinds of incompatibility challenges with the next version of Windows you might have experienced early with Windows Vista. As a result, our approach with Windows 7 is to build off the same core architecture as Windows Vista so the investments you and our partners have made in Windows Vista will continue to pay off with Windows 7."
Veghte's discussion of Windows 7 was part of an effort to clarify the June 30 XP deadline that will see the operating system removed from retail shelves and OEM hardware, and to tout the virtues of Windows Vista.
See also:
Microsoft: Windows XP sales won't stop overnight
See the latest news on Microsoft's next desktop operating system in our Windows 7 spotlight
Comments
Michael T said: One last thing I have Server 2003 running and as an MS Partner I have 2008 available to me What they dont tell you is that 2008 is actually Vista Server 2008 Ive yet to find a business that voluntarily switched from a dependable 2003 server setup to 2008 with any level of success Who wants to triple their server hardware expense only to achieve a less efficient slower once its all setup and running and considerably less dependable server
Michael T said: Im a 15 year Certified MSTech and I have 5 office computers and I would rather close the office than depend on the virtues of Me2Vista for stability Saying that the new 7 OS is based on Vista is like saying the next evil tyrant taking on the world in WW3 is much like Hitler and the new Holocast will be a much easier transition for all of us than last time I tried Vista and after 3 months I lost thousands converting back to XP Pro and the time wasted while I was investigating the possibilities of somehow making Vista Premium work with ANY level of business dependability Explain this 12 of the business printers and business applications out there have no working Vista hotfix andor drivers almost 2 years in people open your eyes I had a New 3k Color printer collecting dust in the other room rendered into doorstop status by Vista The manufacturer a billion dollar company had simply given up on Vista Me too
Simon said: Us system builders are fired up about Vista because we pay good money to put top end hardware into our machines and all Vista does is turn that hardware into a flashy throwback At least XP lets our hardware do its job
V.McClelland said: Ive had Vista since it was released and can honestly say I have had no problems at allIts great And the only people I meet who complain about it are still running XP and have just read some article or listened to hearsay about it apparently being so badAs for the Windows Mac debate who caresIf you like one or the other good for youI use Macs at work and home as well as PCs and much prefer a PC but thats just meSome people like to eat liver but for me I couldnt think of anything worseIts personal preference - get over it
Dom said: Vista is alright had no problems with new software or hardwareWont run circa win 98 programs but hey thats the price of progressQuit your bitchun tards
dave said: Maybe Microsoft should instead focus on having a good migration plan from XP to Win7 as Vista isnt purchased by choice but by the fact that Microsoft has made it difficult for System Builders to leave it as an option as they could only offer it for certain systemsYeah theyll release it in 18 months if all theyre doing is slapping lipstick on the pig that is Vista It should like they are going for more Vista drivers produced by third parties more powerful hardware particularly embedded video chips so Vista can run OK with a rebranding of Vista to Win 7 or whatever will wash the stink of Vista so they can actually sell it to business
David Holley said: Forget about Apple taking over Microsoft as the most dominate company they would have to much to losePeople forget Microsoft have paid a great price for their dominance Heavily criticized closely monitored by every regulator going around not to mention the number of viruses that are targeted towards themDo you really think Apple want this not on your sweet life do they - they have carefully been spreading the notion of no viruses it just works for years and if they were dominate then these pillars of wisdom would all come crashing down
Bill gates mum said: with the next version of windows people will be likely to moan more than ever the majority right now are complaining about vista not being able to run their xp software but what did you expect With an overhaul of windows you cant expect everything you use on xp to work and ms wont want to have to spend even more time adding better backwards compatibility The problem seems to be that with vista most users dont see any major positive changes when comparing to xp With bill leaving ms this could be the companies downfall unlikely but we will have to wait and see O
desi3026 said: I shall do what thousands of others are probably doingand bypass Vista and wait for 7Hope my computer lasts until 2009I can remember a few moans and groans when XP shippedbut nothing on this scale
Spac User said: Mac users dont moan because they sit there dribbling and grinning like special people and the queen mother Divs
jon said: Cool
Doug F Arthur said: Come on people When the next version comes out youll hate that as well and probably say that Vista wasnt so bad after all You dont catch Mac users moaning about new versions of their OS They love it
ray russell said: I have used Vista but would not install it on my mc which runs XP I hope that Microsoft not only debug Windows 7 but ensure that it is as user friendly as XPTo compare it to Vista is not an option
Not a betting man said: But Id put a monkey on Windows 7 not being with us in January 2010