Microsoft last night started the release of free copies of its new operating system to the public in a bid to win back disgruntled Windows Vista users. Australian PC owners will be able to download the Windows 7 Release Candidate and use it for free over the next 12 months.
The 3 GByte size Release Candidate is a near to retail version and feedback will be used to iron out any remaining glitches. It incorporates suggestions made by those who tested the Windows 7 beta version earlier this year. At the end of the 12 months, users can choose to pay for the full version or have their PC revert back to its current operating system – well, reinstall your old OS again from scratch.Windows 7 RC will reboot every 2 hours when it gets down to the last few months, from March ’10 until the end in June, just to remind you to buy a real version. Still not bad to try out for a year, I did this for XP ages back.
Microsoft Australia spokeswoman Sarah Vaughan said there was no need to buy or upgrade computer hardware, as was the case with Vista, to run Windows 7 which is great news. “The first thing you will notice is responsiveness, we heard feedback that Vista took too long to boot up and there was a wait for things to happen,” Vaughan said.
She said the system would also learn and adapt to its users’ habits, such as extending the PC’s automatic sleep time if you are continually waking it up not long after it dims but , actually, my Windows Vista does that already, it isn’t a new win7 feature at all. Also, Windows 7 users will also be able to stream photos and videos stored on their PCs to any internet-connected computer via the Windows Live website – once again this isn’t a new win7 feature, anyone with Vista and Live can do this – gee it would have been nice if the Microsoft spokesperson actually knew a little about Windows 7 rather than pointing out Vista features!.
The new Windows 7 retail version will be released some time before January 2010, no idea on price but I hope it is (and it should be) a lot cheaper than Vista. Windows 7 RC can be downloaded from http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/
goldcoaster 
Hey, my ipod showed “corrupted” this morning…thanks for your instructions I run upon while looking it up on the internet, you helped me get my ipod working again…(by pressing the menue button and the center button for 10 seconds)…I just want to say thanks you so much. My iPod wouldn’t do a think..was frozen solid.
I am very glad I helped you.
And thank you for the lovely comment.
I want to upgrde my windows online to be full version. But please give me a Free.
Have you personally tried it yet? Thoughts?
Trench, Hi there.
I have gotten as far as downloading it and getting a serial key – putting it on a DVD and seeing if it will boot but thats it. I don’t want to install windows on my work laptop but figure I may install it on my wife’s netbook. All reports I have read say it is very fast and lightweight – what Vista should have been and doesn’t need high end hardware.
I was all excited thinking that windows 7 will be great until I read that the retail price for windows 7 will be more expensive than Vista. Well Vista Ultimate was around $750 in my country (the price of a cheap laptop) so I am quickly shying away from it.
I’m interest to upgrage my Operating System.
I will try
thanks GoldCoaster…
cheers, Dennis