Windows 7 released to manufacturing
Microsoft detailed plans for the rollout of Windows 7 RTM and confirmed the Family Pack's existence.
Microsoft's Brandon LeBlanc said last night that the OS has been released to manufacturing (RTM) and he also confirmed the availability dates for subscribers to the software giant's numerous programmes.
Developers and IT professionals with Microsoft Connect, MSDN and TechNet subscriptions will get the final version of the OS on 6 August, while businesses with Volume Licence agreements will be given Windows 7 a day later. Microsoft Partner Program Gold/Certified Members will be able to download the RTM on 16 August, while Action Pack subscribers will get it another week later on 23 August.
Sadly, beta testers have been left out in the dark. In the past, Microsoft has rewarded testers who have reported a certain number of bugs with a free copy of Windows. With Windows 7, LeBlanc said that the pre-order scheme "was done with our beta testers in mind," but the offer was open to everyone and not just to beta testers who reported bugs.
LeBlanc did point out that the Release Candidate scheme will continue running until 1 June, although the OS will shut down every two hours from the beginning of March.
After LeBlanc confirmed the existence of a Family Pack, Microsoft UK later said that it wasn't sure whether the Family Pack would make it to the UK because of its ongoing feud with EU antitrust regulators, which means it is unlikely to offer upgrade editions of Windows 7 in Europe until 2010 at the earliest.
"I can't confirm whether we'll make that [Family Pack] available in the UK," said John Curran, director of the Windows Client Group, in an interview with PC Pro. "It was designed as an upgrade SKU."
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Discuss in the forums ReplyI did the mcse nt 4 track but have winged it up to today, I might do the exam for windows 7 just for fun.
I wonder where these massive fines go ... add Intels as well, thats a nice Xmas party fund in Brussels.
we will.
How do you think Real Madrid can afford all them players.
Tbh the quicker we pull away from the EU the better (Personal Opinion)
Oh And Hi all I have been using bit-tech for years and never registered until today.
"7600.16385.090713-1255"
although no point getting off the web, since there's no RTM keys available yet.
with money from MS's fines?:|
All you need to know is "slmgr -rearm", activation keys are irrelevant lol
I thought the law was the law and is applied to all
If M$ is anti competive isn't Apple alot worse seen as you get a browser, photo, music, video, video editing software etc etc etc with it when with M$ you have to pay for descent application software
M$ does suck for all the SKU's of windows, but singleing them out is BS
It is indeed. I too contemplated just installing and fudging it until the keys are available on the 6th, but decided I'd rather get it straight from MS. I can be patient, just a bit bewildered how it takes 2 weeks from RTM to get on MSDN/TechNet :|
Ive heard that the law doesnt apply to Apple because their market share is relatively insignificant so they cannot claim to be a monopoly..unlike MS.. plus nobody complains about them to the monopolies commission with regards to browsers (eg. Opera or the now defunct NetScape) etc.
I think it stinks personally, and that MS is being treated unfairly in this respect.
These days it shouldnt matter. IE is free.. Firefox is free etc... The only ones still complaining are Opera who charge for a browser (the advert free version)... and I cant understand for the life of me why people would buy it with such good free alternatives out there.
Apple and Google don't have a huge market share in operating systems and Chrome OS isn't even out yet.
Also, MS haven't been forced to remove IE, they chose to. The EU ruled against Microsoft's bundling but hasn't yet made a decision on how MS should be punished for it's anti-competitive behaviour.
MS removed IE from Win7 so people would feel that the EU was being unfairly harsh on them. Looks like it's working...
It always amazes me how some people know the reasons why big corporations do things. I myself can only make educated guesses.
As far as I know, the lack of IE in the EU edition is the reason there's no upgrade SKU. It's a technical issue, not a political one.
Apple has 91% share in $1000+ PCs at the moment according to NPD. http://www.betanews.com/joewilcox/article/Apple-has-91-of-market-for-1000-PCs-says-NPD/1248313624 :)
Apple only allow MacOS to be installed on Macs. Imagine if Microsoft only allowed Windows to be installed on a single manufacturer's machines, like Dell for example?
Apple only officially allows iPods to sync with iTunes (Pre and BB has technically hacks). Imagine if Microsoft only allowed Zunes to sync music from Windows Media Player?
As pointed out, Apple bundles a browser, producitvity suite, office suite, editing suite and media player with their OS. Microsoft does the same and gets fined heavily by the EU.
Apple is a monopoly of Macs, Microsoft is a monopoly of PCs. As long as Apple advertises the two as seperate entitites, they should be treated the same by the law.
"slmgr.vbs -rearm"
You can use "slmgr.vbs -dli" to check how long the license has left.
How many times can you do this? I used it on Server 2008 SBS just today but thought you were limited to 3 rearms of 60 days after the initial 60 day trial...
On W7 RTM you will presumably get a 30 day trial so by the same logic after 120 days its dead?
This is not how the courts see it (at least in the U.S. courts).
The courts see it as Microsoft used unfair tactics to become and maintain a monopoly. A monopoly as defined as having 95+ percent of the market share (I'm not sure on current stats so this is just a guesstimate). If Apple held a 95% market share over Microsoft, Apple would (likely) be the one getting fined and MS would be able to do whatever in order to compete (debatable, see below for why). The fines and restrictions of MS are there in order to try and inspire competition and keep MS from using the same tactics it has used before to maintain what it has achieved. Personally, I think it's a joke. If you want to stop it, break them up like they did Ma' Bell in America. Force them to break off Office and I.E. divisions and compete for a place on the Windows desktop.
There is also the argument that Apple is considered a hardware company, NOT a software company. They sell computers as they see fit. Just as Dell, Gateway and others do. If Dell decides to run Linux, they are free to. They can include any software they want. Therefore they can equip it as they see fit. Apple chooses to run Mac, however you can put Windows on it, just as you can put BSD, Linuxs or many others. Windows competes against Mac OS, which technically isn't a product in itself. It's just the OS that runs on an Apple product and not subject to an OS restriction like Windows is. It's like saying I-Drive control system is a monopoly in BMW's, you buy the car and you get the control system. You don't buy the car because of the control system (well you can but...). This held true when Apple used Power PC, it's harder to justify now that Apple is using Intel hardware though.
In terms of Ipods though, there has been grumblings. However the software for Ipods runs on MS and Apple. Therefore offering a choice of platforms. Just as MS Office isn't considered a monopoly for MS because it runs on both Windows and Mac.
Make no mistake, Apple is just as bad or worse than MS, they just don't have the market share. Apple is FAR more restrictive in use of their products than Microsoft. Ms is an aggressive company but Apple makes them look like children. Had they gone on to take over and get the 95% of system sales, things would be far different than they are (and most likely FAR more expensive).
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/07/29/windows_7_product_activation_cracked/
:D