CES 2009 : Microsoft announces public availability of Windows 7 beta

[HEXUS]

CEO Steve Ballmer uses CES keynote to declare earlier than expected first public look at its next operating system.

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[mehmeh]

Think this is the first time I've actually been looking forward to getting my hands on a new windows (well the beta atleast!). Gotta feel for the Vista peeps when Microsoft seems to have all but given up and is having another crack... Windows ME anyone? :-#

[baius]

I'm looking forward to seeing how "touch screen" is developed with this OS.

Does anyone remember "The Table" in the 2005 film, The Island?

Picture (Click for source):


That was cool. I'd like to do something like that with a 1080p monitor (prob 24") - as I'm sure I've said before on Hexus... (Sorry.) Either have it on a movable arm, or "in my desk" (with a hardened glass overlay).

Wouldn't be anywhere near as good as what Sean Bean had - but I'm not as rich as Dr Merrick, either... (We all need to start somewhere.)

[alchemist118]

I hope its just better than Vista... I can't wait to give it a go

[Mousemat]

... Windows ME anyone? :-#

They had their reasons

[Dreaming]

I hope its just better than Vista... I can't wait to give it a go

It's effectively the same as vista but everyone is going to say "OH ITS SO MUCH BETTER THAN VISTA" just like they did with 2000 > XP. I would say it's a tweaked version of Vista with some added features. Just like XP is a tweaked version of 2000 with added features.

Just saying, like. I'm interested by Windows 7 but there's nothing amazing about it. Touch screen support?

[Mousemat]

Does anyone remember "The Table" in the 2005 film, The Island?

That was cool. I'd like to do something like that with a 1080p monitor (prob 24") - as I'm sure I've said before on Hexus... (Sorry.) Either have it on a movable arm, or "in my desk" (with a hardened glass overlay).

Wouldn't be anywhere near as good as what Sean Bean had - but I'm not as rich as Dr Merrick, either... (We all need to start somewhere.)

I still prefer the beta model of that table from TRON...

[cobhc]

Anyone know if this is going to be the same version as the leaked beta that's been floating around the internet lately? Version 7000 or whatever?

[Splash]

The build number of the release on MSDN and Technet at the moment is 7000 unless I'm much mistaken.

As for the "OH IT'S SO MUCH BETTER THAN VISTA" - take a look at the article at The Register. Some people fear change far too much.

Personally I'm looking forward to getting a proper look at DirectAccess and the additions to Group Policy. Waiting on the beta of Server 2008R2 as well for similar reasons (as well as live migration of VMs in HyperV)

[DataMatrix]

Looks quite revolting. Looks nothing like Windows should look, I'm used to Vista and now I need to learn another? I wish they'd keep the same damn design so we didn't have to re-learn the majority of the OS over and over again.

[Potts]

It seems that MS are trying to get ever closer to the 'mac' look!

[Aden]

It's effectively the same as vista but everyone is going to say "OH ITS SO MUCH BETTER THAN VISTA" just like they did with 2000 > XP. I would say it's a tweaked version of Vista with some added features. Just like XP is a tweaked version of 2000 with added features.

Just saying, like. I'm interested by Windows 7 but there's nothing amazing about it. Touch screen support?

But i think everyones got to the point where Microsoft next big thing will be great, it isnt perfect, they are slightly let down and then Microsoft does a so called top-up release, with code over the top and fixing all the niggles, problems and flaws in the Beta's and Release Candidate.

Although credit to them, they always come out on top and furthermore its hard to know 'exactly' how a product is going to take off until it does, nobody has a crystal ball.. (or not that i know of).

[magneticman]

Looks quite revolting. Looks nothing like Windows should look, I'm used to Vista and now I need to learn another? I wish they'd keep the same damn design so we didn't have to re-learn the majority of the OS over and over again.

I agree, i've got enough on my plate to bother learning how the new taskbar works.

It seems that MS are trying to get ever closer to the 'mac' look!

Apple invented aesthetics did they? Anything that looks remotely good these days is dubbed 'mac'-like

[Infinite]

tbh it'd take you 10 minutes to learn how it worked, 1 hour to adjust to it, 1 week to become fully adapted to it that it feel weird going back to standard xp/vista taskbar.

[DataMatrix]

tbh it'd take you 10 minutes to learn how it worked, 1 hour to adjust to it, 1 week to become fully adapted to it that it feel weird going back to standard xp/vista taskbar.

My guess is that you haven't taken a look at the Windows Media Player screen... Man that looks like it was designed for use by a chimp!

[cobhc]

My guess is that you haven't taken a look at the Windows Media Player screen... Man that looks like it was designed for use by a chimp!

That's just because it's in mini-mode or whatever you wanna call it. It actually looks pretty much the same as WMP11 when it's in full mode.



Overall it doesn't look or feel much different to Vista, the Superbar takes a little time to get used to, but as long as you're up to the level of competence of a trained chimp or higher, then you shouldn't have any problems. And overall it's stable, has speed comparable to Windows XP and actually looks pretty nice IMO.

All this is based on using a friends machine with the Beta installed, and I must admit I'll definitely be trying out the Beta when the downloads open up on Microsoft's Site.