Potential Windows 7 box art leaked earlier this week from Polish site Centrumxp.

Originally many speculated that these images were fake but blogger Long Zheng has unearthed Microsoft using the same logo on the box art, elsewhere.

Microsoft has created a Windows Lounge site for internal employees to join a Facebook group for information, training and marketing for Windows 7. The group uses the following image for its logo:



Compared to the box art that was leaked it's too similar. It appears as though this could be concept or final box art for the Windows 7 packaging. Microsoft officials have said "off the record" that Windows 7 will RTM in the Summer and be available for the Fall. It's not unreasonable for the company to be finalising marketing materials, logos and packaging at this stage.

Windows 7 Home Premium:

Windows 7 software logo requirements published

If you intend to develop applications for Windows 7, then take a good look at this. Otherwise if you’re in

the niche of developing for Windows Me, you can safely ignore. Microsoft’s just published the “Technical Requirements for the Windows 7 Software Logo Program for Client Operating Systems” document for the Windows Logo Program for Windows 7.

The short but concise document of only 10 pages describing 5 steps, 3 policies and 10 requirements gives developers a clear guide on how their application can qualify certification for the pre-release version of Windows 7.

First of all, the applicator must

• Include business and technical owners for all submissions
• Opt in to receive communications from Microsoft about their products
• Include a copy and license of the software for compatibility testing purposes
• Along with Microsoft agree to a 30-90 day resolution policy for all issues identified in market with logo’d products
• Ensure the application adheres to all policies and passes all requirements in this document

The policies which the application should adhere to includes,

1. Comply with Anti-spyware Coalition Guidelines
2. Do not modify Windows Resource Protection (WRP) protected resources
3. Ensure ongoing quality - in short, fix crash reports over time

Finally the application must,

1. Install and uninstall cleanly
2. Install to the correct folders by default
3. Support x64 versions of Windows
4. Follow User Account Control (UAC) Guidelines
5. Do not load Services and Drivers in Safe Mode
6. Digitally Sign Files
7. Do not prevent an installation or application from launching because of OS version checking
8. Prevent unnecessary reboots
9. Support multiuser sessions
10. Minimize application failures

Three Options For Upgrading From Vista to Windows 7

Dec. 26, 2008

Back in November, I explored the number of editions of Windows 7 that Microsoft was working on. While the company has not officially given a list yet, it was clear that Windows 7 Enterprise Edition and Windows 7 Ultimate Edition were definitely coming. Furthermore, there was an obvious avoidance of naming a Windows 7 Business Edition, though there was a mention of a Windows 7 Small Business Edition. While doing a little more digging, I stumbled on the following upgrade paths for Windows Vista to Windows 7. These are not confirmed, but I am told they are what Microsoft is currently considering:

• Windows Vista Home Premium Edition => Windows 7 Home Premium Edition
• Windows Vista Business Edition => Windows 7 Professional Edition
• Windows Vista Ultimate Edition => Windows 7 Ultimate Edition

Does anyone else find it mildly interesting that Microsoft has gone back and renamed Business to Professional, just like it was with good old XP? These three upgrade paths "confirm" two more editions: Home Premium and Professional. These two are the ones that most customers will likely be buying, whereas the average geek will likely go ahead and grab Ultimate.

It's not yet clear whether Microsoft will have an upgrade path for XP users, but I would not hold my breath. Currently there is still no word about Starter or Home Basic editions for Windows 7. We'll keep you posted when Microsoft finally does reveal the official edition list.

In related news, WinFuture and Neowin have screenshots of the leaked Windows 7 6.1.7000 build. Rumor has it that select users will get Windows 7 Beta 1 on January 5, 2009, and a public beta will follow sometime afterwards.

Windows 7 Causing More Work For Antitrust Judge

Not only does Windows 7 appear headed on course to create a lot of work for developers, solution providers, integrators and IT staffs, but it's also creating a little bit of additional work for the trial court overseeing its antitrust compliance in federal courts.

The case, which is basically the remaining enforcement of longstanding legal settlements between Microsoft, the U.S. Justice Department and several states, still provides for a judge's examination of Microsoft operating systems to see if they meet restrictions that have been placed on the company. According to an update last month by the judge:

On December 5, 2008, Microsoft delivered to the TC (trial court) updated technical documents in anticipation of the release of the Windows 7 beta. Microsoft had previously informed Plaintiffs and the TC that changes to the protocols in Windows 7 would result in a significant number of new and modified technical documents. Indeed, the updated documentation included 30 new technical documents and 87 updated technical documents. In the prior Joint Status Report, Plaintiffs informed the Court that the TC was developing a plan for reviewing these technical documents. After considering the scope of work it will take to review both the updated Windows 7 technical documents and the new system documents that will be produced over the next 5 months, and after consulting with Plaintiffs, the TC has decided to adjust its technical documentation review strategy for maximum efficiency. Up until now, the TC's efforts have largely focused on its prototype implementation and validation efforts designed to test the quality of the technical documents. In light of the number of new documents that need to be reviewed, the TC is going to shift its focus to direct review of the documents by the TC's engineers as the most efficient method of identifying issues with the documentation; the TC will still use validation and prototyping methods to supplement this direct review. The revised strategy will enable the TC to review the new Windows 7 and system documents more thoroughly than it would otherwise, which is particularly desirable given the significance of these new documents to the project as a whole.

The technical documents that will be reviewed by the judge, U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, are part of a set of "system" documents that Microsoft agreed to provide to the court overseeing its antitrust enforcement to monitor "the interaction between the protocols in a number of complex scenarios." The Microsoft antitrust matter is now more than 11 years old.

Windows 7 release date is planned for April as Microsoft is launching several new updates scheduled for February 24. MVPs (Most Valuable Professionals) will obtain five updates for build 7000.

Windows 7 is almost certainly the most anticipated operating system for XP and Vista users, as Microsoft Corp plans to release five updates on February 24. The updates are only good for MVPs (Most Valuable Professionals) and are tagged as "test updates" for Windows 7 Beta Build 7000.

"The updates will be clearly described as a test update in Windows Update, and they will not install automatically. The updates will be offered interactively. This means that users will be notified of available updates, but they won’t install automatically," a Microsoft spokesperson said.

At hand, there appears to be some misunderstanding with regard to what build the updates will actually install on. The most recent build is 7046, but professional users who are examining the beta claim that build 7041 was only compiled a week ago. There are no indications which build is part of the new release candidate.

Windows 7 release date will include the official release candidate 1 installment.

Windows 7 release date is now planned for April which will be part of the official RC1 (release candidate 1) installment. While the official operating system will not be released until later, the release candidate serves as the final product before the commercial application is available to the public.

Microsoft has published two possible release dates on its Web site for Windows 7. The first one has the product slated for late 2009, while the other indicates a full launch in early 2010. We asked the Microsoft spokesperson which date was evident, but they said the company is aiming for 2009 while keeping the 2010 date available incase the product is delayed.

Microsoft has closed the Windows 7 Beta and made it only available for MVPs. For a short time, the public was invited to download a copy of the most recent beta in an effort to provide feedback for the new software.

"Users will need to go to the Windows Update control panel, select the updates, and manually start installation. These updates will simply replace system files with the same version of the file currently on the system, and will not deliver new features or fixes," the spokesperson said.

Microsoft Windows 7 is receiving mixed reviews but far better than its Vista predecessor. Most XP users plan to upgrade to the new version of the Microsoft operating system. To date, most XP users have not made the jump to Vista, despite an increase of sales for the 64-bit OS.

This does bring up a big question. It seems that a lot of XP users did choose the Vista upgrade due to its high-end hardware requirements. If that is still the reason, how will Windows XP users be able to carry out an upgrade to Windows 7 which has similar requirements?

Consumer demand will determine which version of Windows will succeed, but many of them need to upgrade to 64-bit where software applications run smoother. There are so many new technologies available and most hardware vendors now support 64-bit.

Vista had the problem with short availability for driver support when it was first released.

Microsoft on Tuesday began shutting down its download servers for the Windows 7 Public Beta, ending weeks of unfettered access to a feature-complete, near-ready version of its next operating system. The shutdown will occur in two phases. Yesterday, the software giant turned off access to new downloads. Those who still have downloads in progress, however, have until 9am PST tomorrow to complete those downloads.

The download stoppage refers only to the public servers. Microsoft customers with MSDN or TechNet subscriptions can continue to download the Windows 7 Beta via those programs.

Microsoft originally opened up the Windows 7 Beta to the public on January 9, but surprisingly high demand swamped Microsoft's servers, requiring the company to take them offline for most of the day. The next day, Microsoft upped capacity and restored the downloads, and extended the period during which people could download the beta. While the software giant has yet to release official figures, several million people are expected to have downloaded and installed the Windows 7 Beta on their PCs.

Reviews of the Beta have been overwhelmingly positive, in sharp contrast to the public's reception of the very similar Windows Vista. Most have described the Beta has essentially bug free, highly compatible, and usable in day-to-day situations. This, too, is in sharp contrast to the experience with most Windows betas.

Microsoft's next Windows 7 milestone in a single major release candidate (RC) build, which is expected to be offered to the public as well. Again, Microsoft isn't talking, but I think an April timetable is reasonable. I expect the final release of Windows 7 to occur sometime around mid-year. Not coincidentally, the Windows 7 Beta expires on August 1, 2009: Just after I expect Microsoft to finalize the product.

Related Resources

Windows 7 Beta Availability  http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/win7_beta_available.asp

Windows 7 Beta Review  http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/win7_beta.asp

The Windows 7 Public Beta Arrives  http://windowsitpro.com/article/articleid/101220/the-windows-7-public-beta-arrives.html

Developers making plans for Windows Azure, Windows 7

PDC2008 attendees fired up over potential shown by new Microsoft platforms for “cloud” computing

REDMOND, Wash. – Nov.17, 2008

Like most of the developers and other technology professionals who attended the Microsoft Professional Developers Conference 2008, held at the Los Angeles Staples Center Oct. 27-30, Dan Rigsby attended to see the latest from Microsoft and rub elbows with Microsoft’s technology leaders.

But equally important was the chance to catch up with peers, and meet some new ones. “It’s a great place to build up relationships with people I may only have met online,” says Rigsby, Lead Software Engineer at Interactive Intelligence, an Indianapolis-based firm that develops call center software. “I got to meet a lot of people that I knew online through Facebook and other sites, and I saw a lot of Microsoft people I may have met in forums or online.”

For the 6,500 developers who attended PDC2008, the event is one of the tech highlights whenever it’s offered. But along with the usual networking, this year’s PDC also was the site of some major announcements from Microsoft. These include the Azure Services Platform, which extends Windows and an array of services such as Microsoft SQL Services and Microsoft .NET Services in the “cloud,” and also a first look at the new features of Windows 7 as well as Office 14, (code name of the next version of Office) and the new Office Web applications.

For most PDC attendees, the broad outlines of a Microsoft cloud initiative, plus a look at Windows 7, and Office had already been the subject of speculation and techosphere discussion, online and elsewhere.

But Ray Ozzie’s keynote address unveiling Windows Azure and the Azure Services Platform still made a powerful impression. “It seemed just a few years ago Ozzie was talking about this move to ‘services in the cloud,’” says Tim Huckaby, CEO of Carlsbad, Calif.-based Interknowlogy, which is a leader in building applications around Microsoft .NET and other tools. “And then to see him on stage there – he was clearly excited about it, and charismatic and dynamic – and to see him execute that vision was really great. Then I had the realization that Microsoft already has capitalized over $1 billion into its datacenters worldwide. That is a very bold statement.”

Others had the same reaction. “In a lot of ways I was surprised at how far along (Windows Azure and the Azure Services Platform) was,” says Rigsby. “You could see how it could be used as a repository today. Also, Ozzie pointed out that some of the foundations for Azure are going to drive the stuff like Live Services and Mesh, so I had the idea that as a developer I may not even have to touch the Azure foundation – there are enough services built on top that you might be able to leverage those.”

Some realized how much Windows Azure could change their lives. “I thought back to 2000 when I was a CIO at a company,” says Michele Leroux Bustamante, chief architect for San Diego-based IDesign.inc. “We had to scale out hardware for a startup, and one of our challenges was making sure we could handle big bursts of requests. We had to go through extensive tests on scalability and make sure that we had enough equipment to manage that scalability. We ended up spending close to $1 million.

“If we were doing that today with Azure and cloud services, we could have managed those issues extremely easily – and for much less money.”

Huckaby thought big from the start. “Software plus services could totally solve some of the world’s really big problems,” he says. “Take healthcare. In a totally connected, collaborative world, where millions of people are tackling the same problem, there’s no reason we couldn’t solve some of the biggest health problems that we have.”

But a big announcement such as that for Windows Azure and the Azure Services Platform naturally raises questions. Hynds and other developers also wonder what it will take to convince CIOs and others to off-load much of a company’s data to something as seemingly evanescent as, well, a cloud. “It’s going to take some education,” says Hynds. “I see it like the switch from Excel to SQL – when people made that switch they felt like they were giving up control on their desktop and giving it to the entire organization. Azure is the same jump, that same order of magnitude of loss of control.”

Windows 7 received a similar reception – plenty of enthusiasm, and some caveats. Uniformly, developers like the new features round in Windows 7, as well as its speed. “Things like mounting virtual hard drives – we were just drooling over that,” says Huckaby. Adds Rigsby: “I installed the pre-beta (the third build, handed out at PDC) and was surprised at how stable it is. And it seems very, very fast. And I like a lot of the UI stuff, the multi-monitor support, and the DirectX improvements.”

Huckaby, for his part, was disappointed to see that some of the features on the Windows 7 beta did not match what had been demo’d during the second morning session. And there are concerns as to whether the final product will be all that has been promised. “When we saw Vista, no one wondered whether it would be a functional OS with great features,” says Hynds. “But what we found is that it wasn’t fast or stable enough. If Windows 7 is stable, then we should be in good shape.”

Office Web applications, new lightweight versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote delivered through a browser, were also shown for the first time at PDC. These applications also demonstrate Microsoft’s focus on software plus services.

Scott Barker, director of IT and Informatics Chair for the University of Washington Information School, had previewed the Office Web applications before PDC. He saw it as a great tool for students to use. “Microsoft Office Web applications will provide our students with the choice of writing a paper, for example, in the cloud, or writing it via the desktop using Microsoft Word. Web Applications provides students with the means — at any time of day, from anywhere — to access, edit, share and collaborate with other students or faculty using just the browser.”

Added Dan Ribgy: “I like the approach -- there is market for online office apps like this, and even if the online version have less features, they will still be highly useful.”

PDC also gave the tech media plenty to talk about. ZDNet’s Mary Jo Foley, for instance, noted on her blog that while Windows 7 gained attention in the popular press, the more arcane Windows Azure was the big news of the event. “Windows 7 is incredibly important, to be sure, but in terms of Microsoft’s long-term vision of itself, I think Windows Azure is ranked higher.”

Scott M. Fulton III, writing on BetaNews, liked Steven Sinofsky’s Day 2 presentation on Windows 7. “(Sinofsky) spelled out Windows 7 for what it truly was -- not some pretense that Vista didn't exist or that this was the real Vista, but rather that Win7 will truly be a correction of some of Vista's less well-embraced ideas. As Microsoft evolves its image over the next few years, I'm hoping it looks more and more like the picture of the world Sinofsky is giving us.”

On the Office Web applications front, press and analysts were impressed by the move to offer Office on the web and the impact it will have on the productivity market as Peter O’Kelly an independent analyst noted in a Network World article, “This is way bigger than anything Google has done so far. Think of the things you could do going to the next level of Office Live Workspace. Not just basic AJAX edit controls, but actually the models that are embodied in the applications, and being able to take advantage of that without requiring that everyone have the latest version of Office installed on the client side. It is big."

PDC2008 wasn’t just about unveiling Windows Azure, Windows 7 and Office Web applications. On Day 3, Microsoft Research’s Rick Rashid and his team showed the future they see in areas such as robotics, and in tiny sensors that can send data over the web. Rashid also announced the first limited release of the SDK (software development kit) for Surface, Microsoft’s new multi-touch, multi-user computer.

Those topics and more kept developers’ attention. Then there those moments some developers will remember more than others. “I got to meet Ray Ozzie,” says Dan Rigsby. “It was my best week ever.”

Announcing the Service Pack 2 for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 RC

This week we are announcing that Service Pack 2 for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 has hit an important milestone in development: Release Candidate (RC). 

Starting today, the RC of SP2 for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 will be available to TechNet and MSDN subscribers to test prior to final release. In the very near future, we will be making the RC broadly available for anyone to download and test. You can expect another blog post from me when that happens.

SP2 for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 include updates that have been delivered since the release of SP1, as well as support for new types of hardware and emerging standards. As we’ve described since we first talked about SP2, we’ve taken your feedback into account when developing SP2. Specifically, we expect SP2 to continue the security benefits of both products and simplify deployment for our customers.

For an outline of changes in SP2 for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, check out the notable changes document.

We are planning to release SP2 for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 in the second quarter of 2009.