More news is emerging about the forthcoming release of Windows 7. It seems that Microsoft is reluctant to completely let go of its most successful operating system, Windows XP, which they now no longer fully support. It seems that Windows 7 will come complete with a full Windows XP installation included, designed to run inside a virtual PC environment inside Windows 7, which will allow the huge range of software designed to work with Windows XP to run in Windows 7.
The new XP mode, called XPM, requires advanced virtualisation features provided by the latest generations of Intel and AMD processors, will be available in the Professional, Ultimate and Enterprise editions of Windows 7. XP applications that use XPM will not need to be installed in a separate XP desktop. Instead the applications will be integrated in to and available from the Windows 7 desktop. This approach has a number of benefits for Microsoft, including the fact that they don’t have to include lots of code in the main core of Windows 7 to maintain backwards compatibility with older applications, making Windows 7 leaner and faster.
MadMonkey: I signed up on windows live which signed me up as a technet member. So I was able to download Windows 7 as a Beta tester. So far, I'm impressed with the way it runs.
Eriisa: They came out with a Release Candidate of Windows 7 earlier this month. For that you need not be a member of TechNet or the MS Developers Network.
But as with the Beta, we're pretty much "on our own"--without official tech support from either Microsoft or (probably) your PC's manufacturer. The RC is also designed to begin automatically shutting down your PC every couple of hours some time early next year (I think), unless and until you install a genuine version of the OS.
Since we don't know how much that will cost, I'm trying not to burn my bridges at this point. I'm also not thrilled by the lack of Windows 7 drivers right now. Sure, I like Windows 7 RC so far, but I'm prepared to roll back, if I encounter too many problems or don't like the eventual cost. Right now have set up as dual boot with Windows 7 and Vista, but I'm keeping the option of uninstalling 7 RC, and reclaiming that HD partition.