An Update on the Windows Roadmap

Martin | Jun 26, 2008 | View Comments

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A letter from Microsoft to Windows customers -that is business partners- , that has not happened a lot in the past. The letter gives Windows customers an update on three interesting core issues: The plans for Windows XP, the progress in Windows Vista and the view on Windows 7. The last part is obviously the one that is of interest to us more than the other two although they are a good read for everyone running one of those operating systems or planning to do so in the future.

So what has Bill Veghte, Senior Vice President of Microsoft, to say about Windows 7. Not that much unfortunately. The largest part of the article is reserved for Windows vista and only two paragraphs at the end take a look at Windows 7.

Some of you may have heard about “Windows 7″, which is the working name for the next release of Microsoft Windows. We have learned a great deal through the feedback you have shared with us about Windows Vista and that feedback is playing an important role in our work on Windows 7. You have told us you want a more regular, predictable Windows release schedule. To this end, our plan is to deliver Windows 7 approximately 3 years after the January 2007 general availability launch date of Windows Vista.

Microsoft is aiming at a Windows 7 release around January 2010, that’s now confirmed by Microsoft in this official letter. It does not really mean that it will come out at this time because development could very well be delayed for one or the other reason as was the case with Windows Vista. But for now we stick with January 2010 for the new operating system.

You’ve also let us know you don’t want to face the kinds of incompatibility challenges with the next version of Windows you might have experienced early with Windows Vista. As a result, our approach with Windows 7 is to build off the same core architecture as Windows Vista so the investments you and our partners have made in Windows Vista will continue to pay off with Windows 7. Our goal is to ensure the migration process from Windows Vista to Windows 7 is straightforward.

So Windows 7 will be build on the same core that Windows Vista was build on. Many customers who did not like Windows Vista or are sticking with Windows XP for the time being will probably dislike that last paragraph. There is a reason why so many users are not switching to Windows Vista and it is safe to say that Windows Vista is disliked by many.

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About the Author: Martin Brinkmann is an Online Journalist from Germany who discovered his love for technology in high school. He is currently working as a freelancer for several publications and runs his own Internet website Ghacks

  • wlad
    Sorry, but it has nothing to do with hardware, it only means if the old applications will run on the new system. Its hardware requirements can be even less than the old one's, it would only use a different technology.
  • The planned obsolescence of technology dictating a complete hardware revamp (even if your old gear is still fine) every few years is running into a brick wall with the entire globe facing recession and monetary crisis.

    The spending public simply haven't got the money to indulge in keeping this going any more! Keeping backwards compatibality is of critical importance if you want to retain this customer base and get them used to your product.

    If you price yourself out the market, and your product only works on the latest hardware, then you're going to lose out on creating brand loyalty with all those people who can't afford access via upgrading to the latest hardware.
  • wlad
    Well, I think that the 'same core' thing is just a mumbo-jumbo for the business partners. The first video we saw of the windows 7 was a lecture from a VM expert - they could build a completely different code but keep the backwards compatibility possibility by abstracting the components needed.
  • Jose
    Vista is more stable than Xp, iwth Xp i have ramdon reboots, with vista i have none, vista core is not bad at all, what sucks are the functionalities that have been added on top of the core. so it would be great to have better functionalities on top of a solid vista core. and these folks are right, when xp came out, everybody had to upgrade, so why build something that runs on old pcs? if so, then we wouldnt be unlocking the power of the new computers, it is like bullding a video game that can run on a pentium 1 or on a supernintendo as well as on a core 2 quad and a nintendo wii, if something can run on a supernintendo and a wii, then the power of wii would not be in used completely.
  • Brian
    Windows 7 is being built on the same core as windows vista? So what? Windows Vista has problems, and yes you will need up-to-date hardware to run it. My point is, why make something new to run on something old? Windows Vista is actually better than XP as long as you have a computer that can run it (which is any decent computer on the market today). So if you have a computer that originally had XP, installed Vista, then reinstalled XP because Vista was too slow, then that's because your computer is out-of-date.

    And for the record, I'm not a fan of Vista; I still use XP as it is more customizable, but I am looking for a new computer. When I get my new computer I will keep Vista on it, and MAYBE I will put XP on a virutal pc if I run into compatibility problems with programs on Vista.

    Back to Windows 7; if it's being built on the same core as Vista then I'm not too concerned. It might hinder how much better it could be, but it makes it better for software compatibility.

    Personally, I think Windows 7 will basically be a tune-up of Vista (that's how I see XP compared with Windows ME/2000). Of course Windows 7 will include new technologies, but the way I see it, Microsoft has a lot to fix. Vista has caused a multitude of consumers to have a negative mindset on new Microsoft products, and I know a lot of people moving to Apple products, downgrading to XP, or installing Linux.

    Just as a side note, if Vista was released half a year later, there would be less complaints as there wouldn't be as much of a hardware gap (just my opinion).

    There's my insight,
    Cheers.
  • Dan
      Even if you're still using XP, you have to admit that the way hardware is moving forward, software is still struggling to keep up. Vista only has compatability issues with older PC's, I use Vista and have had less errors than XP did in it's respective first year. Also, if you're switching to Linux soley because you don't want to upgrade your hardware, then see you on Halo 4 (LOL!). Seriously, what good is a PC if you don't want to upgrade? That's like a car enthusiest not wanting to soup up their mustang. Newer operating sytems need newer hardware. Maybe I'm the only one that thinks that makes sense.
      And Isdeep, 1tb hard drives are selling on pricewatch.com for less than $150.00, how long are you going to hang on to that 40gb?
  • lsdeep
    based on the statement that win7 will be based on vistas core i guess i will go ahead and switch my computers completely to linux ubuntu. i have no interest to have a system that needs pref. 4gb ram and endless disk space to allow for halfway smooth operation.
  • XP is my preferred operating system. The jury is out on Vista, and the fact that Windows 7 is going to be built on the Vista core is hardly confidence inspiring.
  • Pete
    Doesnt matter when Windows 7 is released. If Windows 7 will be build on the same core that Windows Vista was build on.
  • windows7 has confirmed the 2010 release of the？
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