Yes, it will be called Windows 7. They announced this recently, and decided to keep the codename. So the next version of Window's OS is called Windows 7 and will ship in early 2010.

Some Major Features include:
-Evolved Kernal.
-Virtualization
-Sensors
-Multi Touch
-HomeGroup Networking
-Windows Media Player 12
-Major upgrade to Microsoft Paint and Microsoft Calculator
-Various User Account tweaks

An in-depth FAQ with screenshots can be found here:
http://www.winsupersite.com/faq/windows_7.asp

It's bittersweet.

Vista has such a short life... So for people who bought Vista, it's but but...

PHOTOSHOP = PAINT FTW
GRAPHING CALCULATOR FTW

EDIT: Just read the article. the sensors look like a good idea.

One good thing, the new wallpapers looks good
Looks ok, but how come there is now fancy name like XP or vista

They ran out of ideas....

95, 98 ME.... Their not fancy names either but they worked.... Except ME.....
it's just a return to the norm...

Does anyone agree that Vista-Windows 7; is like the Windows ME-2000 era?


Also, win2k is the superior win os.


Can't wait for 7 though, the milestones look good.

My Dad got a Vista a while before it was released (it was a demo or something) and I think he'll try to get Windows 7 early too. Unless I really love it, I'm sticking to my regular Windows XP .

Certainly looks promising. I'm liking where Paint, Wordpad and Calculator are going.


Same here, I can see a lot of us still using XP in 2011 when it'll be 10 years old.

I think that vista was a look what we can do project..... just as various other windows OS's were before it (95 - to some extent)
So I think that the next edition will build on what vista has done.
And lets face it vista is graphically stunning, it's the first time something like this has been done...... on a PC

I think it's pretty stupid.

It's just Vista with some extra useless features.

If we can live with the current OS's that we have now, why upgrade? I think Windows 7 is going to run similarly to Vista, and the only reason I see why anyone would get it is if they buy a new computer or something.

Like i have said long time ago..
I wont go for new things before XP is maybe 20 years old
Xp is a good and stable system.
So these computers have accelerometer? (a sensor who detects movements)
And will it be like the reviews have said?
That you just lay the Zune on it, and its connected?

Oh my, drool!

Some really nice updates and upgrades there. Verrryyy nice

I do hope that your not just saying that it just vista because it looks like vista...
Vista looked just like XP at this stage in its development..... XP like 2000 etc there all based on the OS before it.... except when they switched to an NT platform after ME.....

Meh, this looks like what Vista should have been, at this stage. Not that Vista isn't good, it's just... XP in a pretty frock. People would start talking if Microsoft just stayed with XP for over a decade.

But i might not get this, depending on whether or not Google have released their secret unannounced mega uber super ruling OS by then

Google has formed from search engine to a Microsoft competitor soon.. (Mobile, mail, office, and more?)
Multitouch seems to be a very clever thing, if you are making 3D models
Have Apple ever made a computer with Touch?

Sort of.... all their laptops have multi-touch features built in to the track pad.....

All the screenshots make it look like a little upgrade of Vista, I hope they make a new GUI that's faster than Aero and more visually appealing

*Hits head against wall.....*



I Cannot stress this enough.....
You cant judge this on its looks. It's not finished yet....

However the first beta is apparently going to be in December 08, so I would imagine that the current theme is pretty close to what it is going to look like. Also, Windows 95 to Windows ME all had the same theme, so I can see Vista and 7 sharing the same theme to.

What? They're gonna forget about Vista bugs and make a new OS?

No. The company is large enough to do a huge number of different projects. I still get XP hotfixes as of this past week.

It's too bad they dropped the codename "Vienna". I liked the sound of it. Windows Vienna. "Windows 7" seems too plain to me.

Windows 7 looks quite alot like Windows Vista but with some new features.I quite like the improved paint and calculator because in Vista and below they seem quite limited in their features.

Definitely, Paint is a great program for cropping screenshots and similar tasks, but it really lacks some features. Vista's version of paint was a slight improvement but 7's version looks great. Wordpad looks great too, I don't like the Ribbon but other than that it is seems a great improvement.

Whats wrong with ribbons?
I always thought that they made things easier to find.....

The menu system which preceded it, worked fine and I don't see the need for change, for the sake of change.

You could say the same about most of vista then..... (aero, live search etc.....)
The old systems worked just as well.... so why change them......

Why dont they use Paint.NET?
Its in the Vista style with the faded windows..
Also Paint.NET was supposed to be a replacement

lol.. so you don't like the improvement, but you like the improvement?!?!!


PDN is too complex for those with the most basic of technical knowledge who just want to draw smiley faces and crop photos. And I believe it started as a replacement for Paint (which indeed is how I discovered it, when Paint broke) but since then it has just been developed as a piece of freeware.

Granted, however the menu system which preceded the ribbon is still used by just about every other program, who don't see a need to change.


They can't just use Paint.NET.
Personally, I prefer MS Paint over Paint.NET.


I don't like the Ribbon, but other than that, I like the improvements.

Mainly because it's not actually theirs to use......



Everything in icon form makes things easier to find and use...

Its one click now.....
It's much simpler than going through about 6 menus......

So after all these years, XP still has bugs, errors, and whatnot? Lame.

I think this is going to be Vista all over again: big hype but no real major improvements that affect the majority of the user.

Well with the vast majority of people using Windows, and it being used in so many different environments, you can expect there to be bugs. Apple have complete control over what goes into their computers, hardware wise; and hence there aren't as many bugs.

When developing a system as massive as a Windows operating system with a purpose to satisfy everyone, there are bound to be bugs. You're not giving them the credit they duly deserve. They are working with computers running all sorts of different hardware and software, but yet seem to function across a very high number of those setups. They are also developing new software into the operating system, not just fixing old software. New software is going to come with problems because not everyone's computer is setup the same. It's a bit more complicated for Windows because they are working to satisfy everyone, than it is for Apple who don't have as much work to do because of limited suppliers and audience.

From a programmer's point of view; I understand why XP is still bugged in some places. Simply because a thumb-rule when programming is that there is virtually no code that is completely bug-free.

On the hype thing: I think they're aiming for the exact opposite of Vista, seeing Vista didn't work out well at all.


Which is why I switched to Mac.


I disagree that the target audience of Macs is different. Especially now that Macs can run Windows natively, there's simply nothing a Mac can't do software-wise that a PC can. And even if you don't run OS X, you still benefit extremely from the fact that Macs are limited in their hardware array. Whether or not that's a handicap or a feature depends on how you look at it. If you like messing around with computers and computer hardware, Mac is definitely not the way to go for you. And if you require specialized hardware in your computers, a Mac Pro might be your only option. But I like messing around with computers, and I still switched because the idea of hassle-free productivity to me, sounded great. Especially with recent driver problems in Windows that I've had, I just don't feel like the 200 euros premium price for a Mac is all that much of a waste.

Yes, still bugs, but if you don't go looking for them then it's pretty damn hard to find them. Still, it's a good job that most programmers don't have to make life critical systems... just look at where we would be then.

*"Clear!"*
*"shizzle, somebody call the AA!"*

It was just a thought about Paint.NET..
Will this be a coffe-table-computer?
Would be cool to turn on your coffetable and make it a computer xD
Like, weight detecting, and other visual features would be nice..

Windows 7 is purely an oerating system.

Those aren't coming out for quite a few years.

If your talking about the Microsoft Surface, it was released earlier this year and is in use now.

At $10,000 a unit..... bulk buy and trade only.....

Although they want to have consumer units by 2010.....

I think it's about time we got rid of this mouse and keyboard interface... maybe Surface isn't perfect but we've had this for too long IMO.

Why? The mouse and keyboard work and present no problems, so why get rid of them?

Touch screen is the future man......

And as Win 7 has full multi touch (another apple product btw) support....

Of course we are going to be seeing touch screen technology more prevalent in the future, however I can't seeing it resulting in the end of the mouse and keyboard interface. Could you imagine it being comfortable and practical to use a touch screen all day, I can't. What I can see is a touch screen being used in conjunction with a mouse and keyboard.

Also, not to go off on a tangent, but to let you know, multi touch was being developed in the 80s, long before Apple came across it (whom didn't acquire it themselves but bought a company called Fingerworks who developed the multi touch technology they use.

Some people obviously can, that's why they buy these : (sorry, i failed to find a link You can get touch screen PCs though...)

I'm not saying that it's the end, i just think that it's time for a newer option to become available

Do you mean tablet PCs? They are used by people, and are good as they are a laptop with a touch screen screen so you can use it as a laptop as well as a notepad. However, that is quite far removed from the keyboard and mouse having been superseded by touch screen input.

Don't get me wrong, I am not saying touch screen input is something which doesn't work anyway, on the contrary. there are circumstances where touch screen input are very beneficial to deploy. However, I cannot see it being both comfortable and practical to use a touch screen PC all day, every day without a mouse and keyboard, to carry out office work like sending/receiving emails, web browsing and word processing.

No, i mean like a desktop PC that has the monitor and computer in one bit, and the monitor is a touch monitor, looks pretty cool but i'm afraid i haven't described it very well. I saw a few in PC World when i got this PC.

But i do agree that it is important to have a choice. It would be nice to have a touch screen in your kitchen though, like a drop down one. Just call up recipes, Star Trek style


Etc etc...

I'll have a look next time I go to PC World.


That sort of context would work well with a touch screen input. I'd imagine it is quite a way in the future though, as it would be rather expensive to have touch screen PCs around the house.

i've seen that about actually, i think it was a HP. It was okay i guess didn't seem to serve much of a purpose since it had a seperate keyboard and mouse the touchscreen was more of a novalty. Would like to see it put to HTPC use.