Ending speculation regarding Microsoft’s next step with Windows 7, an MSDN blog update by VP of Windows Engineering Group Steven Sinofsky has revealed that 7’s next milestone is a release candidate build.
The next milestone for the development of Windows 7 is the Release Candidate or “RC”. Historically the Release Candidate has signaled “we’re pretty close and we want people to start testing the release, especially because all the features are done.”
While it seems that an update like this would spell Windows 7’s impending release, Sinofsky was quick to caution readers that considerable work remains in developing the ecosystem surrounding the fledgling OS.
The time to prepare new products, new configurations, software updates, and all the collateral that goes with that means that Windows 7 cannot hit the streets (so to speak) until everyone has time to be ready together. Think of all those web sites, download pages, how-to articles, training materials, and peripheral packages that need to be created—this takes time and knowing that the Release Candidate is the final code that we’re all testing out in the open is reassuring for the ecosystem. Our goal is that by being deliberate, predictable, and reliable, the full PC experience is available to customers.
The full extent of the post includes coverage on Microsoft’s PC ecosystem, its development cycle, progress made during the beta, and what to expect of Windows 7 at moves towards release candidacy
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