Windows 7 RTM: When Can You Get It?
As reported by another blogger here, Windows 7 was released to manufacturing today, Wednesday, July 22nd and will go on sale to the public on October 22nd. But when (and where) can you get it? That depends.
Today’s announcement in the Windows 7 Team Blog said the RTM code will be released to partners “within the next few days.” This will allow software and hardware vendors who are Microsoft partners to create third party applications that run on Windows 7 and to test hardware products with the final code and ensure that they’re compatible.
If you’re an IT professional with a TechNet subscription or a developer with an MSDN subscription, you’ll be able to download the final bits starting August 6th from the respective web sites. Businesses with volume licenses and Software Assurance licenses can get it the next day, August 7th, from the Volume License Service Center. Microsoft Partner Gold/Certified members will get it August 16th, on the Microsoft Partner Network (MPN) portal site. Microsoft Action Pack subscribers have to wait a little longer but will still get the RTM early, starting August 23rd. And volume license customers who don’t have Software Assurance will be able to purchase Windows 7 September 1st.
The above applies to the English version of Windows 7. Other languages are expected to be available to the same groups on or before October 1st.
Whew! Keeping all those dates straight isn’t easy, so here’s a chart to help you determine at a glance where you fit in:
| OEMs | “within the next few days” |
| Microsoft Connect members | August 6 |
| TechNet subscribers | August 6 |
| MSDN subscribers | August 6 |
| Volume license w/SA | August 16 |
| Action pack subscribers | August 23 |
| Volume license w/o SA | September 1 |
| Languages other than English | October 1 |
| Retail customers | October 22 |
We can expect computers pre-installed with Windows 7 to be on the shelves in plenty of time for the holiday shopping season.
Debra Littlejohn Shinder
MVP (Enterprise Security)
deb@shinder.net www.debshinder.com
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