In order to develop Windows 7, Microsoft has taken each and every bad aspect of Windows Vista and improved it all the way forth. The result is an amazing OS that stunned us with its looks and performance. Lets talk a bit more about Windows Vista. Despite what many people think, Vista is a very good operating system, set aside the bad start and the problems before the first Service Pack. Sure memory managment is very bad compared to Windows 7 but just that is not enough to make it an awfull OS. The fact that Windows 7 is an improved version of Vista justifies that.

Many would say Windows 7 is what Windows Vista should be in the first place. This is not true, though. Windows would never be able to deliver an OS like that so fast for obvious reasons like compatibility. Vista was a neccesary step. Because of the fact that Vista looks so much like 7 (except that it is in almost every aspect worst), it will dissapear so fast after the release of Windows 7, that we can compare it to the way Windows Me was forgotten.

Windows 7 is a very impressive OS. It starts and shutdowns faster that any other OS, amlost any program you work on Vista will work fine, memory managment is excellent with the help of the memory from the video cards and UAC and any other issue of on Vista is gone. It works as it is supposed to work. The only thing that it leaves us to complain about, is the default setting for the Taskbar buttons, but this is just our own opinion and can be changed easily.

We have been using Windows 7 since the public beta and we have never encounter any problems. Any applications we needed to use work fine in PCs that are even 3.5 years old. Windows 7 was able to run perfectly on a 3,5 years old system: AMD 64 3,5+ @ 2 Ghz, 2GB DDR1 ram @ 400Mhz and ATI X800XL without stopping us from opening a lot of programs at the same time, or even enjoying HD content without having to install any codecs. It's amazing how stable this OS is in the RC state and it will surely be even better when the final RTM version is complete. We can't recall of any other OS since Windows 98 to be able to achieve so many.

For those who are still using Windows XP, now seems a good time to upgrade. There is no reason to keep using Windows XP except of course if you can't afford the price of Windows 7. (At the PDC 2008, Microsoft informed the press that Windows 7 will cost the same price as Windows Vista did when it came out.) At first you will need a while to get used to it if you haven't used Windows Vista before and you should try to learn and use any new feature Windows 7 has in order to gain the full benefits from it. Use the aero effects, the new taskbar with the JumpLists, use Devices and Printers page from the Control Panel to fix any problem you have, organize your library and use the search from the StartOrb and everywhere else and use less shortcuts from desktop. If you use Windows 7 in that way we can guarantee you that your productivity will raise up.

In the Computex exhibition on Taiwan, Microsoft announced that the RTM verison (Release to Manufacture) will be avaliable on the end of july and consumers will see it in the stores on October 22.

The estimated retail prices for upgrade packaged retail product of Windows 7 in the U.S. are:

• Windows 7 Home Premium (Upgrade): $119.99
• Windows 7 Professional (Upgrade): $199.99
• Windows 7 Ultimate (Upgrade): $219.99

And the estimated retail prices for full packaged retail product of Windows 7 in the U.S. are:

• Windows 7 Home Premium (Full): $199.99
• Windows 7 Professional (Full): $299.99
• Windows 7 Ultimate (Full): $319.99

Unfortunately, Microsoft will not offer upgrade versions to customers in Europe, forcing them to do clean installs. While customers elsewhere in the world will be able to run a simple upgrade install, preserving their data, settings and programs, Europeans will have to make manual backups and reinstall software after installing the new OS.

Microsoft will not have a separate upgrade SKU for the packaged retail product versions of Windows 7 at GA (General Availability). However, the company will be offering upgrade pricing on their full licenses to make sure that European customers who want to upgrade have the pricing options available in the rest of the world.

Microsoft is also offering people in select markets the opportunity to pre-order Windows 7 at a more than 50% discount. In the US, this will mean users can pre-order Windows 7 Home Premium for USD $49.99 or Windows 7 Professional for USD $99.99. Users can take advantage of this special offer online via select retail partners such as Best Buy or Amazon, or the online Microsoft Store (in participating markets).

This program begins June 26th in the U.S., Canada and Japan. The offer ends July 11th in the U.S. and Canada and on July 5th for Japan or while supplies last. Customers in the UK, France and Germany, can pre-order their copy of Windows 7 starting July 15th and will run until August 14th (or supplies last).

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