Windows 7 Beta Available To Everyone

Planned limited copies of Microsoft’s latest OS have been removed. Anyone can now download Windows 7 Beta without restrictions. The beta will be time limited up until the 1st of August – which should be long enough to find all the bugs and get them ironed out.

I’m impressed by Microsoft’s approach to Windows 7. After the disappointing sales and uptake of Windows Vista, it’s good to see that lessons have been learnt at Microsoft. According to the press releases and general feedback from Microsoft staff, Windows 7 is trying to be everything that people wanted with Vista. And they’re actually reading people’s wish lists too. Part of the reason for the widespread beta program with Windows 7 is for people to play with the interface and let the developers know what they think, and what they want changed.

Hopefully with the long beta testing phase there shouldn’t be any of the rushed feel that Vista had – although it was more settled after the first service pack, the OS never really felt finished. With hoards of enthusiastic testers let loose, hopefully the same mistakes won’t be made.