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Microsoft gives Windows 7 a name...

by Parm Mann on 14 October 2008, 09:43

Tags: Windows 7, Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT)

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Windows 7 has thus far been the codename given to Microsoft's forthcoming successor to Windows Vista. We'd been under the assumption that the final product would ship under a different guise, but Microsoft appears to have had a change of heart.

Speaking on the official Windows Vista blog - which is already looking tired in comparison to the Windows 7 alternative - Microsoft's Mike Nash confirms that Microsoft has decided to officially call the next version of Windows, "Windows 7."

The announcement doesn't come as a complete surprise, and the name given to the seventh technical release of Windows makes implicit sense. Here's a brief look at how the Windows timeline shapes up:

Product name Version / Build Release date
Windows 1.01 1.01 November 1985
Windows 2.03 2.03 November 1987
Windows 2.11 2.11 March 1989
Windows 3.0 3.0 May 1990
Windows 3.1 3.1 March 1992
Windows 95 4.0.950 August 1995
Windows 98 4.10.1998 June 1998
Windows 2000 NT 5.0.2195 February 2000
Windows ME 4.90.3000 September 2000
Windows XP NT 5.1.2600 October 2001
Windows Vista NT 6.0.6001 January 2007
Windows 7 NT 6.1.6801 (milestone 3) Late 2009 / Early 2010

We'd assume that Windows 7 will be given a final version number of 7.0.x, and Nash explains the naming decision as follows:

The decision to use the name Windows 7 is about simplicity. Over the years, we have taken different approaches to naming Windows.  We've used version numbers like Windows 3.11, or dates like Windows 98, or "aspirational" monikers like Windows XP or Windows Vista.  And since we do not ship new versions of Windows every year, using a date did not make sense.  Likewise, coming up with an all-new "aspirational" name does not do justice to what we are trying to achieve, which is to stay firmly rooted in our aspirations for Windows Vista, while evolving and refining the substantial investments in platform technology in Windows Vista into the next generation of Windows.

Simply put, this is the seventh release of Windows, so therefore "Windows 7" just makes sense.

We haven't been certain about other product names announced this year, but Windows 7, we feel, sounds about right. It almost has a humble feel to it, as if to say Windows Vista aimed too high and fell a little short.



HEXUS Forums :: 32 Comments

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It is a good name. :)
Vista mkII would have sent out the wrong message I guess ;)
Hopefully the time/money saved in naming the product can go into making it better!
CountStex
Hopefully the time/money saved in naming the product can go into making it better!
Just because they picked 7, dosen't for a second mean that there wasn't lots of time and money spent.
TheAnimus
Just because they picked 7, doesn't for a second mean that there wasn't lots of time and money spent.

Sadly that is so true….