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Microsoft Windows 7 Release Candidate won't expire until June 1st 2010

by Parm Mann on 1 May 2009, 14:23

Tags: Windows 7, Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT)

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TechNet and MSDN subscribers who're already using the Release Candidate of Microsoft's Windows 7 operating system have confirmed that the software won't expire until June 1st 2010, some 392 days after its scheduled public launch on May 5th.

Despite merely confirming the expiry date listed on last month's leaked Microsoft TechNet article, the decision to allow the software to run free of charge for such an extended period of time will come as a surprise to many.

Microsoft is yet to comment on the unusually long Release Candidate period, but it effectively provides an unlimited number of users with a free copy of the penultimate pre-release code. Peculiar, we feel, particularly when considering that a retail launch could take place as soon as October 23rd.

In contrast, the final Release Candidate for Windows Vista - RC2 - launched in October 2006 and expired just seven months later. Upon expiry, it automatically rebooted every two hours in an effort to encourage users to purchase a final retail version.

Will you be downloading the Windows 7 RC next week? And, if so, will you be tempted not to purchase a retail release until the RC expires in June 2010? Let us know in the HEXUS.community forums.



HEXUS Forums :: 44 Comments

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If I was having to buy it myself, I would run it for free as long as possible.

Less chance of them pulling the same stunt they did with Vista. I still find it unbelievable that there will not be a Vista update to add the Windows 7 UI tweeks….especially when it was Vista purchasers that gave the feedback that led to those UI changes.

Despicable practice and I hope lots of people do run the RC as long as possible.
I'll likely run the RC until it's expiry time. I think this is a good idea by Microsoft. Most of their OS purchases will always be with new PCs, but I'd think that giving RC users such a long grace period will give them cause to become ‘attached’ to the OS, and thus encourage upgrade/retail/oem purchases from a group who'd probably not otherwise bother.
There's little incentive for most to update from Vista to W7, so many would only do it when they bought a new PC and a new OEM license was required. This gives them a bit more flexibility… continue running with Vista or try a perhaps not-entirely-finished OS.

Those in that boat might not have updated anyway, so MS lose nothing from them.

Plus I guess if W7 continues to get the great publicity (both from the positive reports and the PR that this extended RC gives) that was missing from the Vista launch, then it will pay them back in the longer term.

Finally… free OS… it's not Linux, so all of gran's software will continue to work… keeps their mitts off of Linux.
I'm currently running Vista Home Premium and hating it but I'm not installing XP on my Asus G1Sn notebook because (I am assured by the previous owner and he knows what he's talking about) it would be quite a long job and Asus don't support XP on this model. Also, I'm told that there will be no direct upgrade path from XP to Windows 7.

If I install the Windows 7 RC, will I be able to purchase the upgrade as if I were still running Vista, when the time comes?

TIA,

scyllabub :undecided
I love Windows 7 and can safely say its alot better than XP(vista is aswell but with pros/cons), i was planning on buying windows 7 when it was released but if its coming with a 1 year license then ill just use that till prices are cut and if a new windows is released ill go back to xp till then xd>