Microsoft Plans Windows 7 Beta for Mid-January - Page 2

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Crucial delivery dates

It is imperative for the company to hit a final delivery date sometime during the summer so as not to miss the crucial holiday buying season -- given that it takes several months after Microsoft provides the "golden" code to OEMs for PCs with it pre-installed to fill sales channels.

In fact, InternetNews.com reported in September that Microsoft's internal target for Windows 7's release is more like early June.

Lateness of delivery was one of the main problems with Vista's roll out to consumers in January 2007. PCs with Vista pre-installed were not available until after the 2006 holiday season, so PCs sold at that time came with Windows XP.

Sinofsky, who had been in charge of Office development for several years, was brought in to revamp the development process for Windows after Vista finally shipped. However, he's known to loathe giving out dates that can be tracked against and complained about by analysts, users, and the media.

That may or may not be a bad trait.

"Sinofsky's MO [modus operandi] has always been to release it [a product] when it's ready, but always to meet schedules," O'Kelly said.

Meanwhile, however, machinations around trying to keep the market for new PCs from foundering prior to Vista's consumer delivery led to a class-action lawsuit that is currently wending its way through federal court.

Microsoft's disclosure of the Windows 7 beta test comes the same week that the company has begun the public beta of Vista Service Pack 2.