It doesn’t happen very often that a relatively unknown blogger can predict something will happen and get any notice about their prediction. That sort of thing is reserved for the big names like Mary Jo Foley, Ed Bott and other ‘pro’ tech writers. However I’ve been pretty lucky when I stick my neck out an prognosticate like the big boys in the business and today’s announcement about Windows 7 going gold “in time for the holiday season” was one of those times.
From the time when word first started leaking out about Windows 7 I have been watching its progression as well as using both the first beta and now the release candidate. Even as far back as April of 2008 I wrote how I believed we would see a release of Windows 7 in time for Christmas of 2009
…. and Microsoft has already been making noises that the next consumer version of Windows will be very much a modular release we could very well see a new Windows OS near the end of 2009. After all even on a financial scale Microsoft cannot afford to miss another high dollar period as they did when Vista missed it’s Christmas shipping date.
I don’t proclaim to know or understand the in’s and out’s of Microsoft and how it does business but in this case I think I’ll be siding with Ed and look for Windows 7 to be under more than a few Christmas trees come 2009.
Which I followed up with an expanded post about Microsoft and Windows 7 on April 18, 2008
The one other major factor that has to be taken into consideration when thinking of the timeline is the fact that Microsoft cannot afford to miss another prime selling season as they did with Vista when it missed the Christmas season and pissed off a lot of their OEM customers that where depending on it. So it is a matter of corporate credibility that they make the target and better yet if they can do it before they are expected to.
In the end after all is said and one I believe that we will see a fully modular version of Windows available by the end of 2009 in time for the Christmas buying season. Am I 100 percent sure on this – not a fat chance; but it wouldn’t surprise me in the least if it does happen that way
In light of today’s news at Microsoft’s TechNet conference about Windows 7 it is gratifying, if only to me, that I nailed this one but good. If you are interested in some of what the big names had to say on the matter here’s a list of links to some of the more popular tech bloggers and their posts on the news.
Microsoft finally acknowledges Windows 7 will ship in 2009 – Mary Jo Foley
Windows 7 to be ready for holiday shopping season – Ed Bott
Windows 7 on Track to Hit This Holiday Season – Brandon LeBlanc
It’s Official: Windows 7 For the Holidays – Harry McCracken
Windows 7 Ship Date and Office 2010 Tech Preview – Steve Clayton
It’s official: Windows 7 for the holidays, probably August RTM – Brier Dudley
