Windows 7 RTM on August 6th

[13Gigatons]

http://windowsteamblog.com/blogs/windows7/default.aspx

So 7600.16385 probably is RTM.

Microsoft has released a time-line for RTM availability, English will be first followed by other languages:

* ISV/IHV - ISV (Independent software vendor) and IHV (Independent hardware vendor) Partners will be able to download Windows 7 RTM from Microsoft Connect or MSDN on August 6th.
* Partner Program Gold/Certified Members - August 16th. By October 1st, the remaining languages will become available to download.
* Action Pack Subscribers - August 23rd. By October 1st, the remaining languages will become available to download.
* OEMs - Approximately 2 days after Microsoft officially RTM
* Volume License with Software Assurance - August 7th via the Volume License Service Center (VLSC). The rest of the languages for Windows 7 RTM should be available within a couple of weeks after that.
* MSDN/TechNet - August 6th and remaining languages by October 1st.
* Everyone else - October 22nd, general availability date.

 

[RebateMonger]

As usual, Action Pack Subscribers get the short end of the stick (Aug. 23). Heck, my Grandmother will probably get W7 before I do. Oh, well....

 

[ChaiBabbaChai]

Thanks for the post, and a rhetorical question:

Why would the consumers get the RTM first? Of course the developers & OEMs are going to get RTM first. It just makes sense.

 

[Lanyap]

Originally posted by: RebateMonger
As usual, Action Pack Subscribers get the short end of the stick (Aug. 23). Heck, my Grandmother will probably get W7 before I do. Oh, well....

Especially since they increased the subscription by $200 if you want physical media. They even want you to pay an extra $50 per quarter for the media while your in the middle of your sub. I joined Technet recently and will drop the Action Pack when my sub expires.

 

[LifesABeta]

If you subscribe to technet after August 6th, do you still get the OS

 

[WobbleWobble]

Originally posted by: LifesABeta
If you subscribe to technet after August 6th, do you still get the OS

Of course! That would be a pretty silly subscription if you only get whatever has been released past August 6th.

 

[SSWilson]

Originally posted by: LifesABeta
If you subscribe to technet after August 6th, do you still get the OS

Yes, once your in you get access to most everything currently available.

 

[Trente]

Will RTM be available on MSDNAA on August 6th as well?

 

[Modelworks]

Don't know about MSDNAA but I just got my copy via Autodesk yesterday fed ex. The biggest problem I have had so far is help files. They don't include the winhlp32.exe , same as they didn't with vista and the download versions for vista will not install , gives the "no suitable OS was found" error. So some of my programs older help files don't work.

If I go to windows update to download the KB exe the validation for the site says it can't find the correct browser to install the plugin. Sounds like some of the sites at MS are not updated yet. The activation worked fine though so at least that part is working correctly and it did find some drivers off windows update.

 

[LuckMan212]

How did you get a copy from Autodesk? Are they selling advance copies or something??

 

[Modelworks]

Originally posted by: LuckMan212
How did you get a copy from Autodesk? Are they selling advance copies or something??

No they don't sell copies. I am one of their testers. I get advance copies of upcoming Autodesk products. I helped with testing windows 7 compatibility for their products and as a result got a RTM copy of win7. It isn't all that great a deal though because I have to follow pretty strict rules on what I can install on that pc with windows 7 installed. I can't game on it, I can't install office applications , I can only install the OS and the applications they provide. It keeps other programs from interfering making it easier to find faults.