Microsoft To Kill Windows 7 Beta Februrary 10th

mamaphoenix writes "Paul McDougall of InformationWeek reports Computer enthusiasts who want to get their hands on the trial version of Microsoft's next operating system have just two more weeks to do so. The company says it will end availability of Windows 7 Beta on Feb. 10. There are a couple of loopholes, however. Users who started to download the OS before that date will have until Feb. 12 to complete the process. Also, Microsoft will continue to distribute product keys beyond Feb. 12 to users who have previously downloaded Windows 7 Beta but have yet to obtain a key. 'We are at a point where we have more than enough beta testers and feedback coming in to meet our engineering needs, so we are beginning to plan the end of general availability for Windows 7 Beta,' said Brandon LeBlanc, Microsoft's in-house Windows blogger, in a post Friday. Microsoft will post warnings on its Web site that the download program for Windows 7 is about to end starting Tuesday. A final version of Windows 7, Microsoft's follow-up to Windows Vista, is expected to be available in late 2009 or early 2010."

Oops

[bwintx]

We are at a point where we have more than enough beta testers and feedback coming in to meet our engineering needs...

Unfortunately, that's what they said about Vista, too.

Month

[mvanvoorden]

Februrary is not on my calendar :(

bad headline

[socsoc]

Headline is a bit sensationalist...

They are removing the ability to join the beta, not killing the OS. I am pretty sure the programmers did a fine job killing the OS already.

Good thing or bad thing

[taliesinangelus]

Is it a good thing or a bad thing that this story has not been tagged "andnothingofvaluewaslost?" Or am I just impatient?

Re:Betas

[TaoPhoenix]

In Soviet Microsoft, Beta Developers Pay You!
(Win95, WinMe, Vista)

feb 10

[rubycodez]

an extension beyond feb 10 was announced by torrentors and pirates

Re:Oops

[Dystopian Rebel]

Look, it's hard work building botnets. After all these years Linux *still* can't get it right.

Re:Oops

[nlawalker]

I'd submit mine for Linux but I can't figure out who to send it to.

Re:Oops

[Jeff Hornby]

I think you're confusing Microsoft with Google.

Re:Month

[L4t3r4lu5]

You're thinking of Furbruary, the month of Caturdays.

Re:Oops

[geobeck]

Nah, Google just labels its beta products accurately.

Re:Oops

[darkmeridian]

Microsoft always gets lots of beta testers for its software. I mean, every pre-SP1 operating system has been great beta programs.