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TechSpot RSSMicrosoft
Windows 7 Beta 1 is ready, leaked
Microsoft plans for the first Windows 7 Beta include a public release around mid-January after the official presentation and announcement from Steve Ballmer at CES.
In-the-know journalists like Paul Thurrott have already got a copy of Beta 1, however, and he's been quick to post a screenshot gallery showing from installation to initial usage how the OS is shaping up. As he points out, the Beta 1 (build 7000) looks almost exactly the same as other late builds though it's received some tweaks and optimizations for stability and day-to-day use.
Neowin adds that the Beta 1 has also leaked, at least the 32-bit version, which is becoming widely available on torrent sites as I write this.
In-the-know journalists like Paul Thurrott have already got a copy of Beta 1, however, and he's been quick to post a screenshot gallery showing from installation to initial usage how the OS is shaping up. As he points out, the Beta 1 (build 7000) looks almost exactly the same as other late builds though it's received some tweaks and optimizations for stability and day-to-day use.
Neowin adds that the Beta 1 has also leaked, at least the 32-bit version, which is becoming widely available on torrent sites as I write this.
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User Comments (12)
Post a comment| oinari on December 26, 2008 9:17 PM | I dunno... as Win7's development was so tight lipped for so long, I kind of find it hard to believe Beta 1 was "leaked". I'm just saying, it would be a very smart business move to "leak" Beta 1 via torrent to help rebuild the Windows brand, and to entice enthusiasts who've been chased away by Vista to give it a try and then obtain direct feedback from power users who make or break OS launches just by browsing forums, forums a lot like Techspots. Just speculation though, I could be all wrong.
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| onearmedscissor on December 26, 2008 9:23 PM | "Windows 7 Beta 1 is ready, leaked " Uh, you mean Vista?
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| UmYeah on December 26, 2008 9:43 PM | Originally posted by onearmedscissor: "Windows 7 Beta 1 is ready, leaked " System shows as Windows 7 under various "system tools".Uh, you mean Vista?
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| onearmedscissor on December 26, 2008 9:47 PM | *Watches plane go by.* :p
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| old101 on December 26, 2008 10:01 PM | .The popularity, and thus commercial success of Windows 7 will depend on the view of the power users who control enterprise buying of software/computers. There the name of the game is value for money - return on investment. Vista vs XP failed the value for money test: much too high a price for marginal improvements, plus requirement to replace old machines which could perform their function for a few more years using XP. For home use the value for money aspect is more diffuse, eye candy and novelty play a role. But again cost of replacing an old machine plus the cost of the software itself was much too high for a majority of home users. If the retail price of Windows 7 is around $100 it will sell like hot cakes. If it is in the Vista range, than commercially it will be another Vista. 2009 will be a tough year for the economy, traditionally not a good time for major new product introductions, unless economic benefits for enterprises are substantial.
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| tengeta on December 26, 2008 10:54 PM | just like every early beta it looks like the last version still, don't get too worried. the start menu and taskbar actually seem to hold the new look though.
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| Julio on December 28, 2008 3:32 AM | From this review, such a disappointment: Performance-wise, Windows 7 appears to be in the Windows Vista ballpark. It certainly boots up more quickly than its predecessor, and it is a spirited and lively system in use, with one familiar exception: File copies, especially network-based file copies, are still often surprisingly slow. I have a feeling Microsoft still hasn't fixed what appears to be an endemic issue with the Vista-era networking stack.
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| yukka on December 29, 2008 1:51 PM | Just made the move from xp to vista at home after working with vista for the last 6 months in the office. Running the windows 7 beta in vmware currently and the ui changes give the impression of less going on. The UAC configuration options are easy to access and an improvement over Vista. I think libraries will be confusing for anyone that doesnt understand the difference between a shortcut and the executable it points to (alot of people I know fall into that category). The control panels etc have been simplified and are easier to navigate - it feels like Vista-lite rather than a new operating system but this is a personal preference either way. I wonder how much of a difference it will be between Vista and Windows 7 - no way of testing it fully but AVG was happy to install itself without any errors and it updated and scanned without complaining. If there isnt a performance increase and software and drivers are inter-compatible, I cant see a reason for me to jump from Vista to 7 straight away based on this current build. [Edited by yukka on 2008-12-29 13:59:38]
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| Sandor on December 30, 2008 12:25 AM | Like "Vista-Lite" ? Sounds like a good reason to not be thrilled about it. I just purchased a new computer --so new it has not even arrived yet... and what OS did I buy? -- XP Not just the price, but too many bad things about Vista and the MS way of intruding on our privacy -and forcing us to have new systems and never make any changes to the hardware unless we plan to buy another copy of Vista, which stops working if there are hardware changes. At least with XP, you could call them and get it back working. From what I've been told about Vista, you are stuck with forking over more hundreds to Microsoft with every system change. I am one of those people who like to upgrade my system every once in a while, but don't like Micorsoft telling me I can't ungrade without buying a whole new OS. I actually have a working copy of Vista that was given to me for free, but I refuse to use it. I installed XP instead.
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| Sandor on December 30, 2008 12:33 AM | Oh, and did I mention that other than the secret "Big Brother is watching you" programs running in Vista, I really don't see any change in Vista except eye-candy and tinsel? If there are real solid USEFUL changes since XP, they have escaped me. With the introduction of Vista, the spyware supreme, I installed Ubuntu and am trying to get used to the differences in Linux. If Microsoft doesn't clean up their act and stop spying on us, I may never use their software again...
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| Sandor on December 30, 2008 1:55 AM | Oh, and did I mention that other than the secret "Big Brother is watching you" programs running in Vista, I really don't see any change in Vista except eye-candy and tinsel? If there are real solid USEFUL changes since XP, they have escaped me. With the introduction of Vista, the spyware supreme, I installed Ubuntu and am trying to get used to the differences in Linux. If Microsoft doesn't clean up their act and stop spying on us, I may never use their software again...
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| Drowsiness on December 30, 2008 12:12 PM | Sandor: Are you paranoid or is it just me? Spyware? Big Brother? How can you say these things without backing up the assertion with links or proven examples? Anything can be disabled or blocked, nothing to worry over. Just curious is all. 
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