Windows 7 Release Candidate

Windows 7 Release Candidate

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Microsoft has released the Release Candidate for Windows 7, the final step before launching the Vista successor later in 2009. Will you be testing it out for your company, ahead of migration in the next year?

Please note: Do not test the Windows 7 RC on a PC critical to your business.

Thanks,

Jon Wilcox
Technology Correspondent
AccountingWEB.co.uk

Replies (9)

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John Stokdyk, AccountingWEB head of insight
By John Stokdyk
11th Jun 2009 13:29

Let more people know in BusinessZone poll
Technology correspondent Jon Wilcox is documenting his experiences in his Confessions of a Windows 7 user blog on BusinessZone.co.uk.

While you're there, please take a few seconds to help us measure the response to Windows 7 by voting in BusinessZone's Windows 7 poll

John Stokdyk
Technology editor
AccountingWEB.co.uk

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Tom McClelland
By TomMcClelland
15th May 2009 12:38

I risked it, and I like it
OK, I decided to take the plunge on a non-essential PC.

All positive so far, completely different from the nightmare that was Vista.

Firstly, it doesn't wipe the hard disk as I'd feared, in particular all the "My Documents" backups that I'd made weren't needed. They were copied to subfolders of a Windows.Old folder. (probably still a good idea to do these, of course)

Everything I've tried so far works perfectly, straight away. The users of that PC have commented that it seems much faster and sweeter than the XP Pro installation that it replaced.

I'm getting the same good feeling about this that I remember getting when I first tried Windows 2000. This looks like the actual consumer release for which the entire Vista experience has been a Beta test.

Our main motive was to make sure that 12Pay wouldn't have any surprise issues, and we haven't encountered any problems at all, so far.

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By User deleted
14th May 2009 17:08

a clean way...
Get yourself a copy of Microsoft's Virtual PC 2007 (it's cost and licence free!)
Install that on your PC, and then create a virtual PC on that, installing Windows 7.

It sits completely independently from your PCs "host" operating system, and even the memory it uses is ring-fenced.

Then have a play around!

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By StephenElms
09th May 2009 10:53

W7th Heaven?
I have looked at W7, but the requirement to have a clean install - no o/s on the pc at all - is not something I currently want to play with. I have read many comments about W7 and most appear favourable, so I'll wait until the final version is issued and have already contacted my accounts suite provider and found that it is compatible.

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Tom McClelland
By TomMcClelland
08th May 2009 10:56

It may make sense if you hate Vista
One motive for getting involved in this...

There are a lot of people, both users and techies, who absolutely loathe Vista. The general opinion that I've been able to glean is that most people who try Windows 7 like it a great deal more than they like Vista; apparently it runs both faster and more reliably. And that isn't just the Microsoft fanboys talking; a lot of people who loathed Vista are apparently agreeing that Windows 7 even in this RC form is the product that Vista should have been.

So if you have a few Vista PCs and users who don't like them it may be worth trying the W7RC on them on some kind of progressive basis starting with the least critical PC, and making sure that you've got a fallback position at all times for any critical tasks. You'd then be in a position to purchase the full release when it has been out for a little while without too much disruption.

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By Jon Stow
05th May 2009 17:51

So you beta-test at risk to one of your machines
and then next year even if it's rubbish you are forced to buy Windows 7 rather than stick with XP or Vista? Have I got this wrong? I hope so. Can't you just revert to XP? Sounds like a project for tech heads only, not us punters who have to pay for our software.

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By User deleted
05th May 2009 13:57

Unpaid beta tester for bill gates?
You expect me to devote my time being an unpaid beta teter for gates & co?? only for them to shaft me?

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By User deleted
05th May 2009 12:38

Define goals from testing .....
Surely a more pertinent question is - define the reasons why you are testing Windows 7migration path from Vista etc.for 3rd party software - the vendor should be able to provide a compatability answerwhat anomolies are you looking foretc.Also don't forget that there will be an XP mode included. Anyway half the universe will be testing this product and arguably their combined testing will reveal things that a single tester cannot hope to cover

So the question that follows on is - unless one can define a specific test plan why bother? - just let others do the work for you.

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By Randify
05th May 2009 12:32

Yep
In the process of downloading the 2.36gb file now...88% completed.

Can't wait to replace Vista.

Andy

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