Hahahaha. Ok.
RTM is release to market. That means stores AND computer makers. The OS is EXACTLY the same. But the version that comes pre-installed includes all the crapware and bloatware computer makers put on it.
RTM and retail are just two different ways of saying the same thing.
Now, if you want to argue Retail VS OEM, then you have an argument!
Retail is what you go buy in a store like BestBuy and OEM is what system builders buy to put on your computer.
~Lordbob
This may be just nitpicking, Bob, but I always took RTM -- in the sense we are using it here -- to only mean release-to-manufacturers (i.e., exclusively to OEMs) so that they can begin creating their "bundles" as mentioned earlier. Retail release is something different, though the same product coming from MS. I'm sure someone will correct me for mixing up terms here.
And (besides what LordyBOB said above) an OEM license ties that copy to a single machine, it is not transferable to another machine if you build a new one.
To make it clear, if you buy OEM and install and activate on your current machine and then six months later you want to build a new one, you can't move the OS over to the new build, it will not activate.
Now, there is a way around that but I cannot and will not discuss it here, or in PM here...you must find it yourself (sorry..).
I heard it as Release to Market. That would explain part of the confusion, and would clear it up.This may be just nitpicking, Bob, but I always took RTM -- in the sense we are using it here -- to only mean release-to-manufacturers (i.e., exclusively to OEMs) so that they can begin creating their "bundles" as mentioned earlier. Retail release is something different, though the same product coming from MS. I'm sure someone will correct me for mixing up terms here.
So lets look at it like this:
RTM (as release to MARKET) would be the same as the retail (and OEM).
RTM (as release to MANUFACTURER) would be the OEM version, slighly different from OEM.
~Lordbob
This seams to explain RTM quite well
Engineering Windows 7 : Our Next Engineering Milestone
This post is about the path from RC to what we call RTM, release to manufacturing. RTM is not one point in time but a “process” as from RTM we enable the PC manufacturers to begin their processes of building Windows 7 images for new PCs, readying downloads for existing machines, and preparing the full supply chain to deliver Windows 7 to customers. Thus RTM is the final stage in our engineering of Windows 7, but the engineering continues from RTM until you can purchase Windows 7 and Windows 7 PCs in stores at General Availability, or GA.
So I see RTM as the final development of Windows before OEM's add there bits for GA or retail.
Corporations also gain access to Windows 7 @ RTM as well. I remember when Vista RTM'd we had access to our enterprise edition of Windows Vista months before it hit the shelves...
RTM means Release To Manufacturing. All this means is that the code is gold and can be mastered for manufacturing. MS does not manufacture the actual CD/DVDs. These go to a publisher.
There is no license attached to RTM. The licensing happens at the time of publishing.
If you are a TechNet or MSDN member, you will download the RTM code and be bound by the licensing terms of TechNet/MSDN. The RTM build does not accept OEM keys, only Retail keys.
PhreePhly
Since I am quite new here to this site... I have one question.
Would links to the new builds and/or RTM be available?
What about torrent sites?
(Ooops... that's two questions.)
I hope that I'm not breaking any rules, at least from how I understand them. I re-read Rule #7 again and I think I'm following the spirit of the rule.
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