Windows 7 comes out October 22

With the RCs the feedback is already active. When following up on why the feedback tool was no longer seen besides the RCs being a general public release not strictly for testers the information simply states MS is collecting data from the usage for hardware as well as software bugs as well as trying out test updates.

The RCs simply made it possible for the average user to become a guinea pig while they get a first hand look at the next version before being finalized. They serve a dual purpose where both sides receive some form of benefits.

Night Hawk said:

That wasn't RTMs but OEMs for manufacturers in order to prepare them for preinstalled machines by allowing time for that. They still can't seel a new 7 system until the release date.

doesn´t RTM mean Release To Manufacturers (OEM-Resellers)??

That's why the articles that indicated the oem release to manufacturers in August were pointing at the final stage of 7 then ready for preinstallation and manufacture of any recovery disks to be provided with new machines once the final release was set which apparently is 10/22/2009!

If the manufacturers can't get the finished version they wouldn't have time to make all preparations before the October date comes up. The retail disks would be out in the stores while new machines would have 7 on them if the 3 months advance release to them wasn't seen.

Night Hawk said:

That's why the articles that indicated the oem release to manufacturers in August were pointing at the final stage of 7 then ready for preinstallation and manufacture of any recovery disks to be provided with new machines once the final release was set which apparently is 10/22/2009!

If the manufacturers can't get the finished version they wouldn't have time to make all preparations before the October date comes up. The retail disks would be out in the stores while new machines would have 7 on them if the 3 months advance release to them wasn't seen.

True. But we are allready pre-testing with the RC. So the Final RTM don't need that much preperation and pre-installing

theCount said:

doesn´t RTM mean Release To Manufacturers (OEM-Resellers)??

yes. the rumour is that the RTM will be released mid-July.

With 7 being out in late october I can simply run the 64bit RC here until then. In fact if I elect to dump the 32bit Vista installation on one drive I can easily set up a mirrored array for the 64bit RC on those two as well for a second working installation. That would allow a comparison.

The latest indications were that 7 would go out to the oem manufacturers in August in order to give them the time needed. Anything you download prior to the October release will still shutdown every 2hrs. once the 3/1/2010 comes up anyways since each has it's own self destruct mechanism built into it. Or it will only work in a diminished capacity.