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images/news/windows7.jpgOn July 13, Microsoft officials said business users with volume license agreements won’t be able to get the Windows 7 bits until September 1. Microsoft isn’t providing further information as to why customers will have to wait more than a month after RTM to get the final bits.
(Microsoft still hasn’t announced it has reached the RTM of Windows 7, but it is still expected to do so before the end of this month.)
What happened? Was there a typo in the partner e-mail about which I reported last week? Was there a misunderstanding in the terms and conditions Microsoft was offering its users to get them to sign up for Software Assurance? A change in the company’s delivery plans? I asked Microsoft and didn’t receive an answer.
This is the statement I got via a spokesperson on July 13:
“As of September 1 our business customers will be able to order Windows 7 through our Volume Licensing partners to support their Windows 7 planning and deployment strategies. To help partners take advantage of the opportunity to upgrade businesses to Windows 7, we will start a limited time, 6 month promotion of 15% or more off the price of the Windows 7 Professional upgrade compared to the Windows Vista price.”
I also asked when MSDN/TechNet would be able to download the final Windows 7 bits. The spokesperson said:
“We will provide an update when MSDN/TechNet users can get the (Windows 7) bits, but we have nothing to share at this time.”
As several readers noted when I originally reported that business users were slated to get the final Windows 7 bits by the end of this month, most business users won’t be champing at the bit for the final Windows 7 bits. They’ll need to do planning, get deployment tools in place, check for compatibility and… of course, find the funds to buy the latest version of Windows.
Mary-Jo Foley ZDNet Blogs
(Microsoft still hasn’t announced it has reached the RTM of Windows 7, but it is still expected to do so before the end of this month.)
What happened? Was there a typo in the partner e-mail about which I reported last week? Was there a misunderstanding in the terms and conditions Microsoft was offering its users to get them to sign up for Software Assurance? A change in the company’s delivery plans? I asked Microsoft and didn’t receive an answer.
This is the statement I got via a spokesperson on July 13:
“As of September 1 our business customers will be able to order Windows 7 through our Volume Licensing partners to support their Windows 7 planning and deployment strategies. To help partners take advantage of the opportunity to upgrade businesses to Windows 7, we will start a limited time, 6 month promotion of 15% or more off the price of the Windows 7 Professional upgrade compared to the Windows Vista price.”
I also asked when MSDN/TechNet would be able to download the final Windows 7 bits. The spokesperson said:
“We will provide an update when MSDN/TechNet users can get the (Windows 7) bits, but we have nothing to share at this time.”
As several readers noted when I originally reported that business users were slated to get the final Windows 7 bits by the end of this month, most business users won’t be champing at the bit for the final Windows 7 bits. They’ll need to do planning, get deployment tools in place, check for compatibility and… of course, find the funds to buy the latest version of Windows.
Mary-Jo Foley ZDNet Blogs
