Windows 7 will officially get RTM status some time this month, but as to when we'd be able to get our hands on it, turns out to be the big question. According to the official Windows blog, OEMs will get it approximately two days after Windows 7 goes RTM, and beta testers who are already subscribed to TechNet can download RTM immediately after that happens for free. Independent software and hardware vendors can download it via Microsoft Connect or MSDN on August 6th. Same goes for MSDN-subscribed developers and IT Professionals with a TechNet account, but only the English language version. Microsoft Partner Program Gold / Certified members will get it August 16th via Microsoft Partner Network portal on the 16th, and Action Pack Subscribers on August 23rd. All other language versions for those groups will have to wait until October 1st.
And for most of us ordinary consumers who don't fall in any of those categories, Windows 7 will be in retail stores and shipping on new PCs starting October 22nd. Microsoft is also reminding us that Release Candidate doesn't start giving the annoying reboots until March 1st, 2010, with full expiration happening June 1st -- plenty of time to avoid picking up a copy if you didn't get a chance to pre-order at the much more reasonable discount price.
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