MS Windows 7 Updates

Microsoft today started a Windows 7 blog with the objective of avoiding the perception issues for its next operating system that it believes have hurt Vista's reputation in the past. The project's senior engineering managers Jon DeVaan and Steven Sinofsky claim the site will serve as an "open and honest" platform for both illustrating Microsoft's development process as well as to help determine when the company is ready to reveal new features. This will be a "two-way" conversation where input is possible from readers, the officials say.

However, the two executives also make clear the larger goal of counteracting mistakes made in Windows Vista's development. The software was marred early on aggressive feature promises such as the Avalon presentation layer and WinFS, many of which either had to be scrapped late into development or were ported back to Windows XP and negated the Vista advantage. Blogging Windows 7's creation will reportedly ensure that any disclosures relate to the real product rather than uncertain additions.

"Related to disclosure is the idea of how we make sure not to set expectations around the release that end up disappointing you—features that don’t make it, claims that don’t stick, or support we don’t provide," DeVaan and Sinofsky say. "Starting from the first days of developing Windows 7, we have committed as a team to 'promise and deliver'. That’s our goal—share with you what we’re going to get done, why we’re doing it, and deliver it with high quality and on time."

These updates are expected to start shortly and will mark the run up to Microsoft's Professional Developers Conference and WinHEC conferences in October, which should have the first in-depth discussion of Windows 7's feature set beyond early previews. Unlike with past releases, Microsoft has remained largely silent on version 7 and has so far only confirmed the development of multi-touch for the OS to give it interface and object manipulation similar to the iPhone.

By Electronista Staff

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