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Windows 7 Hits RTM At Build 7600.16385

Posted by timothy on from the finally-we-can-sleep-nights dept.

An anonymous reader links to Ars Technica's report that (quoting) "Microsoft today announced that Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 have hit the Release to Manufacturing (RTM) milestone. The software giant still has a lot of work to do, but the bigger responsibility now falls to OEMs that must get PCs ready, Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) that are testing their new apps, and Independent Hardware Vendors (IHVs) that are preparing their new hardware. The RTM build is 7600, but it is not the same one that leaked less than two weeks ago (7600.16384). We speculated that Microsoft may end up recompiling build 7600 until it is satisfied, but it only took the company one more shot to get it right: 7600.16385 is the final build number. Microsoft refused to share the full build string, but if you trust leaks from a few days ago, it's '6.1.7600.16385.090713-1255,' which indicates that the final build was compiled over a week ago: July 13, 2009, at 12:45pm. This would be in line with the rumored RTM date but it is also the day Microsoft stated that Windows 7 had not yet hit RTM. Although the final build had been compiled, Microsoft still had to put it through testing before christening it as RTM."

6 of 341 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Only one week of testing? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I seriously doubt that they did a full regression test that quickly. More likely, they tested the areas which had recently failed tests, and were recently fixed.

    That's how we do it at my work. Our product has around 90,000 test points that are tested in each 3 month release cycle. A full regression test takes approx 2 months. As bugs are found, they are fixed, and the fix is tested while the full regression test continues. The last month only fixes are tested.

  2. Re:It's Windows 7, and yet, the build number is 6. by rolfwind · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I suppose it's true to the idea that 7 is "just a Vista service pack," but still seems odd.

    Not at all. Vista has taken the punches, got a fat lip and two black eyes - so Microsoft rebrands it and it loses the bad name of Vista. I just installed Windows 7 RC - and it's nicer. There is new programming under the hood, particularly the UI and feels speedier - although I have to question whether that speed was all a result of improved programming or attribute some to the fact that it was a clean install of Windows erasing a cluttered and used OEM Vista install.

    But given the driver model is the same, the lack of noticeable bumps on the alpha, beta, and RC compared to Vista woes - I can only assume it's really a service pack with an UI overhaul. Which is okay; Ubuntu and OS X both operate on the idea of short upgrade cycles that allows them to focus on goals and be a lot more evolutionary in a short time instead of trying to be revolutionary (longhorn) and failing miserably.

    I just don't like paying full price as if this were brand new windows. Ubuntu is free and OS X license is relatively cheap, especially family packs. I'll pay $50 for Windows 7 as a 2-3 year upgrade to Vista, but don't forsee $100 as being inherently fair at all.

  3. Ok, I'm just going to come out and say it... by SixDimensionalArray · · Score: 5, Interesting

    IANAMFB (I am not a Microsoft fan-boy), but I have to admit that so far, it looks like it is at least a bit exciting (especially from the rock-solid RC). Pretty much what Vista should have been.

    As a true technologist, I try to stay technology-agnostic because good things often come out of the strangest places. Truthfully, many flavors of Linux are great, Mac OS is great, and Windows 7 looks like it should be great. Considering all these various flavors of greatness, I'd say it's still as good a time as any to be a techie! Maybe I'm just tired of all the negative slant the world puts on everything and am being overly optimistic.

    Let's enjoy this new tech, welcome it, evaluate it and let it find its place in our toolbox, like every other tool before.

    Discuss freely.

    6d

    1. Re:Ok, I'm just going to come out and say it... by cptdondo · · Score: 5, Interesting

      What "new tech"? So far I haven't seen anything in Vista or 7 that would make me say, "I gotta have that tech!"

      To be fair, I haven't seen much in linux lately that would make me say that, either.

      let's be honest: OS "tech" has hit maturity for most users. There really isn't anything truly exciting coming out - because there really isn't anything exciting left to be done unless the whole OS/UI undergoes a severe paradigm shift.

      Unfortunately that's not going to happen because there's too much invested in the current tech.

      I'm going to see how the adoption rates are for 7. I see a rocky road for MS; people are happy with XP, it's stable, and for most of us it's a f*cking desk. No amount of hype is going to convince me that I have to get a shinier pressboard and formica office desk; the one I have works just fine.

    2. Re:Ok, I'm just going to come out and say it... by CannonballHead · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Meh, there's a few things in Win 7 that IS actually pretty cool and not just eye candy. The home group thing looked interesting, for example. I find some of the UI differences very intuitive and a lot easier to work with than (dare I say it) my Ubuntu 9.04 install on my laptop.

      I'm not one of the MS Windows 7 software engineers so I don't know what, if anything, really changed under the hood, but it's the above-the-surface stuff that typically will make applications work well (or just *feel* like they work well) or not. Example that's very ready on my mind: GnuCash. I'm looking for a home finance program (just to keep track of budget vs. expenses, pretty much). GnuCash does everything but has, IMO, an awful and very user-unfriendly UI. It'd be a great program if the UI was less confusing and less cluttered.

      If nothing else, Win 7 has done a good job with that part of user-friendliness, which isn't just for John Doe at home. Even a programmer/software tester/whatever like me enjoys using an easy-to-use OS when I don't need a unix style shell but just need a text editor, a word processor, or want to play a game.

  4. Re:It's Windows 7, and yet, the build number is 6. by m0rph3us0 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    It's funny that whenever linux or FreeBSD removes a Giant lock it's hailed as major news here, like the transition from 2.4 to 2.6 because they are actually huge leaps forward. However, when MS does it it is just regarded as a bug fix. Essentially, all code is just a bug fix then, as it's all written one line at a time and relies on the the years of work to the code base that preceded it.

    There are huge improvements on Windows 7, like multitouch support, etc. It's a really nice OS akin to XP. The problem with the zealots is that they create a list of complaints about MS and then when they fix it, you guys complain even more. MS actually pays their devs salary so they have to charge for their OS. Suck it up, if you don't want to buy it don't.

    IMHO, the RC is more stable than Vista. I've been using it as my primary dev platform since a few weeks after it was released, and have had no BSODs yet even running mostly Vista drivers with it. It's rock solid and FAST and the new features are definite improvements.

    But the commitment to quality that is present in Win7 and was sorely lacking in Vista should be applauded by all.

    If anyone in the dev community has seen further, it is because we stood on the shoulders of giants.