It's Windows 7! And it's final!

Microsoft has announced that the final, official name of the next version of Windows will be the same as the codename - Windows 7 - making this the first version of Windows to keep its codename as its release name.

The codename Windows 7 has turned out to be more than just a codename this time around for Microsoft, as the company has agreed to keep things simple and keep the name Windows 7 for the final release of the operating system as well.

As Mike Nash, corporate vice president of Windows Product Management puts it:-

"The decision to use the name Windows 7 is about simplicity. Over the years, we have taken different approaches to naming Windows. We've used version numbers like Windows 3.11, or dates like Windows 98, or "aspirational" monikers like Windows XP or Windows Vista. And since we do not ship new versions of Windows every year, using a date did not make sense. Likewise, coming up with an all-new "aspirational" name does not do justice to what we are trying to achieve, which is to stay firmly rooted in our aspirations for Windows Vista, while evolving and refining the substantial investments in platform technology in Windows Vista into the next generation of Windows."

This is the first time a Windows version has used its codename also as the name of the final release, and also one of the earliest naming announcements from Microsoft, as Windows 7 hasn't even reached its first beta version. A pre-beta will be handed out to attendees of the PDC and WinHEC conferences taking place later this month.

More news below:-

Windows 7 Public Release Beta

Windows 7 News

Introducing Windows 7

Windows 7 and Multi Core CPUs