Microsoft Sets Windows 7 Launch Date On October 22nd

Microsoft has confirmed in an interview during the Computex Conference in Taiwan that it will launch Windows 7 on the 22nd of October, that's around 20 weeks from now.

The company's senior Vice President Bill Veghte told Cnet that "the feedback from the release candidate has been good" and confirmed that those buying windows Vista close to the Windows 7 launch would either get a free copy or a discounted price through the Windows Upgrade Option Program.

This confirms the date announced by Acer's Vice President, Massimo D'Angelo who had told journalists at a press conference that the Taiwanese giant would be shipping machines preloaded with Windows 7 exactly on the 23rd of October.

Windows 7 will be available to the general public on the 22nd, giving those wanting to test the release candidate version of the operating system, almost five months. The date is also a full sixty days before the previous official release date of Windows 7, Janaury 2010, as set by Microsoft.

Microsoft is likely to have brought forward the release date to coincide with the Christmas sales and Black Friday which marks the beginning of the traditional holiday shopping season in the United States.

Users may also be able to downgrade from Windows 7 to either Windows Vista or Windows 7 depending on the agreement computer manufacturers' have with Microsoft.

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