Test Drive Windows 7 Before You Buy It

Prior to the launched of Windows 7, Microsoft introduced a new microsite called Windows Test Drive that allows IT professionals and developers alike to experience Windows 7 live on Microsoft's own servers.

Both are invited to explore Windows 7 while IT Professionals are encouraged to go further and learn more about deploying Windows 7.

Test drive themes like "Make people productive anywhere" are divided into sections like "Makes everyday tasks faster and easier" and these are further divided into sub-themes like Navigation and Internet Explorer 8. These are peppered with the actual test drive, downloadable videos (although clicking on one link asked us to install a Windows Media plugin) and links to further resources.

Although Microsoft says that the test drive takes place "instantly", we found it to be less user-friendly than expected. For a start, you need to use an Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher browser to access the test drive environment.

Then you need to install an Active X control which then allows users to explore the chosen MSDN Virtual Lab. We selected Windows 7 : Taskbar : Managed. Microsoft says that after completing the Virtual Lab, you should be able to do things like "Remotely controlling a window from the taskbar thumbnail using thumbnail toolbars" which seems fun enough.

You can start and exit a Virtual Lab whenever you want as long as you don't close the browser window. Another snag that we encountered was what appeared to be a security message warning us that "the client cannot verify that the Microsoft server has not been impersonated" and that our password could be discovered through a malicious attack on the authentication token before asking us whether we wished to continue.