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It’s been reported by neowin.net that July 13 will be the day that Windows 7 is RTM (Released To Manufacturing). This is great news all around for Windows 7 users. This means the code will be finalized and Microsoft will give the green light to it’s manufacturers. They in turn will begin production of the millions of DVDs, that will house the new Microsoft operating system for the public to buy.

Finally in 10 days we will pass the milestone I have been eagerly waiting on. No more beta testing, or release candidates. No more five leaked builds a week. No more bi-hourly shutdowns and expiration dates; it will be the real deal – as long as there are not any major problems or setbacks. But, Microsoft should have had plenty of time to work out all the kinks and bugs. So, I expect them to keep to the schedule.

Which means we are still on track for the GA (General Availability) date of 10-22-09. This is the date where you and I should be able to go your local Best Buy or wherever and buy it off the shelf. That is when we will see how well the public likes Windows 7. Is it gonna fly off the shelves and break records? Who knows. Am I going to buy a copy of Windows 7 Ultimate? I have already pre-ordered it!

I think in the next couple of months we will see a huge increase in Windows 7 news and coverage. The closer we get to Oct.22nd, the more Microsoft will be putting out information and lots of advertising. This is beginning of the end my friends. It is about to be a whirlwind of Windows 7 publicity. I for one can’t wait and am very excited to bring you all the latest Windows 7 news. Thanks goes to you for making this site great. Feel free to comment.

Related posts:

1. Windows 7 to XP Downgrade Details Confirmed
2. Public Windows 7 Beta News
3. Happy New Year
4. Beta For Localized Windows 7 Editions To Start
5. Windows 7 Beta To Be Released On January 9
6. Windows XP To Windows 7 Upgrade Confirmed

The Windows 7 News site has just undergone a major overhaul, with the launch of a complete new design. The new design is a lot fresher and improves several areas for both new and old users.  I think everything is working ok, but if you spot any errors then please let me know.

Key Improvements:

• Much cleaner design
• Wider reading pane to improve readability
• Bigger thumbnails and gallery images
• Much, much faster pageloads – and more to come
• Better access to category navigation
• Category RSS and individual post RSS options
• Better support of threaded comments
• Better integration of Search (now in header), Archives Search and new Site Map
• Fewer adverts
• Access to more posts from homepage

There will be many more changes over the next couple of weeks, including a new logo from our $200 competition winner.  If you want to see any new features on the site then just let me know!

Related posts:

1. New Archives Section
2. Design A New Logo For Windows 7 News And Win $200
3. Windows 7 Media Streaming
4. Windows 7 Logo Requires 64-bit Version Support
5. 36 Changes In Windows 7 RC
6. Please Help Test Windows 7 News In Mobile Browsers

Windows 7 does not provide its users a way to change the start menu to the classic start menu. This is probably a feature that not many users want but there are surely some users who prefer to work with the classic start menu than the new one. The only way to work with a classic start menu is to use a third party software program since there is no built in way to activate a classic start menu.

The application Windows 7 Classic Start Menu has been created just for that purpose. It can be pinned to the Windows 7 from where it can be executed. Please note that this does not replace the existing start menu in Windows 7.

The installation could be a bit tricky as it requires UAC confirmations. After downloading the software run the installer. The installer will place icons on the computer desktop including a CS Menu First Run icon which needs to be executed after the installation. The current user needs to logout afterwards.

All that’s left to do is to move the pin the program icon into the Windows 7 Taskbar. A click on that icon will display a classic start menu which can be configured further to suite the needs of the user.

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1. Fix For Installers And Updates Crashing In Windows 7
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It’s been a great many years since Apple and Microsoft fans started bashing each other in forums and chat rooms, both ardent supporters of their corner and determined to fight to the death to win the argument.  Yesterday, I wrote part 2 of this article series and it caused some considerable debate.  I have to say the quality of the debate was generally very high and balanced.  There was one comment though that I thought made a good point about anyone who writes about Microsoft or Apple at the moment.

Andy Clarke wrote “How much are Microsoft paying you guys at Windows7news.com?  All I’m hearing is blinkered and biased propaganda from you guys.”

Yesterday I wrote that I believe that all operating systems these days are pretty much the same, Windows, Mac OS X and GNU/Linux (Yes, I stand corrected on that one) and that to the casual observer it was hard sometimes to tell them apart.  I went on to say that I believed anyone who said that one was better than any other really should be saying it’s just better “for them”.

It’s quite common though nowadays for commentators such as ourselves to be accused of bias.  This is Windows7News after all, so our remit is to write about Windows 7.  We don’t have a Mac focus so wouldn’t be writing about that unless, as is the case with this article series, it’s relevant to our core subject.

It can be difficult to balance objective writing sometimes when you’re only mentioning other products in passing.  This goes doubly so, I believe, for OS X because of the strong feelings people have about it.

Apple make quite exceptional products.  The iPod created almost on its own the market for MP3 players and iTunes has led the way in selling downloadable music.  Both of these are great for consumers.  The iPhone has revolutionised the small smartphone market which I, with an HTC Touch HD, am benefiting from and truly appreciate.  The iMac finally made computers acceptable in the living room and, I think, has significantly boosted the market for all-in-one PCs and, in a sideways kind’a way, has helped boost Windows Media Centre.

There are people who believe that Apple is abusing a potentially monopolistic market position, though obviously not with the Mac, and is being ignored in exactly the same way as Microsoft isn’t.   Let me be clear on this.  For many years, Microsoft was in the same boat, being ignored and abusing a monopolistic position.  It’s won’t last for Apple, but nobody can begrudge them having a go for as long as they can get away with it, that’s business!  What the future holds for Microsoft and Apple regards legislation and monopolies commissions is anybody’s guess at this stage.

I don’t personally believe that the status quo, regards the market share occupied by Apple and Microsoft, will change in the next decade or so.  It would have to take something disasterous on Microsoft’s part, like Apple writing an OS for PCs, to change that.  Even then we’re all creatures of habit and generally resistant to change.

Do I own any products by Apple.  Let me come right out now and say no.  I don’t own any kind of MP3 player, I bought an HTC phone because you can’t (yet) create Excel files on the iPhone (though I’m open to the possibility of buying one) and, much as I love the look and power of iMacs, I think they’re simply too expensive and enjoy building my own computers anyway.  Windows is good “for me”.

As for the rest of you, I’m personally very surprised by how many of you run both PCs and Macs (would confuse the hell out of me).  Keep it up, and keep the conversation flowing.

Related posts:

1. What will Apple’s response be to Windows 7, Part 2
2. What will Apple’s response be to Windows 7?
3. Microsoft’s Response To Windows 7 UAC Criticism
4. Windows 7 Multi-touch demo at D6 Conference

So here we are. On the brink of Windows 7 finally hitting the market. Will it sell well? Will it sell poorly? I don’t care either way. Because I will be using Windows 7 until the beta program for Windows 8 starts up. Which should start in roughly 2 1/2 years give or take! I will probably never switch to a Mac. I am an avid Windows user. I like Windows operating systems in general. Some are better than others. Take XP over Vista; even though if you trimmed down Vista, it worked really well and in my opinion looked way better than XP. But unfortunately for Vista,  it did not work as well as Seven or XP right out of the box.

No matter how you look at it, Windows is everywhere. It has the dominant market share all over the world, and ten years from now it probably still will.  But, none of these are why I am a PC. Would you like to know why I am a PC? Well if your still reading this, then that is a yes. The reason I am a PC is because I like the way Windows operating systems function over Macs.

Now before the comment section gets blown out of the water, let me explain.  I use a Mac fairly often; my brother has three of them, so I am familiar with how they work in comparison to Windows. But, I like Windows better. There I said it. In fact, I think Windows 7 is generally better than its competition all around.

When I was using Vista I did sometimes feel like my brother had a better OS, but not anymore. Windows 7 finally made me realize that Windows is back in the game. Look around you – I have seen so much coverage of Windows 7 on the internet it is mind boggling. The vast majority of people who have tried Windows 7 like it, and I have to agree with them.

So, I am proud to say that I am a PC and I am not going anywhere, anytime soon. Now bring on Windows 8! What do you the readers think? Are you PCs or Macs? Or both?

Related posts:

1. Windows 7 Market Share Climbing
2. Windows 7 release date not yet official
3. Windows 7 and OS X Comparison
4. Microsoft confirms Windows 7 2010 Release Year
5. Of Vista and Windows 7
6. Microsoft To Allow Downgrades To Windows Vista And Windows XP