Microsoft Formally Launches Windows 7 Operating System

After ringing the opening bell at NASDAQ this morning, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer introduced Windows 7 at an event in New York's fashionable SoHo section. Ballmer made no secret of the importance of the launch to his company and closed the event by noting confidently that "this is an important day for the computer industry."

Ballmer said that with Windows 7, "We're trying to make the everyday usage of the PC better… Simpler, better, more responsive."

New Windows 7 features include multi-touch and multi-media capabilities allowing customers to stream media to several devices on the home or business network from a single PC; online and offline synchronization between home and office PCs and networked printer sharing; faster boot times; and an improved taskbar allowing customers to find their most-used applications and files more quickly.

Microsoft also released the Managed Desktop Optimization Pack 2 for Windows 7 today, which includes application virtualization that allows IT administrators to deliver new apps without actually having to install them. Other new features include:

• BitLocker ToGo allows IT administrators to deliver virtual applications on a secured USB drive, as the associated applications are protected against unauthorized use. Only authorized users have access to the applications, including remote users who may not have connectivity to corporate network;
• Integration with third-party LDAP directories reduces administrative overhead for customers who maintain their user accounts in a third-party LDAP directory
• AppLocker integration helps IT enforce compliance of virtual applications with AppLocker policies, and provides consistent policy management for all application types

Given that many enterprise customers preferred to hold onto XP rather than migrate to Windows Vista, which Microsoft launched in January 2007, the company badly needs for Windows 7 to not only perform better than its predecessor, but to generate stronger reviews and word-of-mouth. The challenge Microsoft will face will be trying to get corporate customers to migrate any faster than they currently plan.

Microsoft did get a strong endorsement from Gartner lead Microsoft analyst Michael Silver, who said in a report that Windows 7 is a significant improvement from Vista. While it's not a major architectural release, it builds on the plumbing changes Microsoft made in Windows Vista, and adds important features that Vista did not have, which will help improve organizations’ abilities to deploy it, he said.

“Windows 7 has improvements in memory management to allow users to have a better experience than with Vista on PCs with similar or even slightly lower specifications,” said Silver.

Silver also told customers that they can't afford to miss this so-called "polishing release" made on top of the architectural change that the Windows Vista “plumbing” release delivered. Silver said polishing releases should never be skipped. “While organizations that skipped Windows 2000 and waited for XP had some problems spanning the gap, organizations that adopted Windows 2000 and tried to skip Windows XP, waiting for Vista, had a much harder time,” said Silver.