Public betas of Windows 7 client and server could hit this week
It’s not much of a secret at this point, but CEO Steve Ballmer is expected to announce official availability of the closed Windows 7 Beta 1 release during his Consumer Electronics Show keynote address on January 7. The official (non-Torrented) Beta 1 bits should be available to pre-approved Windows 7 Beta 1 testers later Wednesday night or early on January 8.
Ditto with Windows 7 Server, a k a Windows Server 2008 R2. The private Beta 1 release of that product is scheduled for late January 7/early January 8, I’m hearing. I’ve gotten a number of questions from readers this year already about the expected public betas of these products. I’ve made some discreet inquiries.
The public (the one and only) beta of Windows 7 client and server could be released simultaneously with the private Beta 1 builds this week, according to some of my sources. What’s the point of a simultaneous public and private beta? The private testers’ feedback will get top priority; the public beta will be more of a milestone marker than anything else.
