Windows 7 became available for pre-order today. There are positive reviews around the place though I think it is a shame that they’re not offering it free to Vista customers considering how bad Vista was. Still, Microsoft have to keep the money coming in to support their massive infrastructure. The timing is good too, designed I guess to take the focus from Google’s new OS that they are going to release.

Google’s OS will be won or lost based on 2 factors - its office suite (likely to be a shiny version of Google Docs), and whether they can get mainstream games publishers to use the linux platform that Chrome OS is based upon. I can’t see how they will swing the 2nd point without investing heavily themselves in a linux version of DirectX/3d. Much as I dislike Microsoft one thing they got right (eventually) was DirectX and that got the game publishers on board. I’m an ex-games programmer (Gremlin Interactive, Infogrames entertainment) and it helped no end having almost identical XBox & PC versions of whatever game we were working on, not to mention not having to do things totally differently depending on what graphics, sound or input device a user had. DirectX unified the lot and people (and teenagers in their garages) started spitting out games much more quickly. Google will need their DirectX - they must take games seriously if they want to capture the home/Desktop market.

Anyway, if you’re interested in pre-ordering Windows 7 see the links below for US/UK via Amazon. Amazon (UK at least) has a set number of Windows 7 for pre-order each hour and it seems to be sold out for that hour by 5 minutes past the hour (does that make sense?) - so check it on the hour whilst we’re in early days!). Note also that the UK does not have upgrade options, but must purchase the full package:

US: Amazon.com
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade
Microsoft Windows 7 Professional
Microsoft Windows 7 Professional Upgrade
Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate
Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate Upgrade

UK: Amazon.co.uk
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium E (PC)
Microsoft Windows 7 Professional E (PC)
Windows 7 Ultimate E (PC DVD)

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