Get Windows 7 Beta

I couldn't help but notice a nice stream of inward links from the Pirate Bay just before the new year (simple checksum). Turns out someone leaked a copy of the Windows 7 beta. Of course, for research purposes, I had to check this out!

As you know, I hate Vista, and that's not a word I use flippantly. HATE. I have no plans to use it on any machine, ever. I came, I saw, I was disappointed. But Windows 7 is something else. Anyway, that's not why I'm blogging. Time is a factor, so I'll get to the point..

Although this initial release was, erm, "unofficial", that is no longer the case, and the first 2.5 million "IT Professionals" who get their butts along to this page, can have a legal copy of Windows 7, direct from Microsoft, as well as a legitimate license key (expires August). Simply enter your hotmail/live email address, and click a few buttons. Tada!

I haven't got it setup on a dedicated machine yet, but I did throw it into VirtualBox1 the instant I got it (the leaked one, that is). I like it. That's all I'm going to say about W7 for now.

Note: The leaked version is bit-perfectly identical to the one available from Microsoft, so if you already have a copy, you can skip that download.

Have fun!

;o)
(or

ps. If you go for this, remember, it is not a production release. In other words, a) installing it on a machine you rely on for work would be insane, and b) you are expected to provide feedback, let Microsoft know what's wrong with it, etc. If enough of us do this, Windows 7 will come out not-crap, and that's better for everyone.