May 01, 2009

Another piece has fallen into place for an autumn 2010 release of Windows 7.

Acer, the world's joint second largest manufacturer of PCs, has reportedly given October 23 as the date when Microsoft's successor to Windows Vista will become available.

Bobby Watkins, Acer's UK managing director, gave the date saying there will be a 30-day upgrade period during which time customers buying a new PC will get Windows 7.

It's the last crack in the patently ridiculous façade that Microsoft keeps painting of Windows 7 not becoming available until 2010.

Microsoft Windows senior vice president Bill Veghte reportedly said Monday that a holiday release of Windows 7 is "accomplishable".

Such statements from executives like Veghte at Microsoft are not made off the cuff, and they are not executive gaffs. Microsoft's speakers are always on message, and not only will Veghte have spoken with a certain degree of authority, what he said would have been officially sanctioned

Microsoft Thursday afternoon refused to comment on Watkins' date, but said simply it remained committed to general availability of Windows 7 within three years of Windows Vista.

Windows Vista was made broadly available in January 2007, following a "business launch" in the previous November. That would put Windows 7 between November 2009 and January 2010.

However, the operating system is completed, and sitting on the software makes no sense. Even a November release would be too late for Microsoft to capitalize on the autumn back-to-school and Christmas-shopping seasons, that traditionally lifts its results and those of PC makers.