Windows 7 Release Candidate due on May 5

Windows 7 - the next version of the Operating System - is coming along well and the Release Candidate - the sole one before the final release - is going to be available to the general public for download on May 5.

[Definition of: release candidate
A pre-release version of software. Sometimes software vendors make one or two release candidates (RC1, RC2, etc.) available to select customers in advance of the official release. A release candidate is like a "sneak preview" of the final release with the added advantage that serious bugs may yet surface and be fixed before the general public uses it. Thus, there are alpha versions (internal), beta versions (external), release candidates (sometimes) and the final release of software.]

There is an interesting article on
Windows 7 surprise features.

The built-in XP mode would interest those with much older software. Streaming of the Windows Media player over the internet will be attractive to any music mavens.