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January 26, 2009 -By Loyd Case
Will Your Games Run on Windows 7?

Will Windows 7 run your games?

The short answer is, mostly, yes. We just spent the last week installing and running through 22 different games, of varying ages, going back as far as Quake II. We also ran some of the newest, hottest titles, including several using the Games for Window logo program, which is supposed to be a sort of "Good Housekeeping" seal for PC games. If the game has the Games for Windows logo, so the thinking goes, then it should at least install and run properly.

Before we dive in, though, a caveat. Windows 7 is a beta OS, so some of the glitches and problems we encountered may well be fixed. Still, some of the problems we ran into were surprising, to say the least. On the other hand, the majority of games did seem to run just fine.

Before we talk about specific game titles, we'll spend a little time checking out the new Games Explorer. The Games Explorer in Vista is a somewhat unfinished concept. Windows 7 improves on the Games Explorer in incremental but important ways, much as it improves on other aspects of Vista. We'll check out those improvements, as well as see just how well some of those new features work.

Let the games begin! Continued...

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,2 … 538,00.asp

Bottom of page 3 sez

Download services integration with Windows Games Explorer is limited. For example, almost no games downloaded from Steam show up in Games Explorer. That's an issue that will need to be addressed going forward. While diversity is PC gaming's strength, balkanization is its weakness.

Steam games tested ran, but the beta still seems to have a few issues with Steam.

Booksley wrote:

...my new soon-to-be-built PC.

I hate you... anyway,

Today Microsoft announced the availability of Internet Explorer 8, Release Candidate 1 for public consumption.

As of Monday afternoon, Microsoft brought Internet Explorer 8 out of beta, now available for the public to download and devour here. What does Release Candidate mean? The title states that the browser isn't in a finished state, however it is stable enough for general consumption; those who use the browser may experience minor bugs or compatibility issues with websites. However, according to IE General Manager Dean Hachamovitch in a blog, the browser is actually "platform complete."

Bur for those holding out for the final candidate, the wait may be a long one, as Microsoft has not released the "final" ship date of Internet Explorer 8. Still, Microsoft assures that the completed product will not differ from the current release candidate. "The ecosystem should expect the final candidate to behave like the release candidate," said Hachamovitch in an interview.

Wanna be our [s]guinea pig[/s] voluteer?

Microsoft's IE8 Release Candidate Now Live

Bat wrote:

Booksley wrote:

...my new soon-to-be-built PC.

I hate you... anyway,

I'm helping the economy, one computer at a time

Wow. I'd already read that some Win fanguy[s] had started a 'Release Win 7 now' petition, but I didn't know things were going this swimmingly.

Windows 7 release candidate coming
Nibble            That was quick

By Nick Farrell Monday, 2 February 2009, 12:19

A VOLISH executive has been hinting to hacks that Windows 7 beta may be ahead of schedule and there might be plans to get a new release candidate out soon.

Steven Sinfosky, senior vice president for Windows and Windows Live Engineering, said in a post on the Engineering Windows 7 blog that Vole was were already looking beyond the main testing phase to what's called the Release Candidate.

This means that there will be no second beta test release of Windows 7. Windows 7 Beta code is scheduled to die on August 1. µ

http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/new … ate-coming

I suppose I'd better go abuse privilege and cross this into In Tech News.

Last edited by Bat (2009-02-03 12:30 am)

The first post-beta version of Windows 7 is up on bit torrent sites everywhere, and actually includes a few benefits over Build 7000, the previous, beta version.

The most obvious new feature is the inclusion of Internet Explorer 8 Release Candidate, a step up from the previous build's beta edition. But it also includes a bunch of new icons and animations, and apparently the start menu's search option is faster than before. Despite a few flaws, we're pretty much in love with Windows 7 over here and it's good to know that it'll get even better before the final release.

Windows 7 Build 7022 Leaks, Packs IE8 and New Enhancements

They also have Windows 7: The Complete Guide.. just for sturner.

It's the W7 Cliff's Notes for tech writers!

I tried the Win7 beta again on the weekend. My first impressions were verified - it is a beta. It works well enough to give a general impression of how things look and feel but there are some annoying glitches and it just isn't stable enough for me to actually use. I could (reluctantly, as a temporary thing) live with not being able to use my TV for Media Center (or anything else, for that matter) but the random total system lock-ups are a deal-breaker.

Overall, Windows7 is much, much, much better than Vista was on the first public release but I'm still going to let the early adopters enjoy the dubious pleasures of early adoption.

Well.

Windows 7 RC1 reportedly coming April 10th

Rumor has it that Microsoft plans to release the first release candidate for Windows 7 on April 10th, roughly three months after the public beta launch. Like the beta, the first release candidate is expected to be offered to the general public for download, with Ars Technica reporting that everyone will get access on that date, including beta testers.

If Microsoft continues along at the current pace, Windows 7 could be ready for release just in time for the back-to-school season, which is the one of the biggest revenue producers for PC manufacturers and Microsoft, falling second only to the holiday selling season.

http://www.firingsquad.com/news/newsart … chid=21320

More changes including key performance improvements found in Windows 7 RC1, release dates revealed

Windows 7 RC1, according to descriptions by Microsoft, is shaping up to be very impressive.  Microsoft has fixed close to 2,000 bugs based on user feedback in preparation for what may be the best Windows release to date.  In our first special, we took a peek at the Windows 7 RC1 interface changes.  In the second, we took a look at hardware changes and more.  Now we revisit RC1 one more time to look at a few more changes Microsoft has announced, and we also follow with the release dates for the RC versions.

First up in the latest batch of RC1 changes are some more interface tweaks.  When using the thumbnail overflow menus, accessed when clicking on a thumbnail of a program with multiple instances, close buttons have added. Also, when hovering the mouse, a menu for that item appears.  Another tweak is that the control panel icon, when pinned to the taskbar, now displays a list of your most recently used control panel utilities.  For users looking to make use of a console, the Powershell has been greatly improved with jump lists adding a method to load modules, launch the ISE, and open documentation.

Remote desktop connections are now able to be pinned to the taskbar as well as viewed in Recent Items.  Taskbar changes are also now written 30 seconds after being set, an important change, as past versions of Windows didn't write them until Explorer exited meaning that if an error condition occurred the work was lost.

In the touch realm, [..]

More Windows 7 RC1 Changes Coming, RC Release Dates Leaked

Windows 7 RC 7100 Completed, Distributed

New build hasn't been leaked to torrents -- yet

Microsoft's Windows 7 is perhaps one of the most hotly anticipated tech products of the year.  Its beta builds have thus far showcased both polish and Microsoft's willingness to improve and take constructive criticism.  Microsoft has over 2,000 planned bug fixes for the Release Candidate phase, and recent builds have given users just a taste of the promising new OS's potential.

Hot on the heels of the leak of RC build 7077 to the torrent world earlier this month, Microsoft has delivered a major milestone build to OEM partners and TAP gold customers.  Microsoft reportedly compiled the new build, 7100.0.winmain_win7rc.090421-1700 (build 7100, for short), on Tuesday, and has already began distribution.

While some are likely eagerly awaiting the build to hit torrents, for home testing, Microsoft may actually beat leakers to the punch.  Microsoft announced via its Partners page plans to launch a semi-public distribution of the release candidate by May 5th to MSDN/TechNet customers.  The official release will invariably also be shared by these customers over torrent.  The 7100 build seems a likely target for the release.

There's potential, though, that the posting could be a mistake, as a Microsoft Online Chat Concierge spokesperson commented, "Currently the Windows 7 RC has not been available through the TechNet subscription yet, only the Microsoft OEM partners such as Dell, Siemens are taking part in the RC's this period of test."

Regardless, whenever DailyTech get its hands on release candidate 7100, a features update piece can be expected.  Until then, like the rest of community, we have to wait and see.

Most testers seem to like it so far. A lot. If they clear out a coupla thousand bugs, even small ones, all the better.

Many are saying this is the best in (no pun) memory. (Doesn't mean it'll jibe with your goofy brainwaves, tho ).