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Perhaps the one thing that has struck many as the most odd is the fact that Windows 7 shows a version of 6.1. Subsequently, many of those people are under the false pretense that the recent leak of 6519 content is nothing more than a fake. The rest of said people are just left scratching their noggins. The explanation is quite simple and one that merits an informative breakdown so that the beta community doesn’t go through this whole version rigmarole once more.
The screenshot displaying the issue at hand is the following:
You will notice it says, “Version 6.1 (Build 6519.1.x86fre.winmain.071220-1525)”.
According to “JayDog,” who wrote a review on his opinion of Windows 7 after having installed it, Windows 7 Ultimate is not a stand-alone install. It needs to be installed over a Windows Vista SP1 system.
Regardless, in knowing the Windows 7 shots are real, "ynotm" has offered up an alternate understanding that may be more fitting for the occasion: Microsoft compiled Windows 7 with version 6.1 simply to differentiate it from Windows Vista, which makes perfect sense. Why they went with 6.1 instead of 7 is up to speculation to everyone outside of Microsoft's walls but regardless, the underlying theme here is the shots are real and 6.1 is there for a reason instead of 7 (whatever the reason may be).
Enter MinWin.
MinWin is going to be the kernel overhaul for Windows 7 and once implemented, you will probably no longer see 6.1. I realize it may be a little confusing to some of you as to why Windows 7 doesn’t contain everything that will be Windows 7 but quite simply, as with many products, development and testing begins by integrating new code into the latest stable code. Until MinWin is implemented, you can basically consider Windows 7 to be an extension and evolution of Windows Vista SP1.
Not to confuse you further but different products within Windows will have their own version numbers, such as IE 7. IE 7 has a version number of 7.0 just as IE 8 will have a version of 8.0. If someone such as myself were to get a hold of the M1 build of Windows 7, I’m sure I could find core OS files with a version of 7.x but until the kernel is shifted from SP1’s kernel to MinWin, expect many of the screenshots from here on out to reflect a version of 6.1. Then again, I’m not wholly certain anymore which file they pull the Windows version from when you bring up “About Windows.” Depending on which file that is, we may start seeing a version 7.0 much earlier than the implementation of MinWin, so… I’m just throwing that out there.
Above all, it’s important to realize that there are processes within Microsoft that take place which won’t make much sense to outside viewers. Just because something doesn’t add up doesn’t mean it’s fake. It’s alright to take part in speculation and question things but bear in mind that not all things spilling out of Microsoft in the form of leaks will make immediate sense.
Hopefully, the aforementioned will clear up the confusion a little. Please feel free to leave more questions in the form of comments and if I can’t accurately answer your question, I will certainly try my best to get a hold of someone who can.
-Stephen
10 comments:
Actually, Windows Vista SP1 is still version 6.0. My understanding is that W7 is still using that kernel, just changing the build number to 6.1 at compile to differentiate it from the Vista family
Good points and I have edited the blog entry accordingly. Thanks for your input. =)
-Stephen
Actually, it takes a certain kind of inconfidence of others' Photoshop skills when someone disregards these as fakes based solely on them saying "6.1" instead of "7.0".
Maybe I'm a weirdo, but my brain actually works like this: "If this was a fake, why wouldn't they overwrite it to 7.0".
Also a good point, szajd. Unfortunately, as stupid as it may seem, that type of slip-up has been known to happen fairly often in the past but the gravity of this situation was quite different. It amazes me to see brand new comments from people on various sites who still seem to think the Windows 7 shots are fake. lol.
-Stephen
Could it be that Microsoft is just keeping it options open to release an interum build ala XP Reloaded?
It is also quite common to not bump version numbers to the Next Big Thing before the release is actually cut. Most likely, Windows 7 will livev on through development as 6.x (not 6.0) until release, and then be versioned as v7.0.something.
Then again, Microsoft might also regard Windows 7 as a minor update to Vista as XP (5.1) was for Windows 2000 (5.0). Time will tell, but at this stage in development it's just silly to speculate too much about it.
Agreed with it being silly to speculate. Any number of points could be valid or ultimately laughable to the Microsofties who are "in the know," but it's all neither here nor there. =)
-Stephen
No, Win7 is not "using the Vista or VistaSP1 kernel" nor "waiting for the real/MinWin kernel to come before bumping the version up to 7.0". Each version of Windows is a completely separate copy of the entire codebase, from the kernel all the way to MSPaint, and it's the entire Win7 codebase that is at 6.1. MinWin is already present, and I doubt we'll be seeing a "switch" down the road to 7.0. I'd expect this to be 6.1 till the end -- a minor version. And it's exactly what Vista needs, a minor version -- sort of a "Vista done right."
Too bad Sinofsky ditched the version-agnostic codename "Vienna" for "Windows 7", which gives a false impression of the OS's scope. Unfortunately it's too late for them to rename the code name "Windows 6.1", but that's what it is.
it wont say version 7 until it is a "gold" release untill then every leak will have a new 6.???? number so you know if its newer or not
The reason Windows 6.1 is marketed as Windows 7 is because Intel markets its current processor as Core i7.
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