Microsoft has released the Release Candidate (RC) version of the Windows 7 beta for people to
download. The download is a near final release of the operating system and features a bevy of new features that weren't available in the beta that was released earlier in the year. The OS will work for a year before expiring so you have plenty of time to check it out before having to purchase the full version.
With the release Microsoft looks to atone for the disaster that was Microsoft Vista. While the OS honestly doesn't deserve all the scorn it's gotten since it's release, Windows 7 is a huge step forward. I've been using the Win 7 beta as a the primary operating system for my work laptop since it came out and have had no problems with it. There have been a few quirks along the way but those have mostly been hardware issues with my Dell XPS 1530.
I'm going to be upgrading the laptop this week and will report back on my findings.
