Windows 7

Windows 7
Part of the Microsoft Windows family
Screenshot of Windows 7 Ultimate
Developer
Microsoft Corporation
Website	Official Website
Releases
Release date	RTM version: July 22, 2009 Retail version: October 22, 2009 [info]
Current version	6.1 (Build 7601: Service Pack 1) (February 22, 2011; 10 months ago) [info]
Source model	Closed source / Shared source
License	Proprietary commercial software
Kernel type	Hybrid
Update method	Windows Update
Platform support	IA-32 and x86-64
Preceded by	Windows Vista
Succeeded by	Windows 8 (to be released late 2012)
Support status
Mainstream support until January 13, 2015. Extended support until January 14, 2020.
Further reading
Development of Windows 7 Features new to Windows 7 List of features removed in Windows 7 Windows 7 editions

Windows 7 is the current release of Microsoft Windows, a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, netbooks, tablet PCs, and media center PCs. Windows 7 was released to manufacturing on July 22, 2009, and reached general retail availability worldwide on October 22, 2009, less than three years after the release of its predecessor, Windows Vista. Windows 7's server counterpart, Windows Server 2008 R2, was released at the same time.
Unlike Windows Vista, which introduced a large number of new features, Windows 7 was intended to be a more focused, incremental upgrade to the Windows line, with the goal of being compatible with applications and hardware with which Windows Vista was already compatible. Presentations given by Microsoft in 2008 focused on multi-touch support, a redesigned Windows shell with a new taskbar, referred to as the Superbar, a home networking system called HomeGroup, and performance improvements. Some standard applications that have been included with prior releases of Microsoft Windows, including Windows Calendar, Windows Mail, Windows Movie Maker, and Windows Photo Gallery, are not included in Windows 7; most are instead offered separately at no charge as part of the Windows Live Essentials suite.