Windows 7

This post is coming to you from a fresh install of Windows 7 Beta Build 7000. I tried in vain along with millions of other geeks to download a copy from the Microsoft web site on Friday, but it didn’t happen because the biggest software company in the world wasn’t prepared for the onslaught.

Like anything on the internet there is always more than one way to skin a cat. I used bittorrent to snag a copy of the ISO that has been floating out there for a week or two already. I didn’t know how long this beta version would stay viable without an activation key, those too were supposed to be available on Friday too (at least 2.5 million anyway), but they were just as unavailable as the OS was. The interweb saved the day there too, someone left a comment on a LifeHacker thread that listed some of the keys that people had managed to get. I plugged the first one in and activated this copy. It is supposed to be good until August of this year. Probably by that time I will be needing a new PC and will get a legal copy with it instead of having to buy it out right.

Update: Just found out that Microsoft has decided that they screwed up and to make amends they have extended the availability of the Beta until January 24th and will not cap the activation keys at 2.5 million — Go Get It. You still have to have, or sign up for, a Windows Live ID (or an MSN Hotmail, MSN Messenger, or Passport account?)

I may go ahead and download a version from Microsoft too, just to be safe.