Yes, A new OS for us to skin!
Though it's been available for a week to us who are subscribers to the TechNet and MSDN programs, on May 5 2009 Microsoft made Windows 7 Release Candidate (RC) available for download to the general public.
[link="http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/default.aspx"]Microsoft's Windows 7 page[/link]
[link="http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/download.aspx"]RC1 Download page[/link]
RC testers will be required to register, and will be given a product key for the period of evaluation. Microsoft has committed to issuing the final release to manufacturing (RTM) of Windows 7 within three years of Vista's release, meaning it should arrive by the end of January 2010.
The RC version is intended to harden and optimize features added and enhanced during the beta phase. The GUI is quicker, sleeker with a all new taskbar, icon tweaks and such. No more sidebar but improved gadgets for anywhere on the desktop. I hope Stardock steps up to bat soon with updates to fixup its apps to work with Win7. But NOT at the expense of applying old suites that rob new functionality of the OS.
Changes To GUI.
[link="http://blogs.msdn.com/e7/archive/2009/02/26/some-changes-since-beta.aspx"]WWW Link[/link]
I have gotten used to and do like the new taskbar. But a major selling point of WB would be if we could skin the Win7 taskbar to emulate the vista taskbar. For people who can't get used to it this just might reduce frustration.
I Have uploaded the RC logons!
[link="https://www.wincustomize.com/skins.aspx?search=matttechster"]WWW Link[/link]
Skin Away,
MattTechster
Matt.Techster@gmail.com