Windows 7 in 2009: a blessing or a curse?

You've probably heard the rumors floating around the Internet this week: Microsoft has allegedly accelerated the development cycle of Windows 7, in an attempt to counter the tepid response that Windows Vista has received. According to this rumor, the OS would land sometime in calendar year 2009--as opposed to 2010, as was originally expected. While many enterprise users and consumers rejoiced at the thought of a non-Vista Windows next year, there are some serious reasons for concern. Ars Technica takes a close look at Vista's deadline-driven development cycle and warns that if Microsoft accelerates development of Windows 7, a similarly half-baked OS could be the result. "You don't want to move too quickly in an effort to fix your mistake, because you can end up making another, potentially costlier one," Ars writes. "In Microsoft's case, the company can easily weather the trials and tribulations that Vista has brought it. But should the company release another operating system that fails to gain a critical, but positive reception, it will signal a true crisis for the company's desktop business."

For more on Windows 7:
- see this Ars Technica piece