Paul managed to get his hands on an updated Windows 7 release schedule and family pack availability. The Windows 7 Family Pack details that have emerged are the following: Windows 7 Family Pack will ship with one Windows 7 setup disc and three windows 7 Home Premium product keys which makes it possible to install the operating system on up to three computer systems in one household. It was already known that the family pack would be a temporary offer.
Disappointing is the news that the windows 7 Family Pack will apparently not be available in many markets and that it will be delayed until 2010 in some markets like Europe. There is currently no official list of countries the family pack is being made available in. It can be that the same countries that were blessed with a Windows 7 Pre-order discount will be the only ones receiving the family pack. No word yet on the amount of copies that are provided in each market the Windows 7 Family Packs are offered in.
MSDN and Technet subscribers can get their hands on the Windows 7 RTM on August 6. The rest of the timeline is as follows:
- August 7. Volume License (VL) customer with an existing Software Assurance (SA) license can download Windows 7 RTM in English via the Volume License Service Center (VLSC).
- August 16. Microsoft Partner Program Gold/Certified members will be able to download Windows 7 RTM in English.
- August 23. Microsoft Action Pack subscribers will be able to download Windows 7 RTM in English. Volume License (VL) customers with an existing Software Assurance (SA) license can download Windows 7 RTM in the remaining languages via the Volume License Service Center (VLSC).
- September 1. Volume License customers without a SA license will be able to purchase Windows 7 through Volume Licensing (as previously announced).
- October 1. Microsoft Partner Program Gold/Certified members will be able to download Windows 7 RTM in the remaining languages. Microsoft Action Pack subscribers will be able to download Windows 7 RTM in the remaining languages. MSDN and Technet subscribers can download Windows 7 RTM in the remaining languages.
- October 22. Windows 7 will be made available via retail stores, online purchasing, and with new PC purchases. This is the so-called “general availability,” or GA, date. (Previously announced.)
[source Paul Thurrott]
