What the heck is going on with Microsoft’s rollout of Windows 7? The OS seems to be on schedule to not only meet Microsoft’s timetable but possibly beat it. The free beta version runs better than some shipping versions of Windows I’ve paid for, and takes care of some long-standing problems. No features have been promised for Windows 7 and then deep-sixed when Microsoft couldn’t make them work. And the company’s marketing for the OS to date has been so restrained that it’s practically bashful.
Doesn’t anyone in Redmond remember that Windows upgrades are supposed to show up years late, missing major selling points and including new features of questionable value, and accompanied by marketing claims that no piece of software could live up to?
As far as I can tell at this point, Windows 7 is in surprisingly solid shape. It may well help Microsoft–and, more important, Microsoft customers–bounce back from the mistake that was Windows Vista. But it won’t be a cakewalk. And I’m worried about at least eight things that could still go awry.
In an effort to make Windows 7’s multitouch user-interface one of the OS’s top selling points, Microsoft has invested millions in Israeli startup N-trig to provide PCs with touchscreen technology.
My apologies if you think I’m overcovering 
In a move that’s apparently a 
As I write this, there are slightly fewer than 22.5 hours left to go before 2008 is history. I promise I’ll stop looking back at the year momentarily–I already summed up its 
Windows XP was theoretically replaced by Windows Vista almost two years ago now. But many, many people still prefer to buy computers loaded with XP than with Vista. That’s surely not a reality that Microsoft is very happy with, but it’s one that it has to deal with. And so the company keeps giving XP brief new leases on life, to the point where many users will be able to segue directly from XP to 