Is a life without walls a life without Vista?
Earlier on, we mentioned that a selection of journos believe Windows 7 will arrive in mid-2009. One such journo is Paul Thurrot, a seasoned Microsoft follower. Having been involved in Windows 7 beta testing from an early stage, Thurrot publicly states that he believes Windows 7 and Windows Vista Service Pack 2 to be finalised by April 2009, with consumer availability no later than June 2009.
Similarly, Mary-Jo Foley from ZDnet's All About Microsoft blog has clearly stated that "Windows 7 in 2009 looks like a realistic possibility".
Last but not least, there's Microsoft's Life Without Walls advertising campaign. Touted as the largest consumer marketing campaign in the history of the company, the ongoing "I'm a PC" advertisements stress the diversity and popularity of Windows - though, strangely, without once mentioning Windows XP or Windows Vista.
If Windows 7 is a possibility for mid-2009, it's entirely possible that Microsoft's Life Without Walls advertisements are part of a subliminal campaign that isn't meant to change the public perception of Windows Vista at all, it could be intended to soften the public's idea of Windows prior to the arrival of Windows 7.
We don't claim to know Windows 7's launch details, but there are clearly plenty of reasons to believe that Windows 7 will arrive far sooner than Microsoft would have us believe.
Further reading: PDC '08: Microsoft demonstrates Windows 7's sex appeal