How do I say this nicely? Randall C. Kennedy is kind of an idiot.
No, wait. That’s not harsh enough, given the amount of incredible BS this guy has spouted recently.
In the interests of not wanting to give this guy too much attention, I’ll just say this. He wrote today that Microsoft has “now officially delayed the release of the first public Windows 7 beta until early 2009.”
That is not true.
In late October, Microsoft announced at the PDC 2008 reviewers workshop—that Kennedy tried unsuccessfully to sneak into, by the way*—and then again at the PDC day 2 keynote that it would release the Windows 7 Beta in early 2009 and then ship that beta to the public soon thereafter. I wrote about this at the time, as did many other people, I’m sure. And I know Kennedy reads my stuff because he mentions me all the time now.
But don’t believe me. Read it for yourself. Here’s what Steven Sinofksy had to say about the Windows 7 beta on October 28, 2008, about one month before Kennedy’s latest crazy screed:
“I'm here today to tell you we're going to deliver the [Windows 7] beta early next year as well ... We're going to open up the beta broadly, and stay-tuned on Microsoft.com/Windows for how you'll be able to download the beta just if you're interested in it.”
So.
He’s a liar. Or he’s delusional. Based on my few run-ins with him, it’s quite possibly both. But to be clear, Microsoft did not “delay” the release of the public Windows 7 beta.
Back to the real world…
* PS: Not only did Kennedy try unsuccessfully to sneak into the Windows 7 Reviewers Workshop at PDC, but when he didn’t get in and discovered that attendees received loaner laptops for use in testing Windows 7, he begged Microsoft for one. When refused, he wrote another classic screed about how those who did get laptops were “the media elite” and “Friends of Microsoft (FOM).” Because, you know, people who review products for a living write favorable reviews when they get to use said products for free. Sigh.