Sources that wish to be unnamed say that Microsoft is planning to make Beta 1 of Windows 7 available until mid-December. A small group of testers already have their hands on Windows 7 builds. Microsoft has released two milestone designated Windows 7 builds (M1 and M2), and the Windows client team is in the midst of putting final additions on M3. Nevertheless, the consensus seems to be not to expect Microsoft to distribute Windows 7 bits more widely until the Windows 7 is feature-complete or very nearly so. If the Microsoft development trend is to be assumed then we could expect Windows 7 on our desktops by Early 2010.

A small and select group of testers already have gotten their hands on Windows 7 builds. Microsoft has released two M ("milestone") designated Windows 7 builds (M1 and M2), plus various interim updates, to select customers and partners who have been sworn to secrecy. And the Windows client team is in the midst of putting finishing touches on M3, I hear.

But Beta 1? Currently it's not in the cards for Microsoft to release this code to testers until a week before Christmas, according to folks claiming to be privvy to Microsoft's Windows 7 schedule.

Might there be some kind of pre-beta - something like a Community Technology Preview (CTP) build - that Microsoft will deliver to a broader set of private testers than those currently getting regular internal builds? No customers or partners with whom I have chatted with seem to know for sure. But the consensus seems to be not to expect Microsoft to distribute Windows 7 bits more widely until the Windows 7 is feature-complete or very nearly so.