While skimming Ars Technica earlier this evening, I read with interest their piece about Microsoft going public with Windows 7 (read: successor to Vista) at the Professional Developers Conference next month, and it’s development being “secretive”.

There is no secret at all to Windows 7 and/or it’s feature set. It will have some more of the features OSX 10.5 has, and will come bundled with Internet Explorer 8.

Windows 7 WILL have…

• A “live” file version control system (this already exists in Vista, but nobody knows it’s there)
• Virtual Desktops
• Pop-out folders in the Start Bar and Menu
• Immediate preview of common file types
• So many versions that nobody has a clue which to get - and half of which will be discontinued within weeks of launch

Windows 7 will NOT have…

• Any unified calendar application, or support for
• Any unified contact list, or support for
• The WinFS file system
• Direct access to hardware by any drivers at all, under any circumstances