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From my experience with the beta, Windows 7 is shaping up to be a solid, functional and stylish operating system.
And in just a few days, you'll be able to get the near-final version for free for a year:
Microsoft is effectively giving away Windows 7 free for a year with the launch of the Release Candidate.
The Release Candidate is now available to MSDN and TechNet subscribers, and will go on unlimited, general release on 5 May.
The software will not expire until 1 June 2010, giving testers more than a year's free access to Windows 7.
"It's available to as many people who see fit to use it, although we wouldn't recommend it to just your average user," John Curran, director of the Windows Client Group told PC Pro. "We'd very strongly encourage anyone on the beta to move to the Release Candidate."
Installing the release candidate, like the beta, won't be as easy as sticking a disc into your DVD drive.
But it's not overly complicated, and hey, a year of free Windows 7 is one heck of a test drive.