Mike Nash over at the official Windows Vista blog has announced that the next version of Windows codenamed Windows 7 operating system has been given an official name, "Windows 7".

 

Microsoft intends on showcasing a pre-beta "developer only release" with attendees in the next month or so at PDC and WinHEC.

 

Supposedly Microsoft gave its upcoming operating system the name "Windows 7" for simplicity reasons and for it will be the seventh operating system from the company.

 

The decision to use the name Windows 7 is about simplicity. Over the years, we have taken different approaches to naming Windows. We've used version numbers like Windows 3.11, or dates like Windows 98, or "aspirational" monikers like Windows XP or Windows Vista. And since we do not ship new versions of Windows every year, using a date did not make sense. Likewise, coming up with an all-new "aspirational" name does not do justice to what we are trying to achieve, which is to stay firmly rooted in our aspirations for Windows Vista, while evolving and refining the substantial investments in platform technology in Windows Vista into the next generation of Windows.

 

You can read more over here at the blog.