Windows 8 RTM to Hit in July 2011
While we're all basking in the warm, sunny glow of Windows 7, it's no secret that Microsoft is already working on Windows 8. However, a recent roadmap shows that the next iteration of Windows could arrive sooner than you think.
Late last year a roadmap shown at PDC 2009 revealed Windows 8 would see a "~2012" release. While that little tilde before 2012 had us believing it would be more like the first half of 2013 and Microsoft was just affording itself some wiggle-room, it looks like we'll see the OS sooner than 2012.
A former Microsoft employee by the name of Chris Green recently posted a visual graph detailing Microsoft's product lifecycle index. As msftkitchen points out, this graph contains an awful lot of information that can already be found from Microsoft's Support Lifecycle Index. However, Green has mentioned some things that aren't listed on the MS Lifecycle Index; namely dates for Windows 8, Windows 8 Server and Office 15.
Green's graph have Windows 8 RTM down for July 1, 2011, with mainstream support from July 1, 2011 to July 1, 2016 and extended support from 2016 to July, 2021.
Office 15 is pegged for a July 2, 2012 RTM; mainstream support from 2012 to June 30, 2017 and extended support from July 3, 2017 to July 5, 2022.
Green has Microsoft Server 8 down for the same dates. So that's a July 2, 2012 RTM with mainstream support from 2012 to June 30, 2017 and extended support from July 3, 2017 to July 5, 2022.
Green left Microsoft on January 12, at least, that's when he blogged about his leaving Microsoft. However, the update that has everyone talking was posted on December 9, presumably while he was still a Redmond employee.
You can view his roadmap here (PDF warning).

Related news: Windows 8 RTM Delayed to October 2013.
More Related news: Windows 9 RTM to Hit in October 2014.
Honestly, who cares?
Seriously, damn near every reader of this site and then some most likely knows that Win7 is really an over-glorified SP for Vista. Hell, it comes up as Windows 6.1!
I hate to say it, but they should take the Mac road. Make a major update with all sorts of improvements and new features, and make it available as an update for a nominal fee (i.e $29 or so). I would've paid $29 for Win 6.1...
so Microsoft should wait for another 10 years like they did with vista to come out with a new OS so they can have another flop
FAIL
I still have to test on Windows XP 32-bit OS's because most companies don't upgrade. Hell, most are still on IE 6 and Firefox 2. A lot of companies are also still using SQL Server 2005 and VS 2005. All Microsoft's goal is to get companies to start using their latest technologies, and to use their latest technologies, they want them all tied together so as to make more money. Capitalism at it's best.
I agree that an OS needs so called baking time...but why not keep moving forward. Just like hardware... I cant afford to upgrade every cycle.. but when that cycle has reached its maturity.. I jump on board.. Not only do i get a great deal.. but I have plenty of software (GAMES) to support it.
Keep moving forward .. sounds good to me.
Sooner the consumer realises that he is just been milked, the better it is..
LOL - did you think of that before you wrote it because you actually answered your own question there! If MS puts out a dedicated x64 OS, you can bet your pants on the fact that the industry will react by following suit. It's almost like the "if you build it they will come" phenomenon.