Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) has finally made its Windows 7 operating system available for anybody to download, install and test. The beta release of its flagship software went public over the past weekend to generally good reviews. As Windows Vista seems to have a very negative perception in the market (even with hundreds of millions sold with new PCs), the company's marketing efforts centered around Vista's January 2007 release fell flat.

Vista was almost instantly regarded as too slow, too intensive for all but the latest PC technology and its constant pop-up warnings were seen as a huge annoyance. In other words, all the security concerns addressed in Vista -- probably its biggest feature -- were constantly being figuratively spray-painted on customers faces every day. With Windows 7 -- which looks and feels much like Vista -- Microsoft has made extreme advances in speed and responsiveness while making the overall environment easier to navigate and use.

Customers don't need to have the latest and greatest PC to run Microsoft's arguably best operating system ever. But still one question remains -- how on earth does Microsoft advertise and market Windows 7 -- when it is released -- to assuage Vista-like fears? Customers don't easily forget, and even though Windows 7 just made a significant milestone with a beta software release anyone can download and use, the bigger challenge will be regaining the trust of the computing world once Windows 7 is released. That's probably a harder job than the work required by thousands of software engineers to create the operating system itself.

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) has unveiled the next version of its Windows operating system. The marketing name "Vista" is gone and there apparently is no word to replace it. From all indications, the next version of Windows will be called "Windows 7."

Perhaps Microsoft thinks that the lucky number 7 will save it from the tarnish Windows Vista has left behind on the image of Windows. Although the software giant touted Windows Vista as the most secure and user-friendly version of Windows yet, consumers did not embrace it. Through Microsoft's dominance with PC makers, Windows Vista has still continued to be a huge success, shipping on almost all new PCs. Businesses, though, certainly did not welcome Windows Vista readily. Will Windows 7 be any different?

Using the version number (this Windows is actually version 7), instead of some name, may help Microsoft differentiate it from other operating systems, while reinforcing that there have been six versions of Windows before this new one (hence, it's a tried-and-true product). No release date has been given for Windows 7. Here's a prediction: Microsoft will see Windows 7 as a non-event (as far as initial release) unless it steps up its marketing game soon. If it addresses the perception issues of software crashes, video and audio handling and speed without the latest hardware, Windows 7 may have a chance.