The main goal is to maintain a little bit more control over the communication around Windows 7 (some might say that this is a significant understatement) and also have an open and honest, and two-way, discussion about how they balance all of these interests and deliver software on the scale of Windows. The blog team promise and will deliver such a dialog with this blog.

So if you are interested in partisipating in the development of the “Vista upgrade” this blog is definitely a good place to start. Stop complaining and let them know what you would like to see instead. Great ideas and constructive critisism could benefit the whole Windows community (which is like 90% of us).

I’d like to suggest less focus on GUI and more focus on functionality and speed. Wouldn’t it be great if you could fire up Windows in 10-15 seconds and start working immediately?

Is it just me or shouldn’t this really been out a long time ago?

Maybe the focus on Windows 7 and the possible release of DirectX 11 early next year has taken the focus away from what’s most important – the current OS version and its (future) users?

But then again it looks like if something fails you could always buy your way back. Besides Microsoft’s original plan to lift the corporate image with a $300 million makeover they’ve now also earmarked an additional $200 million for Windows advertising.

I get the feeling that someone (MS) is trying to ship (push) as many copies of Vista as possible (to cover development costs) before they pull Windows 7 out of the hat, possibly as early as next year. I’m not completely convinced the time of worry is over and that moving to Vista is such a great thing. Think I’ll skip a version this time…

What’s your take on this? Have you taken the step and “upgraded”? What about in the office?

Today, more than 1 billion personal computers around the world run Windows. Over the years, Windows has been the catalyst for innovations that have transformed the way people communicate, access information, create and share content, and much more, at work and at home. Windows is the platform that most people use to get the greatest value and benefit from their personal computers. Windows is also the platform that brings together the broadest array of choices across PCs, devices and applications. To all of our Windows customers, thank you! To the hundreds of thousands of partners that develop millions of solutions for Windows, thank you.

Read the rest of the letter at microsoft.com.