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Earlier this year, Gates indicated that Windows 7 would drop in 2009, a date confirmed somewhat by Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer, this even though the software giant's official position is still pointing to 2010, three years after the general availability of Windows Vista.

In a recent interview, Gates commented on the increasing success associated with Apple's Mac computers and inherently with their own proprietary operating system. The Microsoft co-founder turned the question around to Windows, and although he did not specifically reference Windows 7, it is clear what he meant.

"I do think that the success of Windows is been quite phenomenal, and that's because we keep improving it. There's competition in every space where in, including [with Apple and Mac OS X], but I'm thrilled at the work that's going on right now. I won't be here full time when it comes out, but I'm thrilled about the way the Windows team is taking in all the feedback and doing amazing things," Gates said.

So far, Gates' amazing things in Windows 7 have not been made available to the public. With the Windows 7 Milestone 1 build, the next iteration of Windows is very much identical to its predecessor. Additionally, in the first and only taste of Windows 7 Microsoft allowed for the public, only the touch computing features of the operating systems were demonstrated, but they count for nothing without the right underlying hardware. Windows 7 M1 is by no means representative of what the final version of the operating system will look, since it is mostly Vista.

But with Microsoft having confirmed through the voice of Steven Sinofsky, Senior Vice President, Windows and Windows Live Engineering Group, that Windows 7 would have the same kernel as Vista, hardware requirements, graphics and audio subsystems, only in evolved forms, the company still needs to deliver the amazing things that Gates pointed out are happening through the development process.