Although Microsoft has consistently asserted in public that Windows 7 will probably only be launched in 2010, the truth is they are rushing for a December 2009 release. Here are more signs of how close they are to completion.

We recently obtained documents detailing the in-depth details of the new Windows Experience Index (WinEI) scoring model which will be used in Windows 7. The documents reveal interesting details of how Microsoft grades the performance of hardware and what has changed in the new Experience Index for Windows 7. It is especially interesting to see what they consider "good enough" performance for Windows 7.

Microsoft closed the feedback period for this scoring model on February 16, so unless there are significant opposition from their OEM partners, this would be the final scoring model for hardware in Windows 7. Let's take a look at the details of the improved Windows Experience Index!