Windows 7 RC confirmed to be released on 5th May with free One year Validity

Microsoft has confirmed that the 5th May RC of the new OS will not expire until 1 June 2010, which means more than a year of free play for anyone installing it next week.

The Windows 7 is almost certain to be with us in all its finished, Microsoft-saving glory in the summer, but had you cottoned on to the fact that you can get the release candidate next week and run it for free for a year anyway.

Previously, Windows Vista\'s candidate releases remained fully functional only for around eight months, nominally for testing purposes, but there was no shortage of cracks available online to keep them going indefinitely.