There is a really good post at http://blogs.msdn.com/e7/archive/2009/01/30/our-next-engineering-milestone.aspx on the progress and roadmap for the next steps of Windows 7. Quoting from the end of the article:

So to summarize briefly:

• Pre-Beta – This release at the PDC introduced the developer community to Windows 7 and represents the platform complete release and disclosure of the features.
• Beta – This release provided a couple of million folks the opportunity to use feature complete Windows 7 while also providing the telemetry and feedback necessary for us to validate the quality, reliability, compatibility, and experience of Windows 7. As we said, we are working with our partners across the ecosystem to make sure that testing and validation and development of Windows 7-based products begins to enter final phases as we move through the Beta.
• Release Candidate (RC) – This release will be Windows 7 as we intend to ship it. We will continue to listen to feedback and telemetry with the focus on addressing only the most critical issues that arise. We will be very clear in communicating any changes that have a visible impact on the product. This release allows the whole ecosystem to reach a known state together and make sure that we are all ready together for the Release to Manufacturing. Once we get to RC, the whole ecosystem is in “dress rehearsal” mode for the next steps.
• Release to Manufacturing (RTM) – This release is the final Windows 7 as we intend to make available to PC makers and for retail and volume license products.
• General Availability (GA) – This is a business milestone and represents when you can buy Windows 7 pre-installed on PCs or as full packaged product.

The obvious question is that we know the Pre-Beta was October 28, 2008, and the Beta was January 7th, so when is the Release Candidate and RTM? The answer is forthcoming.

Of course there are no dates associated with any of the information in the blog post and I wouldn’t expect there to be any. Doing a little more reading on Windows 7 I came across an article on the Department of Justice (DoJ) review of the new APIs in Windows 7. In that article there are a few key dates for testing of the APIs to be reviewed.

Microsoft plans to complete testing on existing submitted Windows protocol documentation by March 31, 2009. It plans to complete all of its system documents by June 30 of this year, according to the court document.

So from that I would gather that nothing will be officially released before July. Of course there is also the question of what the European Union will require of Microsoft before they can release Windows 7 with IE 8. The EU is complaining about Microsoft bundling IE8 with Windows 7. I have read various opinions that range from this is very serious and could stop the release of Windows 7 to this being a way for the EU to make more money off of Microsoft.

I don’t know all the technical details with removing IE from the operating system and if it will cause problems with Windows 7. If I were Microsoft and taking a long range view of the fines and the hassles associated with having IE be part of the OS I think I would figure out a way to separate the components/controls used for web browsing and the UI of IE. That way you could leave the browser functionality in the OS as part of the documented APIs and all developers could count on them being available and you could appease the EU by not bundling a web browser. You could then include the IE UI as a separate download. Of course the question has come up on how would users get a web browser if there were not a web browser on the machine to start with. I think Microsoft and all other browser vendors could provide instructions on how to use a command window and FTP to download the browser. It wouldn’t be convenient for the end user but it would satisfy the politicians.