Microsoft announced last night that Windows 7 - the codename used for next release of windows Operating system would be its official name. This is the first time Microsoft will use a codename as official Product name for any Windows Operating System.

Microsoft also announced that alpha preview release of Windows 7 would be available to developers at Professional Developer Conference(PDC) and Windows Hardware Engineering Conference(WinHEC).

Mark Nash, vice president, Windows Product Management said

The decision to use the name Windows 7 is about simplicity. Over the years, we have taken different approaches to naming Windows.  We’ve used version numbers like Windows 3.11, or dates like Windows 98, or "aspirational" monikers like Windows XP or Windows Vista.  And since we do not ship new versions of Windows every year, using a date did not make sense.  Likewise, coming up with an all-new "aspirational" name does not do justice to what we are trying to achieve.