Microsoft has announced 27 more changes to its upcoming Windows 7 operating system.

The software giant, which seems to be increasingly in a rush to shove its next OS out the door, said today it had applied yet another set of tweaks to the release candidate of Windows 7 following gripes suggestions from beta testers.

The RC is widely expected to land next month. However Microsoft, presumably mindful of delays, still hasn't confirmed an official date for the near-ready release of the operating system.

Changes in the forthcoming release candidate include a heap of amendments in the firm's Windows Explorer and Libraries component.

In addition Microsoft has tweaked the taskbar, control panel, and made various partition changes. It's also decided to switch off the shutdown and logoff WAV files to save up to 400 milliseconds because "every little bit counts", apparently.

The official Windows 7 blog lists the latest set of alterations expected in the RC here.

Late last month Redmond announced 36 changes to the OS, and also recently confirmed that the Windows 7 beta - which rocked up in January - would be the only beta of the product.

It will move straight to release candidate status before being shipped in a move that has alarmed some of Microsoft's technical testers.

So there you have it. Microsoft, if not the wider test community, is convinced that a total (so far) of 63 announced tweaks doesn't justify a second beta.

Redmond execs will doubtless be crossing their fingers on final release that such a decision to fast-track the OS won't leave the company with a familiar, Vista-flavoured bad taste in its mouth. ®

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