Vista one release away from becoming Gold

According to Brad Goldberg, the general manager for the Windows, Microsoft will release just one more build of Windows Vista for testing before the code goes gold. The final test build will be made available to a limited group of between 50,000 and 100,000 testers in October.

Goldberg did not say if this final test build will be named Release Candidate 2. He said, Microsoft is focused, from an engineering perspective, on targeting the group of testers from whom it most wants one last set of feedback.

Goldberg also said Vista is on track for availability to businesses via volume licensing in November, with broad general availability to consumers set for January 2007.