The world’s biggest software company, Microsoft, will launch Windows 7 on 22nd October, this Thursday. The success or failure of this operating system will determine the future of Microsoft.

Windows contribute about 90% of the world’s computers; by the company’s own reckoning more than one billion people use it. Windows also powers Microsoft.

During its last financial year, a $58.4bn (£35.7bn) turnover generated an operating profit of $20.3bn (net profit: $14.6bn). Windows accounted for well over half of that.

Critics are saying that Microsoft’s virtual monopoly will be brought down by Apple and Linux or a revolution in how we use computers, when the actual computing moves from desktop machines to the “cloud” where software runs on remote servers. With the disaster of Windows Vista, Microsoft has to come up with something much better. Let’s see if Windows 7 can do some good to the company.