REDMOND, WA — Windows Vista, the current incarnation of Microsoft Corp.’s ubiquitous operating system, has taken a beating from users, competitors and the media almost since the moment of its release. Microsoft has defended and promoted the OS vigorously while continuing to push forward with creation of Vista’s next-generation replacement.Details about the Redmond-based software giant’s next world-beater have been scarce, though — until very recently. Within the past few weeks, rumors and hints have begun trickling out of Windows Central, leading some pundits to assume even Microsoft has tired of trying to prop up its most notable failure to date with a big-budget promotional campaign designed to prolong Vista’s life until Windows 7’s release, which has been rumored to be scheduled for sometime around January 2010.

One of the most obvious signs the “cone of silence” surrounding Windows 7 may be lifting is a new blog at Microsoft’s website on which the OS’s progress will be documented. Project managers have promised to “post, comment and participate” frequently. While the blog has gotten off to something of a slow start with only three entries posted since its launch on August 14th, a few tangential nuggets have appeared there. For example, readers now know as many as 2,000 developers may be involved in creating Windows 7, and Microsoft may have tasked one manager with overseeing each four developers. That’s a lot of people, all of whom must work together in order to overcome what has become a notorious pattern for Microsoft: clashing routines, bloated code and missed delivery deadlines. We wish them luck.

We also now realize how many groups Microsoft strives to please with each release (which in fact could explain the clashing routines, bloated code and missed deadlines mentioned above). Every release must hit a “sweet spot” for members of five groups: end-users, developers, partners, IT professionals and “influentials.” Microsoft defines “influentials” as “all the folks who are in the business of providing advice, analysis and viewpoints on the software we make.” (Journalists should raise their hands here, as should retailers, IT consultants and the neighbor’s 12-year-old slacker-gamer son who, if he were older, probably would put the family’s communal PC in the same category with the family’s minivan: It’ll get him from Point A to Point B, but he’ll have to take extraordinary measures not to be seen with it.)

Sources outside Microsoft (undoubtedly with the assistance of anonymous sources inside Microsoft) actually have been more forthcoming about what consumers may be able to expect in Windows 7. Combine what the sources are saying with comments from Microsoft spokespeople and the picture becomes more than a bit muddy. For example, spokespeople have indicated both that Windows 7 is being built on Vista’s architecture instead of a whole new codebase, and Windows 7 Server will represent nothing more than a minor update to the current version, Windows Server 2008. (Aren’t minor updates usually called service packs?)

Rumored changes to the desktop OS include multi-touch capabilities (with which many are familiar by now thanks to Apple’s iPhone). Although the feature is spiffy in the way it allows users to manipulate items on their screens simply by touching them or gesturing using one or two fingers, multi-touch is not expected to represent Windows 7’s default input mode or to be highly touted.

Some bloggers have viewed Microsoft’s promises to be more revelatory about its plans as just so much more hot air emanating from Redmond. ITWire.com, for example, asked the rhetorical question “Is Microsoft on the right track, or will pigs fly first?”

Take heart, though, Windows sleuths. Microsoft recently promised developers will get a first look at the new OS during October’s Professional Developers Conference and Windows Hardware Engineering Conference.