Microsoft has released the alpha version of Windows 7 at its Professional Developers Conference in LA today.

Few new details emerged at the OS's formal coming out party, but developers attending the event were generally of the opinion that Vista's successor is fast and stable for software at this point in its lifespan (the first public beta version of Windows 7 is scheduled for early 2009 and its official release date is early 2010, though the company has hinted it could be earlier).

The first raft of publically-released Windows 7 screen shots (below), show a consumer-friendly, incremental upgrade to Vista.

During his keynote speech, Microsoft Windows Development Chief Steven Sinofsky reiterated a number of the OS's new features including:

- Support for iPhone-style multi-touch gestures which, when Windows 7 is used with a touch-screen PC like HP's TouchSmart, will let you sort, zoom in or rotate photos by glidning your fingers across a screen; "draw" directly onscreen with your fingers; or scroll around a virtual map using your hands to adjust the view. If you buy a PC like the TouchSmart, or a tablet or sensor screen for your regular PC's display, you'll find this easily the most radical new feature.

- A code-based shared with Windows Vista. While the common code puts limits on how radically the OS can be made over, it should mean Windows 7 doesn't suffer the compatibility glitches Vista users suffered with printers, cameras and other peripherals.

- A spruced up Taskbar preview and Windows Explorer view that make it easier to navigate your desktop and sort files.

- A new Libraries function designed for easier access to photos, music, video and other files stored on external devices, or another PC on a home or small office network. The scattered files are presented as a single view.

- Windows 7's Libraries will even access Apple iTunes folders - but only their non-copyprotected content (such iTunes incursions seem to be flavour of the month, going by BlackBerry Storm's Media Sync tool as well).

- A "homegroup" function that remembers wi-fi, printer, security and other settings for different locations like home, work or on the road, and automatically resets them depending on your locale.

- A Jump List for quickly accessing recent files.

- A Windows theme gallery which, frankly, is not looking like a contender to the MacOS throne just yet.

- Federated Search. One of the few hardcore geek features on display in LA today, Federated Search is designed to make it easier to view a document over a secure intranet connection (when Windows 7 is deployed with Windows Server 2008).

- A main Windows desktop that, well, looks like a plain-Jane Vista installation. Microsoft says the alpha version is not yet feature-complete. Expect more features, such as a variant of the much-mooted Instant On, to be added ahead of the first public beta in the new year.