Those wishing to skip Windows Vista now know how long they have to sweat it out with XP. Microsoft today confirmed rumours it would ship an alpha version Vista’s successor, dubbed Windows 7, to developers in October.

The final release date is set for January 2010 – though the scuttlebutt is that it may be moved forward into next year as Google gains traction with its Google Apps and Chrome, pitched as a rival OS for the web.

Windows 7’s signature features will include new touchscreen technology, giving users of compatible PCs an iPhone-like ability to slide around photos and files with their fingers.

Its shipping date will coincide with the company’s Microsoft Professional Developers’ Conference in LA from October 27, which will draw together Microsoft staff and independent Windows developers from around the world.

Judging by their blog entries, the Kiwi contingent is going to come out swinging.

“There is a feeling in the industry that Microsoft has lost ground against our competitors. We’ve been taking a few punches recently without fighting back,” writes Microsoft’s local development lead, Scott Wylie.

The conference will be Microsoft’s first major event of its post-Bill Gates era (its co-founder now focussing on his philanthropic foundation). The company’s chief technology officer, Ray Ozzie – known as the one-time inventor of Lotus Notes – now owned by IBM – will take the lead role at the conference, which is also set to unveil a series of cloud computing initiatives.