Windows 7 is to Windows Vista as Windows XP is to Windows 2000

Yes, you read that right - Windows 7 is an optimized and reskined version of Windows Vista.

I have just recently purchased a new Gateway FX Desktop, and when I brought up the Command Prompt I noticed the following version number.

6.1.7600

The six is the main version number, with the one being the version update number and the 7600 being the build version. A friend of mine had his laptop, running Windows Vista, on hand, and I asked him to bring up his command prompt.

6.0.20012

Compare these two numbers:

6.1.7600
6.0.20012

Remove the build number:

6.1
6.0

And remove the update number:

6
6

The same can be done with Windows XP and Windows 2000

5.2.x
5.1.x

Remove the build:

5.2
5.1

And the update:

5
5

Do you see what's wrong with this picture?

Windows 7: 6
Windows Vista: 6

Wouldn't Windows 7 be version 7.0?
This basically shows that Windows 7 is running the same Kernal as Windows Vista, just like Windows XP was with Windows 2000.

Bottom line is that they're the same system with different GUI's.

This isn't a bad thing, Windows XP was a decent improvement over Windows 2000, it just means that Windows 7 isn't an entirely new OS as Microsoft claims.

I'm not accusing Microsoft of false advertising, but I believe that the world should know this since it will help with avoiding a few headaches when they find that a certain program made for Windows Vista isn't listed as being compatible with Windows 7.

Go ahead and install that older program. It will work fine and you'll save money by not having to buy the new version.