Microsoft's strategy for keeping recent builds of its latest operating system tightly under wraps sprang a few holes last week.
On Friday, longtime Microsoft watcher Mary Jo Foley reported that new pictures and videos (here and here) of the "M3" build have been leaked online, to Redmond's chagrin. The images show various Windows 7 functions, including the Start button, calculator and WordPad, plus sticky notes and ribbon functionality.
Foley, who saw a preview of the build last week from an non-official source, said on her All About Microsoft blog that Microsoft won't confirm or deny the legitimacy of the images leaked, nor will it comment directly on any Windows 7 rumors.
Microsoft has said it will reveal much of Windows 7 at its upcoming Professional Developers Conference in late October and/or its Hardware Engineering Conference (subtitled "Windows 7 Unveiled") in early November -- and may, as reported last week, launch an early public beta of Windows 7 at one or both of the shows.
While Microsoft may not be speaking out on the leaks, it appears to be trying to stop them: Foley also reported that Microsoft has attempted to identify the sources of the leaks and -- depending on who is telling the truth -- either some site owners hosting leaks have asked for spots on the beta team/copies of the beta in return for revealing their sources, or Microsoft is offering the beta spots/copies as rewards for those who do.
Read Foley's full report on these leaks here.