A brief history
Windows 7 is the latest installment in the line of operating systems published by Microsoft. Most of the people in the present generation know about Windows XP, the most common OS used around the world. It ran that long because it was user-friendly and very easy to be adapted to. Following Windows XP is Windows Vista. It was released January 2007 but was immediately replaced by its predecessor due to long loading times and other issues that was reported by users.
Windows 7 was released from manufacturing on July 22, 2009, and then reached general availability on October 22 of the same year. Information from users reveals that it was a very likely merge of the 2 earlier versions of operating system, Windows XP and Windows Vista. They testify that it has the convenience and versatility of Windows XP and the professional touch and complexity of Windows Vista.

Getting the OS Version
Getting information about the version of your Windows 7 is simple and easy. There are two ways to do it. Here are the steps if you are not acquainted yet:
First method:
1.    Right-click on the icon of My Computer on your desktop (or any location that has the icon).
2.    Then select Properties to pull up the System Properties box.
Second method:
1.    Click on Start on your desktop.
2.    Then select Control Panel.
3.    Within the Control Panel window, look for, and then select System.
4.    A window will appear, displaying information about your system.
Information about your operating system will be beneficial in many ways. Most of the applications released in the market now require certain versions of the operating system. Even if the operating system is built to be compatible to most of the applications nowadays, checking your OS version is still necessary, especially if you are having troubles with the installation and errors keep on popping up.
There are versions of Windows 7 that may not work on certain applications. The most common is the Beta version, releases prior to the general market release to be tested in the general market. It’s just like a survey; released as incomplete but with enough programs and changes to be determined whether it will work or not. This will determine whether changes should be done or holes should be patched on. It will bring up issues and ways to treat those issues.
Additional information
As like the recent versions of Windows, updates are also necessary to “perfect” the OS. Here is a method to download and install updates for the new operating system.
1.    Click on Start on your desktop.
2.    Look for All Programs. Then click.
3.    Click on Windows Update.
Updates are always beneficial in more ways than one. This is needed by your system to maintain security and keep the system up to date.
Windows has evolved from the old to new versions. Just keep it to mind to take care of your system, and it will take care of you. Good luck.