It's Official: No Longhorn Until 2006

[CrazyCrusher]

Saturday, October 11, 2003
It's Official: No Longhorn Until 2006

Microsoft execs at last have admitted publicly, at last, that Longhorn will not ship in 2005. Does it matter?
At Microsoft's worldwide partner conference this week, Microsoft finally admitted that Longhorn won't see the light of day until 2006.
This isn't a guess on my part, educated or otherwise. Or flame bait. Or conjecture. This is straight from the horses' mouths.

at the show this week, several Microsoft execs casually slipped into their presentations that Longhorn is three years away from debut. Last time I did the math, that was not 2005, as promised just a few months ago. Nor is it even the wishy-washy "2005+" that a few execs had taken to attaching to their product timetables. The new target is 2006, plain and simple.

Did the company think no one would notice? Or maybe after all that Abita beer on draft served up at the Friday night partner party at the House of Blues, that no one could count?


Maybe Microsoft is assuming that tacking another year onto a product that's already far from debut wouldn't matter. But if Longhorn client is three years away, that means the rest of the Longhorn wave also is three years from cresting.

That means there will be no Visual Studio tools release for two years after "Whidbey" (which Microsoft is still insisting will be a late 2004 product). No Office 12 until 2006. And Longhorn Server — which was expected, until this week, in 2006 — is now, more likely than not a 2007 product (given that it was set to lag the client release by a year).

For some customers, a year delay actually might be a relief. Not everyone wants and needs major product upgrades every two years. And for Microsoft, which is in the midst of a major campaign to convince existing customers to upgrade to Windows XP and Office XP, a delay may help fuel such a push.

But Microsoft has been talking to its partners about Longhorn since 2001, at least. (I wrote my first story on "Indigo," the Web services stack at the heart of Longhorn, two years ago).


Each year, we heard that more and more can't-live-without features would be baked into Longhorn. The ultimate in security (Next Generation Secure Computing Base, a k a "Palladium")? Longhorn. Self-healing/self-managing systems? The infrastructure will be baked into Longhorn. A simpler Windows-presentation infrastructure? Just hang on for Longhorn. The next version of Internet Explorer? Not available in any way other than as part of Longhorn.

Earlier this year, Microsoft execs proclaimed the company had decided against introducing a stop-gap interim Windows release between XP and Longhorn. That didn't look like a bad strategy when Longhorn client was a 2004 product. Even as a 2005 product, the idea of foregoing a "Shorthorn" wasn't outrageous. But now that it's 2006? Five years without a new desktop? That's a long time.

Even CEO Steve Ballmer seemingly is champing at the bit for a new release. In talking up XP Service Pack 2 — which Microsoft has delayed until Q2/Q3 of next year in order to include a bunch of new security technologies in the SP — Ballmer called SP2 "a new version of Windows XP."
Indeed, Microsoft is planning to distribute XP SP2 quite broadly: through retail, OEMs, downloads and in other "creative ways." But the company is maintaining SP2 will be free. (Maybe Microsoft could use XP SP2 as its "free software" poster child that it can pit against "free" open source software in its future TCO studies! I better not give them any ideas….)

Do you care that Longhorn is now a 2006 deliverable? Does yet another delay impact you in any way? If so, how?

for full info on this story that really puts a damper on longhorn not coming till 2006 which makes me a lil upset but not to much.
go here

http://www.microsoft-watch.com/artic...1335335,00.asp

[chubtub]

It would be cool to have another OS. The big question is do we need it? Heck I still have to learn the current ones. Of course, if we got a new OS there would be more questions here.

[crossedup]

And we'd have to figure a rig to run the new o/s on so we could figure it out and answer questions.

Maybe this a vacation.

[CrazyCrusher]

Oh man, I have to say, there is nothing better than learning a new o/s ye its a pain, but I love Figuring new items they added, thats how we all learn I think. its a shame, but ye I can handle the wait, im still trying to Figure out redhat, lord I dont think ill get that down to a tea

[leprechaun_40]

You guys should read-up on what Billy wants to do to you with his new O/S. If you know what I mean by the term "Big Brother", you'll understand, if not, you should read the book " 1984" by George Orwell. You should also do a google search for " palladium" and read the results, it's just damned scarey

He wants control, total control, of your computing. I don't want that, and won't stand for it. So the fact that longhorn is delayed makes me happier. Now if it'd get canceled completely, I'd be ecstatic

[mireland]

My opinion is that they shouldn't release a new OS until they get it right(or as close to right as possible)..I don't need an OS every other year and neither do businesses. Every 3 or 4 years I think would be sufice..Some might say that he'd have to keep issuing service packs and updates, it doesn't matter when an OS is released, it's usually flawed from the get go anyway. Look at XP: first thing out of the gate Billy Boy had to release Service Pack 1...


just my 2 cents

[crossedup]

Have read the scare stories and understand. XP was the first push in that direction with activation and its only a given longhorn will be next and much worse.

I personnaly dont run xp because i wasnt very impressed, ive got a legit home and pro cd for repair purposes but i dont have them installed on anything. I like my w2k.

Yes crazycrusher, i have to agree. Thats half the fun of computing. Got various linux installs if getting ready to fight with here now that ive got a few spare rigs set aside for it. Gonna try SKYOS and FREEDOS as well. Got a DOS 6 rig with SEAL 2 i enjoy messing with. Been doing 95 installs and tweaks a lot the last week.

[Bigjakkstaffa]

http://www.sysopt.com/forum/showthre...hreadid=148196

--Jakk

[RayH]

What do I need another OS for? I barely just go into XP!

[Johnny Fist]

With the way Microsoft is trying to force things down my throat, I've decided to try and make the switch to Linux. I'm beginning to get fed up with their business practices in reference to the end user and their silly activation process. I really don't care about the "linux learning curve" or the fact that it's easier to find software for windows. The freedom is worth the extra fifteen minutes of work trying to figure something out. Besides, you can't beat the price.

[bushmaster]

I tried a beta copy of it and it needed activation upon installation.

After I activated it and tried it out for a week or so it got un-installed and tossed to the wind.

From what I saw the 2006 release is too close for what it is now.

I say if you are looking for a new OS to play with get the 9.2 release of MDK.

[crossedup]

The funny thing with windows is you have to find and then install the software because it doesnt come with it.

These new Linux version that are coming out, you do a full install and take a week looking through the software that comes with it.

Amazing the piles of stuff. 4 and 5 of everything.

Nice to hear you mention Linux johnny.

[Mm9004]

What's with the delays? Gates is a Milti-billionare! He could BUY Longhorn for every man woman and child in America and call it a 'little treat.' while he builds his next mansion in hawaii.

Security? common. There will NEVER be a complety secure O/S. Hackers WILL find a way. that's why there are so many holes in IE. Microsoft is the standard, so they will always come under attack the most. End of Story. nuff said.

What about sever 2003 and all their branch jobs? Those aren't for home use but if you wanted you could run it.

[CrazyCrusher]

IMO, I honestly dont think any OS will over change let it be Linux, Mac OS <---cough cough, windows, they will all have flaws, the only reason why we see updates left and right for windows is because hackers love to go after the big boy, reason why they dont go after mac and linux is that any virus they make for it, its not compatable with it my lil joke for the day

[Aznmask]

NEw OS mean my XP getting outdate.. so it is good news.. !!

cheers up! guys..