More Delay On Vista Availability Predicted

Historically Microsoft has missed meeting deadlines of major versions – from Cairo in 1990’S to NT5 becoming Windows 2000 owing to humongous delays, Vista is undergoing a similar pattern of delay – what was scheduled for 2004 release may eventually get release only by Mid 2007 says Gartner. The report points out that Beta 2 where almost 2 million users actively test the code is an important milestone and Microsoft has historically taken 16 months for release to manufacturing and further to general availability after Beta 2 is reached for major releases and 5 months for minor releases(Win XP). Beta 2 may be reached only by Jun 2006. Both in its original and revised schedule, Microsoft has planned about five months between Beta 2 and RTM for Vista, unarguably a major release. The report further adds that by March 2007 there may be just a single release candidate –past experience shows that major releases undergo atleast three release candidates. Clearly more time is needed between beta 2 & RTM/GA & history shows that between Beta 2 and GA it takes nine months and the release could happen only by mid 2007.
Microsoft owes to the desktop users the release of a stable, secure, reliable , well tested and usable software- it it means it would take more time –so be it. Unsafe products /under ready product rolled out would do no good to anyone – after all there is no tearing hurry for rolling out Vista as many are still happy/unhappy with XP itself and there is no single compelling reason from a user perspective to upgrade immediately which can’t wait till a stabilized vista is made available.