August 26th, 2004
Grist mill: Microsoft warming up pre-Longhorn Windows?
The last time a Windows operating system train left town, it was October 2001 and Microsoft had just shipped Windows XP. But since then, the rails from Redmond have been quiet and many experts are predicting that they’ll stay that way until at least 2006 (maybe later) as long as Microsoft sticks with Longhorn as its next planned version of Windows. But with a five- or six-year gap between OS releases, News.com reporters Ina Fried, Paul Festa, and John G. Spooner are reporting that investors are expressing "concern about whether Microsoft can release new software fast enough to spur the company’s growth." You could presume that the executive suite at Microsoft shares that concern. Do I detect the faint rumbling of another OS train that could leave Redmond prior to Longhorn? Meanwhile, if you believe what other industry watchers such as RSS-maven Steve Gillmor have to say, it won’t matter when the next version of Windows ships. As long as Microsoft stays married to the legacy of Windows, a new breed of service-oriented solution providers that’s exemplified by Google will force Microsoft to rethink its long-term strategy.
