Today, Gartner analyst Michael Silver asked, "Will Vista be done by 30 January 2007?" His answer: "No." The question and answer might seem strange given that Microsoft released Windows Vista gold code in early November and launched the software for businesses on the 30th of that month. I called alarm about six weeks ago that Vista is really a work in progress. In his blog post, Silver raised similar concerns as Microsoft Watch readers--application compatibility and missing hardware drivers.
"The reality is that Microsoft could not have shipped Vista in November if real people were going to be using it en masse for real things right away," Silver asserted. "With consumers not getting Windows Vista until 30 January 2007, and most businesses just "kicking its tires" (if that) over the holidays, Microsoft and the Windows ecosystem have an 11-week extension between RTM and actual use." The real situation, despite any Microsoft prognostications to the contrary, is that Windows Vista released in 2006 in name only. What"s that adage about a tree falling in the forest and there being no one to hear?