“The launch of the consumer version of Windows Vista, Microsoft’s new operating system, could be pushed back past the stated January launch date, Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer said Wednesday,” Martyn Williams and Al Sacco report for IDG News Service.
“The operating system was due to be launched this year, but in March the company said it wouldn’t get broad release until January 2007,” Williams and Sacco report.
“Ballmer said Wednesday that the planned January launch may slip further based on feedback from a beta release program and the product road maps of hardware vendors. ‘We think we are on track for shipping early in the year. We’ve talked about the month, but we get a chance to critically assess all of the feedback we’ll get from this beta release then confirm or move [the launch date] a few weeks,’ he said at a news conference in Tokyo,” Williams and Sacco report.
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “qka” for the heads up.]
MacDailyNews Take: With apologies to Stephen Sondheim:
Isn’t it rich?
Aren’t they a pair?
One here at last on the ground,
Him in mid-air.
Send in the clowns.
Isn’t it bliss?
Don’t you approve?
One who keeps tearing around,
One who can’t move.
Where are the towels?
Send in the clowns.
Just when they’d stopped
Opening windows,
Finally knowing
The one that they wanted wasn’t yours,
Launching again
With their usual flair,
Thought there’d be lines,
But no one is there.
Don’t you love farce?
Their fault we cheer.
They thought that you’d want what they want-
Sorry, my dears.
But where are the towels?
Quick, send in the clowns.
Don’t bother, they’re here.
What a surprise.
Who could forsee
You’d come to feel about them
What they’d always felt about you?
Why even now can’t they see
That you’ve drifted away?
What a surprise.
What a cliché.
Isn’t it rich?
Isn’t it queer,
Losing their timing this late
In their career?
But where are the towels?
There are certainly clowns,
But we don’t see the Vista
Well, maybe next year.
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I love the various pics MDN comes up with for this clown. Oops, more slippage. C’mon Leopard!
He really does look like Uncle Festus!
“We think we’re on track”.
Are you or aren’t you? I want my Vista.
nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah..
More Vista delays = larger market share for Mac.
Remember my (prescient) prediction of a few days ago:
17% to 23% market share within one year (not by the end of this year).
Sounds impossible? — watch it happen!
more weirdness …
take a look at an article in the new york times this morning …
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/24/technology/24soft.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1148473405-1JQrZiZdTRllT5lVlQ+MzA
>>>>>
Microsoft Says New Windows Is on Schedule
Article Tools Sponsored By
By LAURIE J. FLYNN
Published: May 24, 2006
Microsoft said yesterday that Vista, the much-delayed new version of its Windows operating system, was ready for its last and broadest round of testing.
…
By showing it can stick to its latest development schedule, Microsoft is clearly hoping to win back the allegiance of developers.
>>>>>
strange times, indeed.
Vista pushed back into the realm of vapourware.
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha, this is a joke…right? its gotta be, does vista exist? people put up with this?
You’re mixing up your sixties TV shows; Festus was Matt Dillon’s crusty sidekick on “Gunsmoke”, Playes by Ken Curtis.
Uncle Fester is from the Addams family, portrayed by Jackie Coogan.
Okay, that’s enough of a history lesson, time to get back to slagging on Ballmer!!
Ballmer in August
” due to the terrific feedback we received from our beta testing of Vista we’ll be make great upgrades per our customer requests and Vista is sure to ship by Christmas of 2007, and that’s great news for our pipeline”
Tito bring me a super absorbant towel.
I don’t understand why the Mac market share isn’t already 17-23%. When I first saw OS X back in 2002, it impressed me so much I expected Mac market share would double every year. OS X is in a class above XP and will still be more advanced and mature than Vista, if that ever ships. I really lack the ability to understand why people don’t switch to Macs in mass. Is $1000 for a great computer and some new software so had to part with?
scottschor: Well, one report was from Gates (on schedule) and the other was from Ballmer (delay) — so what does that tell you?
Sounds like their Operating System (corporate) runs just like their OS — confused, lacking coherence and integrity, and basically just FUBAR!
what is it now, 7 and a half years since xp?
now thats innovation for you. every update has just been security patches.
microsoft arn’t a company to fear they’re a company to laugh at.
just look at the photo of ballmer and tell me he isn’t inbred.
Please put a obsenity warning when you’re going to use that pic of Ballmer. I almost puked up my poptart when I saw it.
Local NYC radio claiming in news piece that Vista was on schedule……Why they are reporting this is pretty obvious. More media protection of Microslime.
And between now and its “launch” the VISTA project will be cancelled in its entirety…
Verbose, Yes it is. It takes a long time to change one’s prejudices.
Andy,
I guess you don’t remember how long it took Apple to get OS X out. They worked years on trying to get the classic os up to date and failed. Remember Copeland?
Apple finally just scrapped the whole thing and bought an os.
They are delaying because they want to see what’s in Leopard. That why they can copy those features and be up to date.
MDN Word: as in Microsoft is stuck in the middle of a rock and a hard place.
That should have been “MDN Word: Middle as in Microsoft is stuck in the middle of a rock and hard place.”
“And between now and its “launch” the VISTA project will be cancelled in its entirety…”
Back when it was called, “Longhorn” it was basically cancelled only to be relaunched as VISTA.
Now about the name…according to Webster, Vista is a distant view. I guess 7 years and counting is a pretty distant view. In addition, a distant view implies never arriving. Maybe they should just change the name to rainbow. It looks good from a distant unfortunately you can never get to it.
“The launch of the consumer version of Windows Vista, Microsoft’s new operating system, could be pushed back past the stated January launch date
I’m shocked. Shocked!
.
“I love the various pics MDN comes up with for this clown. Oops, more slippage. C’mon Leopard!”
By the time Vista ships, Apple will have used up the large cats. I think we my be on to ocelot or lynx.
“Ballmer said …’We think we are on track for shipping early in the year.'”
We _think_ we are on track? For shipping _early_ in the year?
So Ballmer might make Vista ship in the first quarter? or is early to him just the first half of 2007?
BTW, the new Office Vista pics do look nice…too bad they also look overly complex and difficult compared to Pages.
All of you slags making fun of me:
DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?!
I AM THE CEO OF THE BIGGEST, RICHEST COMPANY IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD!
That means I own you and your ass. I could eat you and GET AWAY WITH IT.
That means I take a dump in your dinner plate and YOU ASK FOR SECONDS!
That means when I pee on you, YOU CALL IT LEMONADE!
That means you will buy what I want you to buy AND YOU’LL THANK ME FOR IT!
AAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA!
Funny. If you google Uncle Fester, Ballmer’s picture shows up.
I wonder how much of the Vista delay is based on (incompetence) legitimate delays by MS and how much is actually caused by the fact that Vista is so bloated that PC makers are going to have a time of selling a $300.00 PC box that can run Vista in any of its many favors.
The delay(s) just gives the PC makers time to beat thier suppliers down so they can stick powerful enough yet affordable hardware in thier systems. This may be the end of the $300-400.00 PC box.
Today MS is saying Vista will be delayed a few weeks. Of course every month they’ll repeat the same and when all those mini delays are added up, we should see Vista …sometime in 2007.
Stevey you’re doing a heck of job.
The clever bastards, I knew they would do this. Just waiting for Apple to release the leopard and then they will quickly copy key features and rush blista to the adoring whordes.
Bloody hell, does the comedy never stop!
These guys cannot be serious businessmen with a crappy attitude like that. They should all be put up against a wall and shot with a ball of their own shit!
Leo
iVeritas: I thought you were BS-ing us — but I did the Google search and it’s true!
That’s great!
Quote “the other Mark”:
“And between now and its “launch” the VISTA project will be cancelled in its entirety…”
Back when it was called, “Longhorn” it was basically cancelled only to be relaunched as VISTA.
Now about the name…according to Webster, Vista is a distant view. I guess 7 years and counting is a pretty distant view. In addition, a distant view implies never arriving. Maybe they should just change the name to rainbow. It looks good from a distant unfortunately you can never get to it.”
Rainbow would be a good name – look who appeared on the UK TV show of the same name:
http://www.popartuk.com/general/bungle-george-zippy-pp0127-poster.asp
97% of the market and run by a buffoon like Ballmer. Just imagine how Microsoft would grind Apple away if it had somebody smart at the helm.
Is Balmer part of the deal with govt. regarding its monopoly – as long a Balmer is at the stop flubbing things up for Microsoft the govt. won´t pursue Microsoft?
I don’t understand why the Mac market share isn’t already 17-23%. When I first saw OS X back in 2002, it impressed me so much I expected Mac market share would double every year. OS X is in a class above XP and will still be more advanced and mature than Vista, if that ever ships. I really lack the ability to understand why people don’t switch to Macs in mass. Is $1000 for a great computer and some new software so had to part with?
Well the biggest problem is that people are introduced to computers because they have to use it to get a job.
Now in the creative fields, Mac’s usually grossly outnumber PC’s because of certain standardized hardware features, graphic qualities etc.
Howver in the rank and file corporate world where just cheap “dumb terminals” are needed, Windows PC’s rule because Micosoft makes the software they use most. Excel, Word etc etc. Office programs. Also PC’s have standard mono inputs for microphones and headsets for telemarketing and other purposes.
Mac’s stanard audio input is stereo for creative musicians and the like.
If Microsloth can delay just a couple more years they can call Vista “THE OS OF THE DECADE” which will sound better than “miserable failure”. That would be in keeping with their idea of damage control.
look on the bright side Microsoft:
You’re still on track…the track is just a lot longer and has more twists and turns than your map shows.
Okay my $0.02 even though the sentiment has been repeated:
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha !!!!!!!
“The clever bastards, I knew they would do this. Just waiting for Apple to release the leopard and then they will quickly copy key features and rush blista to the adoring whordes.”
Hahaha – you expect them to be able to ‘rush’ anything to do with their OS? It’s taken 5 years just to get this far and it looks pathetic:
http://macdailynews.com/index.php/weblog/comments/video_of_microsofts_windows_vista_beta_2_release_in_action/
That’s a review from CNET, who is incredibly pro-MS. They aren’t going to be able to copy any of the feature from Leopard. A Beta technically means that the feature set is complete, so MS will probably keep what it has in there right now. Maybe add one small thing or remove something that isn’t working right, but there won’t be any new features until their next OS….
Look at this quote from:
http://news.com.com/Ballmer+Symantec+suit+wont+delay+Vista/2100-1016_3-6074778.html
Ballmer said the delay was due to the company’s overambitious plans for the software.
“We were trying to link too much innovation together in Vista,”
“It was beyond the state of the art of software development.”
But in response to another question about Vista’s delay, Ballmer said: “Ultimately, I am the CEO. I am accountable.”
What a hoot!
My lawyers will call your lawyers.
Don’t bother, they’re here
Apple will not seize this opportunity. It will just plug along and maybe get to 5 or 6 percent market share. Then Steve Jobs will retire and Apple will slowly die.
Ballmer said “We were trying to link too much innovation together in Vista,”
“It was beyond the state of the art of software development.”
hahahaha ahh god hes a big, fat, disgusting, sweating oaf of a man with the mind of an ant.
Remember my (prescient) prediction of a few days ago:
17% to 23% market share within one year (not by the end of this year).
Sounds impossible? — watch it happen!
I’m as big an Apple booster as there is, but this just isn’t realistic. Apple’s gains have to come mainly from the consumer PC base, which is a smaller part of the overall installed PC base than is the corporate/business PC base. For them to reach 23%, or even 17%, they’d have to get an enormous part of the home PC base to switch immediately, which will happen but not in the numbers needed to make your percentage a reality.
10% maybe. 23%? No way. I wish it were so.
And anyway, I’m not sure that Apple wants a huge part of the market. Non-tech-savvy users are incredibly expensive to support and retain. Unless, like Microsoft, you just ignore them, which I’m sure Apple will not do.
I’m sure Apple would rather have the most savvy 10% of the market than having 25% of the market that included a 15% that were expensive and troublesome. Maybe that’s harsh, but I’m betting it’s an economic reality for Apple.
Hmm, Microsoft is starting to sound like NASA……….
Just imagine if they were really releasing “Longhorn” with all it’s features in tact!
I mean, they can’t even release Winblows SP3 on time.
Microsoft sucks.
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Oh wow, another delay… maybe they shouldn’t have given those employees and vendors a 7 day unpaid vacation after all!
Eric,
If NASA had the money that Microsoft has and successive administrations had a real commitment to space exploration then the U.S. would have a manned facility on Mars.
When I was a kid (a couple of years after Armstrong landed on the Moon) there were predictions America would land on Mars by the early 1980s. Then their budget was cut over and over again by both Democrat and Republican administrations, and the rest is history. It might be more accurate if you compared Microsoft to the Star Wars program. OK let’s get back to slagging Microsoft.
Advice for any PC owner waiting for vista,
DON’T!!!!!!!!!!!!
Make the switch and do yourself a favour…
Ballmer said the delay was due to the company’s overambitious plans for the software. “We were trying to link too much innovation together in Vista, … It was beyond the state of the art of software development.”
HAHAHAHAHA!! Right! The reason why Vista is having problems is because it’s too amazingly awesome! The current state of technology can’t handle Vista’s incredible innovativeness! It must wait for the world to catch up!
I get it now! Thanks for the clarification Ballmer, you incompetant whale!
“The launch of the consumer version of Windows Vista, Microsoft’s new operating system, could be pushed back past the stated January launch date…”
This is news?
MDN word: given. As in; It’s a given that Vista will be delayed…again.
“Ballmer said the delay was…beyond the state of the art of software development.”
Wishfull thinking usually is.
On May 24, 06 @ 10:00 am critic wrote:
By the time Vista ships, Apple will have used up the large cats. I think we my be on to ocelot or lynx.
Don’t forget about the Fishing Cat!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fishing_Cat
Wonderboy…
17-23% in a year? Never happen. Not even close to possible.
IIRC,Apple’s highest market share ever, since 1983, was 19.2%, and that included all Apple ][ models and all Mac models.
At the lowest point of the dark days Apple’s market share was 1.5-2.5% depending upon which market research firm’s reports you were reading. Apple has taken *eight years* to claw its way up to 4-5% market share, again, depending upon which market research firm’s reports you believe.
Doubling in 8 years is not great, but it’s not bad either. Consider that it took the same length of time (8 years) to go from 19.2% to 1.5%. It’s always more difficult to get it back once you lost it (except that excess weight around your waist
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”wink” style=”border:0;” /> ). There is a much, much larger entrenched base of Windows machines in large corporations and government offices and server rooms than there were when Apple was at its maket share peak. Displacing that huge installed base is going to take a long time.
I don’t expect Apple to be at 20% for at least 5 more years, if ever. I’ll be very happy if by 1 January 2008 if Apple has a market share greater than 8% and a market share greater than 10% by 31 December 2010.
You bunch of cynics. VISTA will ship just as soon as Duke Nukem Forever does…
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The truth needs to be told…
(Cue X-Files music)
There is no such thing as Windows Vista. It has all been a hoax created by Microsoft for the purposes of: 1. deflecting criticism away from Windows XP and 2. to give XP users the hope that something much better is on the horizon, hence the name Vista.
Detailed photos from inside Microsoft revealed not vast computer research labs but instead the world’s largest indoor water park. Now we know why the free towels are so important…….
Vista Ready. People Ready. Do they think “ready” is synonymous with “eventually”? <rhetorical question alert>
Bill Gates: See that empty lot? I think we’re ready to move in.
Ballmer: Our iPod killer is ready!
Vista Team: Vista has been ready for years. We just need to finish it.
Microsoft: Time is meaningless to a monopoly. We can make our own definition and you can’t stop us.
“Funny. If you google Uncle Fester, Ballmer’s picture shows up”
Yes, but if you search Microsoft.com for “Uncle Fester” you get:
“Sorry, we couldn’t find any pages containing Uncle Fester.”
Proving once again the superiority of Google.
Prediction. Vista will be launched in March at CeBIT.
First Post!……Errrr, Uhhhh. Damn am I a slow typist.
The Vista beta JUST CAME OUT! How many people even have it yet?
Considering MS is going to delay Vista this early into the beta program… YIKES.
Like Ballmer, MS is an out-of control absolute wreck. They have ZERO idea of where they’re at or where they’re going.
Ballmer knows that either Vista ships in January, or MS dies. Looks like MS has already given up & chosen to die.
Apple, it’s time to take the industry back.
“We think we are on track for shipping early in the year.”
Any other executive in any other company would get fired for a comment like that.
WTF do you mean you THINK you’re “on track”? Don’t you know the progress of your own products, esp. such a critical one? Don’t you have confidence in, or control of, your own company?
This guy should get flushed in an instant, if he wasn’t doing Apple so much good.
ROTFLMAO!!! I’m typing this on my brand new Macbook!
Vista, vaporware for the masses!!!
Macbooks ROCK!
Every one is missing the point.
They are waiting for Leopard to be released and giving themselves time to warm up the photocopiers…
Apple will never die. “Worst” case scenario: it becomes the world’s biggest internet media and consumer electronics company, it can then afford to license out OS X, which in turn gains more market share than it ever could have being locked to Macs.
I’d say Steve is milking the installed base for as long as he can until the Intel transition is bedded down and he can open up the platform. Apple will still sell Macs to the design-conscious Mac and Windows crowds, but it will be an ever smaller part of the business.