Vista delayed (for consumers) until early 2007

Microsoft's troubled transition from XP to Vista has become something of a comedy of errors, with leaks, confusing hardware requirements, disappearing features, and habitual delays having plagued the next-gen OS since it was just a wee Longhorn. And now it seems that once again our hopes of running Vista before the end of the year have been dashed, with Microsoft issuing a press release late Tuesday revealing that although a business rollout will begin in November, consumers will have to wait until January 2007 to upgrade. While we're certainly frustrated that we won't be able to get our Vista-on for the holidays, we're gonna try to put a positive spin on the situation and appreciate the fact that we now have a little longer to decide which of the eight six flavors of the new operating system we'll be dual-booting on our Macs.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

[niner @ Mar 21st 2006 7:05PM]

Does this mean DirectX10 is delayed as well?

[markm @ Mar 21st 2006 7:06PM]

Vista delayed? Surely you jest, Engadget. I can't imagine Microsoft not shipping Vista on time!

Vista is now officially a joke.

I don't know what Microsoft was thinking when they started making so many promises that they couldn't deliver.

[nick @ Mar 21st 2006 7:08PM]

So will this affect anyone looking to purchase a new computer and expecting Vista to be pre installed in November? This is only a delay for those looking to purchase Vista, instead of buying a new PC or laptop, right?

[nizzy1115 @ Mar 21st 2006 7:09PM]

Sweet...more time to save up for my upgrades :)

[Sean @ Mar 21st 2006 7:09PM]

Only one question, does anyone believe that this new, new ,new deadline for Vista is the final one?

[John @ Mar 21st 2006 7:09PM]

"wait until January 2007 to upgrade"

think they will come out with on the week of macworld?

[Reg @ Mar 21st 2006 7:11PM]

Six flavors of Windows Vista?

I thought there were only three... Panther, Tiger, and Leopard.

[andy @ Mar 21st 2006 7:17PM]

hahahahahahahahahahahah hahahahahahahahahaha hahahahahahahahahahaha
it doesnt exist does it, thats the joke

[murc @ Mar 21st 2006 7:21PM]

dang, I've been waiting and waiting, following the builds, and thought they were on schedule...but go figure.

I hope the still release the minimum/recomended requirements in April.

[John Doe. @ Mar 21st 2006 7:27PM]

MWAHAHAHAH! *coughs* Sorry. TOLD YOU S....damn it. Sorry. Its kind of a instinctual reaction

[Aron T @ Mar 21st 2006 7:28PM]

Vaporware
Main Entry: 1va�por Pronunciation: 'vA-p&r-"wer Function: noun
1: A term used to describe a piece of software that doesn't exist, is suspected not to exist, or is incapable of performing as promised. It is not uncommon for a software corporation to make fantastic promises as to the functionality of an upcoming software release that ultimately prove to be undeliverable.

[Shmoe @ Mar 21st 2006 7:28PM]

Very frustrating news. What the hell is going on over there at MS? They should at least release the specs/harware requirements of each version ASAP.

[DJ @ Mar 21st 2006 7:32PM]

Bill Gates & Steve Balmer in their best Homer Simpson impersonation: DOH!!!!

[cycomachead @ Mar 21st 2006 7:34PM]

well by the time Vista is out Mac OS X 10.5 Lepord will be out and avalible

hehe Macs Rock

[Dennis @ Mar 21st 2006 7:36PM]

I just read that the folks who are working on the XP on Mac solution are maybe six months (probably an off the cuff guess-timate) away from an all in one solution. If this is workable, in my mind, OSX is in competition with Vista. Now with Vista delayed again, this could be good news for Apple.... unless they don't want XP on Macs and can do something to stop it. The main advantage of Apple over Vista: existence in the market coupled with great new Intel Macs that also exist.

I personally think XP on Mac is big, big news for consumers. It's the best thing to happen to XP users since...XP, probably. I'm hoping that it will gain official support. And that Vista will also run on Macs and gain official support. And that I'll be made King of the Universe. Then I'll finally be able to do some serious traveling and sightseeing.

[irdepesca @ Mar 21st 2006 7:37PM]

Dang! I knew it! Oh well..

[Sven @ Mar 21st 2006 7:41PM]

It's a perfect move from a business perspective: Sell millions of XP copies along with xmas PCs, and make 'em all upgrade a few months later.

If I was them, I'd do exactly the same.

[Ben @ Mar 21st 2006 7:47PM]

Hmm. I wonder if Las Vegas has bets on the release date.

So what will come first: Vista for anyone who wants it or a PS3 for anyone who wants it?

[bob @ Mar 21st 2006 7:51PM]

at least Crystal XP has given us the option of downloading Vista themes - then you can just pretend you have Vista when running XP... until it finally arives

[Goodman @ Mar 21st 2006 8:07PM]

How odd, releasing the business version first. Sure, it makes sense for testing purposes. But it's completely at odds with their stated plans to make the release of Vista an "event," with people lining up at stores the day of release. Who's going to be lining up to buy the business version? Businesses will certainly take their time as always, and home users want the consumer bells and whistles version. It'll make the release of Vista a non-event.

[Sledge Hammer @ Mar 21st 2006 8:10PM]

Big surprize, I just don't understand why yet another delay for Windows XP SP3, "Vista". If its for security reasons then it wont be out until 2010!!!

All kidding aside, M$ lusers will be lucky to get to buy vista this time next year, I still don't understand what all the fuss is about, I've had all Vista's "new features" since last year with OS X Tiger, plus its built atop a rock-solid UNIX foundation.

Trust me, I know what I'm doing.

[Tired of the BS @ Mar 21st 2006 8:13PM]

So does anybody know where to find a chart or graphic that shows each time Vista/Longhorn was delayed and what features got choped to make the new date? I think that would be interesting.
I am so glad I no longer rely on MS!

[Antonio Cardenas @ Mar 21st 2006 8:19PM]

"we now have a little longer to decide which of the eight six flavors of the new operating system we'll be dual-booting on our Macs."

LOOOLLLLL

[Simon @ Mar 21st 2006 8:27PM]

There's less activity here than I expected

Silly me...I thought all those MS-fanboys who rag on Sony for PS3 delays would be complaining about Vista delays.

pot...kettle...black is the new black

[Jay @ Mar 21st 2006 8:39PM]

I love how everybody automatically (and always, without fail) starts ripping into Microsoft and getting on their knees for Apple whenever there's any sort of news. Don't get me wrong, I'm no Microsoft fanboy but don't just beat on one company and praise another who performs the same business practices.

[MacCrazy @ Mar 21st 2006 8:41PM]

"we now have a little longer to decide which of the six flavors of the new operating system we'll be dual-booting on our Macs."

Probably the best line ever written by Engadget, turtle lulz.

[Jan Alberts @ Mar 21st 2006 8:49PM]

This is good news for Apple whose OSX 10.5 Leopard will be released this Fall.

[G-ZUS @ Mar 21st 2006 8:53PM]

#23... Don't be such a crybaby. By saying "don't just beat on one company and praise another who performs the same business practices" you are implying that Apple constantly delays things or does other shitty things Microsoft does, you would be wrong.

For example, Apple states a date when they will accomplish something and then almost always accomplishes it WELL BEFORE the date they said they would do so, thereby bettering everyone's expectations of them.

Longhorn aka Vista is already a few years overdue from when Microshit first said they'd release it and now its postponed again!?? All I can do is laugh.

[Torontoguy @ Mar 21st 2006 8:53PM]

Wow! Microsoft can't get a break from you guys can it? If they delivered the product too early, the same people would have been all over them for releasing 'buggy software'.
Now, if they delay release, that is BAD too!
I can't see the logic...but I can see the bigotry.

[Kiteless @ Mar 21st 2006 9:12PM]

Meh, gives me more time to upgrade to like 4 gig's of ram. Although I think 2 will be enough. I have 1 GB now.

I will get this the day it is released. I did with Win XP Pro x64 and never looked back.

What can I say, I like livin; on the edge baby! See you all in Q1 2007!

- Kiteless

[Timmay @ Mar 21st 2006 9:30PM]

After this crap and the fact that none of my computers will run Vista i'm def going to look into a Mac Mini instead of a shuttle or some other SFF pc.

Timmay

[bliss @ Mar 21st 2006 9:44PM]

delay better mean better performance...

[Jonathan Worrel @ Mar 21st 2006 9:54PM]

"...we now have a little longer to decide which of the eight six flavors of the new operating system we'll be dual-booting on our Macs."

lmao

[ejr @ Mar 21st 2006 10:02PM]

"27. Wow! Microsoft can't get a break from you guys can it? If they delivered the product too early, the same people would have been all over them for releasing 'buggy software'.
Now, if they delay release, that is BAD too!
I can't see the logic...but I can see the bigotry."

and if it is Late and Buggy can we get all over them then�?

[insider @ Mar 21st 2006 10:21PM]

I think it has more to do with deploying Vista to the several hundred million businesses running successfully on their Windows platform.

OSX is a great environment, but hey, the rest of the world runs on Windows, so while I think the announcement sucks, as a designer for "real" products which live on Windows, I respect the decision and will just get more familiar with WinFX so that when it hits the street my stuff will stick and be gold to the end user. :)

[ike @ Mar 21st 2006 11:13PM]

windows sucks. macs suck more.

[jp @ Mar 21st 2006 11:17PM]

It takes a lot of time before business deploy new operating systems. Microsoft surely will know this - the reason for the early release for businesses will be so contracts can be inked straight away for future purchases. Surely people remember how business were annoyed that SP2 updates were being forced upon their systems - they are definitely not going to upgrade the whole OS just like that.

[Sylak @ Mar 21st 2006 11:35PM]

The world, actually, runs on UNIX, not OSX, Windows, or Linux, most end users just think other wise.

[John Doe. @ Mar 21st 2006 11:36PM]

Aron T,

The problem is that Vista isn't vaporware demonstrated by the fact that I'm running the latest build at home and in a test environment at work. God the fanbois really do come out of the woodwork. Maybe its because they are so petty and shallow.

PS- I'm typing this on a MBP.

[Jeff L. @ Mar 21st 2006 11:36PM]

***If they delivered the product too early, the same people would have been all over them for releasing 'buggy software'.
Now, if they delay release, that is BAD too!***

It's still going to be buggy software, just delayed.

[John Doe. @ Mar 21st 2006 11:47PM]

"Wow! Microsoft can't get a break from you guys can it? If they delivered the product too early, the same people would have been all over them for releasing 'buggy software'.
Now, if they delay release, that is BAD too!
I can't see the logic...but I can see the bigotry."


Never mind the fact that the original release was in 2004. Never mind the fact that Microsoft is so incompetent when it comes to software development that they can be a full year and a half into a project before dumping the code base and using something else. (i.e. the crapcanned using XP for Vista and went with Server 2003�s code base.) Sorry dude but at this point Microsoft deserves all the crap its getting. I�ve seen grade school science projects more organized then this. Heck were is that fabled Beta 2? Oops sorry they crapcanned that idea in favor of continuing the CTP releases. Everything from the ground up has been an organizational mess with Vista and this isn�t being harsh. This isn�t being a fanboi. This is simply stating fact.

[Matt Philmon @ Mar 22nd 2006 12:04AM]

So... Windows Vista, Vaporware Winner 2006?

[thequinox @ Mar 22nd 2006 12:04AM]

Frack, not another delay... Oh well you gotta do what you gotta do. It better be damn sweet though.

I wonder if they will add in WinFS because of this delay or will that be even further off?

[Chris @ Mar 22nd 2006 12:06AM]

I think most of you (intentionally) ignored a key phrase in the article/release while poking fun at M$ and promoting Apple in your blind fandom:

This only affects "consumers" -- businesses, mind you, still get Vista on time. Since the business/enterprise version is based off of the same base of Vista (just with features enabled via their specific product keys)... Vista would be code-complete by then.

I suspect this has something to do with a greater packaging/experience initiative or some other issue. M$ mentions "industry support" -- so that could mean they have some new tweaks with hardware vendors or PC makers and have one last hurdle to get past before releasing it to the general public (read: your grandmother).

That does not mean Vista's official release/completion has been delayed. No where in the article or this post does it mention anything like that. It's just that "consumers" aren't getting it until January, while businesses and enterprise users (I classify as the former) get it on time this year.

Eat it :P

[Matt Philmon @ Mar 22nd 2006 12:17AM]

Look... seriously... Once upon a time I was a huge Microsoft fanboy... whatever. Older now and I could care less. I run Windows on one PC, Linux on another, and I have a Mac Mini as well.

Where-ever your personal convictions lie, these things are truth:
1) Microsoft hasn't released a consumer-oriented new operating system in 5 years... will ultimately be 6.
2) In that time Mac OSX completely started over and has a far more solid, safer, and easier to use product.
3) In that time Linux has virtually caught up on the Desktop and is actually pushing past Microsoft in some areas (though Vista will shore this up quite readily).
4) Microsoft kept trying to shoe-horn more and more improvements and features into an already massively over complicated and bloated code base... and had to virtually start over in certain key areas.
5) The fanboys will be happy... Vista is quite beautiful (though still rough around the edges right now). However, MUCH of the really cutting edge features are on the cutting room floor and we probably won't see them before 2008 or later.

Microsoft put themselves in this mess. I have NO doubts that they will come out of it just fine, but they have more than earned the criticism.

[Marty @ Mar 22nd 2006 2:27AM]

"36. It takes a lot of time before business deploy new operating systems....they are definitely not going to upgrade the whole OS just like that."

You dont know how right you are. Most med-large companies will wait until the market is established before jumping head first into a new OS. I work for a major bank and we didnt move to xp until 02. I'm starting to feel the active directory headaches now.

Even so, I find it hard to believe that many business have the hardware spec'd to run it in the first place. I was running the december CTP on my test workstation at home and its in dire need of some optimisations, this was on an athalon 64 3500+ w 1gb ram too.

PS: You can't call something vapourware when its this close to a completed product. They could just release the Feb CTP and offer a slew of patches over the next few months if they wanted to, but for once theyre waiting for a stable product, you have to give them some credit for that.

[play free games @ Mar 22nd 2006 3:00AM]

I don't mind the delay. I'd rather have Microsoft roll out something well polished and complete that I can dual boot on my Mac :)

[Pete Hayes @ Mar 22nd 2006 3:57AM]

Microsoft roll out something well polished! How does the song go? That'll be the day, when I die..............

[Aleks @ Mar 22nd 2006 4:14AM]

The only reason why Vista will be delayed is due to Microsoft waiting for the 10.5 preview announcement. Then they can hire 2000 indian developers to rip off all of 10.5's new features then release it 3 months before leopard.

[Grant Hodgeon @ Mar 22nd 2006 7:40AM]

I personally think the delay has little all to do with the coding/development side of things - after all, it's the consumer side that's being delayed, not the actual final (or 'gold') release of the product. If Microsoft find delaying their product from general release until the new year is all fine and dandy in a business perspective - Then who are we to argue? If you were in the position they were, no doubt strategic thinking is of upmost priority.

To those simple minded people whom can't quite grasp together a simple reading sentence, I'll try and emit a clear and conscise sentence for you...

This has NOTHING to do with Microsoft delaying the gold release of the operating system - As it will still be released on MSDN and the sorts.