By Ina Fried, 27 February 2004 08:45
NEWS Microsoft is considering updating Windows XP before it releases Longhorn, the code name for a major overhaul of the industry's dominant operating system that is not expected for about two years.
Issuing an update to XP would represent a significant shift for the software maker, which for months has insisted that it had no plans to create a separate version of Windows before Longhorn. A company executive confirmed on Thursday that Microsoft is now discussing a product internally referred to as 'Windows XP Reloaded'.
Any further release would follow Windows XP Service Pack 2, a security-oriented upgrade that is slated to arrive before mid-year. The features that would be included in an update are still under discussion, Windows lead product manager Greg Sullivan said in an interview.
"Calling it an interim release is overstating the current plan," Sullivan said. "We are exploring ways to add value to Windows XP."
However, Directions on Microsoft analyst Rob Helm said that any new version of Windows is likely to slow Longhorn's arrival.
"There's one Windows team and there's one core group of people [developing it]," Helm said. "If they do plan an interim release, it will have an impact on the schedule. How much will depend on what's in it."
Helm said that Windows XP Reloaded sounds like what he would term an interim release. "To my mind, a service pack with features that has the potential to impact compatibility is an interim release."
Helm did say that one option available to Microsoft is to try to boost some of the surrounding programs that are bundled with Windows while making fewer changes to the core OS. Such a 'feature pack' could mean less of a delay.
In addition to adding a further question to the already uncertain timing of Longhorn, Helm said Microsoft's constantly changing release schedule makes it harder for customers to plan.
"In the consumer market it's less important but in the enterprise market it's really important for Microsoft to provide a roadmap - and not just of major big-bang releases but also of service packs. Right now that road map is still pretty hazy."
Executives have said for some time that there was no major release of Windows planned before Longhorn. At the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference in May, senior vice president Will Poole said: "Don't expect an interim release."
Poole said at that time that Longhorn would ship in 2005. Microsoft later backed away from that date, saying only that it would ship when it is ready. However, until now, Microsoft has reiterated that no new versions of Windows are planned before Longhorn.
Ina Fried writes for CNET News.com. Stephen Shankland contributed to this report.
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1. Charles Wood
I understand this is a problem for Microsoft: but as a user I am sick of upgrades and new versions. I have just upgraded to XP, changed my Matrox Video edit card and upgraded Adobes software, all at the same time because as a user I had no choice.
So far this has delayed projects by 2 months as the software was full of bugs, even though I had deliberately waited for 3 months before attempting the upgrade.
Graphics software that only works properly in 16 bit colour mode? Be serious guys, this is worse than when I started using windows, my business is dependant on a reliable system. One which crashes every hour is NOT that.
Unfortunately I am not big enough to sue these large players for my lost time and income while I sort out their errors. They would owe me about £8000 by now if I wasn't going broke because their software does NOT do what it says on the box.
If big car manufacturers can get their acts together, then so should the likes of Microsoft, Adobe and Matrox. Yes, I am naming names, it is about time more of us victims, sorry users,did!