Next version of Windows coming in 2006... isn't it?

The Longhorn train gets a time-table... let's hope it's more punctual than the UK's real train timetables. Paul Thurrott describes the planned schedule for Longhorn. The firmed up schedule obviously begs the question, "What's been cut from the release?". Longhorn is an extremely ambitious, and Microsoft have been working on the fundamentals for a very long time (remember project Cairo?!). Listening to Mike Deem et al on the .netShow (talking about WinFS) I got the impression that scope hasn't been cut and that the plan has been (in traditional manner) 'phased' accordingly. So, will WinFS the functionality delivered with the final Longhorn release actually include the bits that will make it really useful (distributed stores, etc.)? Of course, people are impatient (wanting the release earlier than 2007) and they are critical about what they think microsoft is going to cut from the release.

The best place to keep in touch with all the things going on with Longhorn development is probably the MSDN Developer Centre, blogs by the microsoft team (this includes access to key people such as Brad Abrams) and the excellent LonghornBlogs.com.

If you are interested in what Longhorn may have to offer to us as end users, then check out Carter Maslan's excellent concept video of Longhorn being used in the manufacturing industry. I think that this is the best of Carter's concept videos to date... working in the Financial Services sector of IT, I was left fairly uninspired by his demonstration for that vertical - the Powerpoint presentation demonstrating how Egg (bank) is looking to implement a Longhorn smart client is a little more interesting.