Word around the blogosphere is that Longhorn will not debut before 2007.

I would have to beg MS, " Please, please, pretty please", to say, and make sure it ain't so.

While I know that the early beta will hit sometime in the early summer this year, we MUST have the gold product RTM'd for Christmas 2006. At the very latest.

That would allow the buzz to build, and for those who purchase systems that holiday season, an opportunity to see, and experience the benefits as they plan their 2007 budgets.

And we need Longhorn for the FY2007 budgetary period.