In the works for several years, Longhorn is Microsoft’s next-generation Windows software program upgrade. The latest version of its operating system on the market, Windows XP, went on sale in October 2001.
Gates, the company’s chief software architect, said Microsoft plans to show partners and developers the alpha version, or pilot version, of Longhorn this year. Microsoft shares several test versions of its products with partners and customers before a final version goes on sale.
Longhorn is “not a date driven release,” said Gates, who speculated that a release date of late 2006 is “probably valid speculation.”
Microsoft is also working on an update to Windows XP, called Service Pack 2, or SP2, that will include changes designed to improve computer security. That product be released in the summer.
Gates told members of the symposium that he wouldn’t address speculation that Microsoft is considering an interim version of Windows, reportedly called “Windows XP Reloaded.” There were reports that it would be shipped after Windows XP SP2 but before Longhorn.
Microsoft postponed this month the next release of its SQL Server database, code named Yukon, from 2004 until the first half of 2005.
