Re: How long will Apple support OSX?

Stew wrote:
Any idea how long Apple is going to continue to support OSX after the
upcoming switch to Windows Vista?


Slow down.
(What do you know and why are you certain?)

Or:
"What is the closest M$ has gotten to any date with this OS - - - Um, before the date which was previously "set" has been postponed?"

It's an easy question to answer.

See, in early 2002 M$ announced "Longhorny" would replace XXXP - - - in 2003! Yes, that would be three years ago!

Before anyone gets on their hindlegs to scream "That wasn't Blista, check out an early Longhorney FAQ:
<http://tinyurl.com/o2g5t>
Longhorney was but a code name for Blista...

It's wild to see the false starts before they gave up on that code name:
Windows Longhorn release schedule

Longhorn revealed: June 24, 2001
Longhorn release verified by Microsoft executive vice president Jim Allchin: June 27, 2001
Longhorn mentioned in Microsoft antitrust settlement filing: November 1, 2001
Longhorn details first revealed on the SuperSite for Windows: January 14, 2002
Longhorn alpha build 3670 (internal release only): August 19, 2002
Longhorn alpha build 3683 (internal release only): September 23, 2002
Longhorn alpha build 4008 (internal release only): February 19, 2003
Longhorn build 4008 leaks: February 28, 2003
Private Longhorn developer preview: March 2003
Longhorn graphics and security features revealed: May 6-8, 2003
SuperSite for Windows reveals Longhorn UI: August 19, 2003
Paul first reveals Longhorn build 4051 details: October 26, 2003
Longhorn public developer preview (build 4051) released: October 27, 2003
Longhorn build 4053 leaks: March 4, 2004
Microsoft reveals Longhorn schedule: August 27, 2004
Longhorn build 5048 (WinHEC 2005) released: April 24, 2005
Microsoft announces Windows Vista name: July 22, 2005
Longhorn Beta 1: August 3, 2005
Longhorn Beta 2: Expected November 2005
Longhorn final release RTM: Expected May 2006
Longhorn general availability: Q3 2006

So...since June '01 until well into '05...it was Longhorney.
And all it did was slide past any date which M$ forecast...

Then, it is not Longhorney...but Blista is not closing in on a 'release date' with any more certainty (urgency?) than any version up to "now".

Yes, in 6-'05 Blista was announced - - That would be less than a year after M$ announced the Longhorney final schedule.

It would be difficult to build a time line if one depended on the language M$ began to use in any 'official statement/press document'.
The public statements clearly became more a product of a legal writer than marketing.
Ex: March 21, 2006 —
"Microsoft Corp. today confirmed that Windows Vista™, the next generation of the Windows® client operating system, is on target to go into broad consumer beta to approximately 2 million users in the second quarter of 2006.
Microsoft is on track to complete the product this year, with business availability in November 2006 and broad consumer availability in January 2007."

"on target"? Bullsiht!
The above is actually another postponement!
It's only a target 'cause the say "target".
Anyone and everyone knows it is a DELAY!

That is, they "state a date" (claim it matches 'some schedule') but no date in a current document corresponds to any date in a previous document?

Get it?

Yes, they are always confirming the 'current' target (which has been moving since '01) is the one they are been aiming for?
Tricky...
Set Target, aim - - - -Move Target - - - Set Target, aim ------> Uncle *** can hit a hunting buddy easier than M$ can hit a target with XXXPs replacement..

Now (late March), they declare yet another 'new date' and confirm it is "on target"
Ha!

Anyone who placed a wager using any date (up to and "maybe" including now) provided by M$ or the XXXP replacement would have lost a load of money.

Yes, they are currently nine months away from "broad consumer availability".
But?

Seems brave (after five years) to predict that - -
(In the same document)...
Well, they say they are also "on target to go into broad consumer beta to approximately 2 million users in the second quarter of 2006."

At best one could say:
"If 2 Million users receive the consumer beta before July '05.." [We have another bridge to cross]

What is for sure?
Not much!

No, 2 million users do not have the beta.

However, M$ is still "on target" with yet another new date (which is nine months away) & they not only have no results from 2 million consumers?
It is a "target date" only - - - 2 million consumers will have the beta (before July 1) is a maybe.

Before I got too concerned about the OS X (out, been out, I'm happy with it a year after its release?) - - - It might be best to see Blista, after one year?!

Of course that would be at least two years from now - - -

Wait, that is if all goes according to the recent plan (which only provides new targets and the next one as not been hit, yet?)

Michael




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