Nadella got Microsoft organized around mobile and the cloud (Azure), freed the Office and Azure teams from Windows, killed the phone business and got a major release of Windows out without the usual trauma.
Earlier that same day in New York, Mr. Gates presided at a Microsoft-sponsored "rally" featuring testimonials by 50 or so leaders of businesses in or related to the computer industry about the importance of a timely release of Windows 98.
Valleywag reports that "Microsoft has apparently told executives at one of the world's largest PC makers not to expect a formal release of Windows Vista SP1 — the first major set of upgrades and bug fixes to its Vista operating system — until 2009 at the earliest".
But it's worth keeping in mind: Microsoft is working towards a mid-year release of Windows 10, so the April date is in within that range, but doesn't mean altogether too much on its own.
CompUSA, the nation's largest computer retailer, will open its doors at midnight on Wednesday in an effort to make the release of Windows 98 a "marketing event," said Larry Mondry, an executive vice president at CompUSA.
There is not even a timeframe for the release of Windows 8 at this point, which is a disappointing roadblock, given that it was displayed with so much flair and excitement earlier in the week.
Windows mobile strategy is going to come to a head with the release of Windows 10 later this year.
Still, to see the combined Windows 8.x family essentially fail to grow a month after the release of Windows 8.1 is disappointing for Microsoft.
They could file for an injunction blocking the release of Windows XP.All this will take some time to sort out.
AOL Time Warner and others have (unsuccessfully) lobbied the antitrust authorities to file for an injunction blocking the release of Windows XP.
Politics of a Product If technical and design merit were the only criteria for judging an operating system, the release of Windows XP would be cause for jubilation.
