Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : How high will Microsoft fly? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: William E Hodal who wrote (9495)	7/20/1998 9:53:00 AM
From: Bearded One	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 74651

NT5 - Not Until 2000! I've been weathering all your insults for weeks predicting delays in NT 5, now Gartner agrees with me. Any disputes from the peanut gallery? GartnerFlash 7/2/98 -Microsoft Misses Major NT 5.0 Commitment EVENT: On 30 June 1998, Microsoft announced the delay of the second beta of NT 5 until "sometime during the summer." In conjunction, Microsoft announced a previously unplanned beta three program. ANALYSIS: The beta software for NT 5 released at Microsoft's Windows deployment conference this week in San Jose, Calif. is an interim release of beta one. We expect Microsoft will release a beta version of NT 5 marketed as "beta two" in 3Q98 (0.7 probability); however, this beta should not be considered feature- complete since Microsoft acknowledges that code may be present for some features (e.g., Terminal Server) that is not stable for testing purposes The fully functional, feature-complete beta of NT 5 that beta two was promised to be will now become beta three. We expect beta three by 2Q99 (0.7 probability). RECOMMENDATION: Enterprises waiting on NT 5 should: -Limit testing efforts with beta one and beta two. Beta three will be made more widely available and will provide a test-worthy, working, feature- complete version of NT 5. -Not expect to see a shipping version NT 5 available until the first half of 2000. We have downgraded our expectation for general availability of a reasonably stable, feature-complete release of NT 5 until at least the first half of 2000 (0.7 probability). -Not plan on NT 5 production deployments until at least year-end 2000. We reiterate our recommendation that all NT 5 deployments wait at least until the first major working service pack is released, expected six to nine months after general availability of NT 5. Larger deployments utilizing Active Directory or Zero Administration Windows should wait 12 to 18 months after the service pack, i.e., well into 2001. With the delay in NT 5, we expect Microsoft to aggressively push other revenue-generating products. Enterprises should: -Ignore pressure from Microsoft that an upgrade to NT 4 positions an organization for an easier upgrade to NT 5 -Delay deployments of NT 4 until 1999 to obtain expected pricing discounts and promotions from Microsoft SERVICES: Local Area Networking and NT Strategies ANALYSTS: Neil MacDonald, Joe Barkan and Michael Gartenberg