Windows XP to Go Gold on Schedule

Despite growing speculation that Microsoft has moved up delivery of Windows XP's final code to manufacturing, a source close to the company says it is sticking to its original plan of delivering it the week of August 20.

The delivery date of the gold code to original equipment manufacturers was set for August 22 quite some time ago, the source says. But due to what is described as a "couple of minor security glitches," the final code may not be ready until later next week.

"[Microsoft has] uncovered a couple of pieces of code that represent security risks. With all the recent publicity about security cracks in Windows, people there [at Microsoft] have decided to take an extra 48 hours to make sure it is absolutely solid," according to the source, who is familiar with the company's plans.

The added delay should not impact OEMs who plan to make the much-anticipated operating systems available on their systems by the end of September. Microsoft typically builds in an extra few days to accommodate such last-minute technical problems.

"[Microsoft] has to go gold by the end of the week of [August] 20th if it is going to meet its deadlines for getting all of the updated printed materials like books [and] user guides into the box for retail on October 25," says the source.

Some observers have speculated during the past month that Microsoft was purposely trying to fast-track Windows XP to beat a potential injunction by government officials that would halt its delivery. A source within Microsoft says that is not true--the enormity of the product has dictated from the start that the company stick to the schedule set months ago.

"We are not on a death march to get this out before some legal action hits," he says. "That's naive thinking. This is a huge project. Like a train coming down the tracks, we can't make sudden shifts like that."