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Microsoft Web Site Calls Longhorn 'Windows Server 2008'

Microsoft may have slipped up Thursday afternoon and inadvertently posted the official name of its next server operating system, currently code-named "Longhorn."

In a list of links on the WinHEC Virtual Pressroom, the second item on the original list said "Windows Server 2008 reviewers [sic] guide."

Clicking on the link brought up a page titled, "Windows Server Code Name 'Longhorn' Beta 3 Reviewer's Guide"; it made no reference to Windows Server 2008.

Someone at Microsoft eventually noticed the slip. By 5:52 p.m. ET Thursday, the link was gone.

Microsoft, through its public relations company, remained mute: "Microsoft makes it a practice to not comment on rumors or speculation," was its response.

Longhorn went into beta 3 on April 24 and it is expected to be released to manufacturing in the second half of 2007. That would put it on target for a commercial release very late this year or early in 2008. With the release of beta 3, Microsoft announced Longhorn as feature complete.

Microsoft for years has followed a standard convention of naming server operating systems by their year of release, starting with Windows 2000 Server.

About the Author

Keith Ward is editor of Virtualization Review magazine. You can contact Keith at [email protected].