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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 the editor in chief of Virtualization & Cloud Review. Follow him on Twitter @VirtReviewKeith.

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