Microsoft delays Office 2007

Microsoft talked to its corporate clients late last week regarding its new Office 2007 Suite... or, well, the lack of it. The news is sure to send pundits scrambling as to whether this really translates to further Vista delays, as many are expecting a joint release between Office 2007 and Vista.

The delay moves the corporate release of Office to 'nearer the end of the year' instead of its scheduled release in October of 2006. MS still say that they expect to have the retail boxed versions in stores around late January; but with the couple months move-back of the corporate release, one has to wonder about whether it will also receive the same delay - perhaps out to Quarter 2, 2007. The move is, according to MS, to increase product efficiency, and to incorporate feedback responses provided from the open betas.

All of this news falls on the heels of further bad news from the company, which lost one of its VP's late last week to Google. Add in the WGA Lawsuit and a 214 person layoff due to 'reorganization', and you have a week where any CEO wouldn't want to get out of bed. Fortunately, don't feel too bad for Bill, as the recent $31 billion USD cash infusion to the Gates Foundation is likely to keep him rather busy.

Got some thoughts on the latest delays? Our forums are already at stable public release... so leave 'em there.