Word has been circulating for several days that Microsoft (MSFT) is already well along in work on the OS that will come after Vista.

Steve Ballmer has promised that future Windows versions will not take the five years to develop that Vista did.

Late word from The Inquirer is that Microsoft is trying to downplay speculation about the release date of Vienna. But, the consensus among rumors is that two-and-a-half years is about right.

Douglas A. McIntyre