The Microsoft mogul first mentioned a radically new version of Windows, codenamed Longhorn, back in summer 2002.
The latest delay is down to the consumer version "not being good enough", says Windows boss Jim Allchin. He'll presumably be clearing out his desk tomorrow.
"Gates liked to compare Longhorn to the Apollo space program", says tech site The Register. "But it's become less off a moonshot and more of a moonwalk".
Microsoft shares fell 3 percent after the news.
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The Register, Thu 23 Mar 2006 at 12:30am
