Microsoft appears to be hell-bent on getting the next version of Office into customers' hands. Within days of launching the Office XP preview program, Microsoft has released final, or gold, code to manufacturing. In past projects, a gap of up to two months has separated final beta, or preview, versions and the product's gold release. The rush this time may well be inspired by Microsoft's sagging financial fortunes recently, as the Office line has been one of the software giant's most reliable money-makers. The current slowdown in technology spending "gives Microsoft a lot of incentive to get Office XP out fast and to get it out right," said Gartner analyst Chris LeTocq. "No other product is more important to their bottom line."
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