Internal schedules and reports from a variety of sources are now placing the retail availability of Windows XP in October, causing some analysts and pundits to claim that Microsoft has delayed its latest operating system. But Microsoft has denied these claims, stating that a firm release date had never been announced. "What we have said is that quality is the number one driver for the delivery of Windows XP," a Microsoft spokesperson said late Friday. "Nothing has changed from our standpoint of a release in the second half of 2001." At issue here is an age-old problem for Microsoft watchers, the discrepancy between the company's internal schedules, which are constantly being adjusted, and publicly-stated goals, which are generally far vaguer. But throw in a few quotes from analysts who basically earn a living by making controversial remarks to reporters, and you've got the makings of a story. We've seen it happen before, and we'll see it again in the future. But a quick overview of the recent historical record will probably put the Windows XP release schedule in perspective.