#3, Not strange at all. Large OL customers have already committed budget and MS is working to support the billions that in aggregate, that represents. Similarly, these same OL customers have already decided on systems configurations - so the builds will already have the drivers and support slipped to them, as well as enterprise applications, etc... as these new machines roll-out, and users log in, the OPK experience they have is fully automated and in about 15 minutes the users is up and working - printers, email, apps, all of it.
Since they are known variables, the builds don't have to account for widely different consumer choices. This slip, as I see it, is actually MS paying back its partners in the OEM and retail spaces - who, against a new driver model and new API's, needed more time. MS is giving them that time. in no small way, MS fell on its sword for its partners and I suspect that they will remember this and reward MS with continued support and by adhering to the WHQL that will help make Vista truly revolutionary in many ways.
"Privately, I am hoping they read my posts and those like them and are adding a huge "Big Blue Turn the candy OFF" button..." right in the middle of the OPK routine...but that is just a private thought offered for a laugh. I am very proud of them for doing this - that says a lot about all of them at Microsoft - they are truly good people - in my opinion.
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