With all the high-profile lapses recently in the launch of Microsoft's new operating system, Windows Vista, one could place bets all over the craps table as to when the new cash cow for Microsoft will actually launch. I believe there has been no less then three postponements so far in the operating system's release. Eeek!

Well, at least there is *another* solid opinion, and this time it comes straight from Microsoft co-founder and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates. He says that Windows Vista has an "80% chance" of shipping in the most recently-revised target timeframe of January 2007.

Well, that's just dandy, but it's not 100%, is it? With constant delays and feature pull-outs, this operating system release must be the software-muscle equivalent of sending a manned mission to Mars.

With Gates mentioning China as possibly the largest market for Windows Vista (no surprise there), it must be taking an unreal amount of time for all the testers to chime in with feedback on the beta versions of Windows Vista and for Microsoft to fix all the bugs. With Gates saying that almost $9 billion is being spent on Vista development along with the newest version of Microsoft Office (version 2007), this new operating system had better be worth the price. And let's hope $9 billion is enough to bring some kind of stability to the PC universe.