Windows Vista Off to Manufacturing

Somewhere in Microsoftland (I'm guessing China) the Windows elves are now stamping out DVDs loaded with Windows Vista, the operating system that we've all been talking about for nearly five years. The holographs are being placed and the boxes are being shrink-wrapped: Vista will arrive on retail shelves on January 30, 2007 (though large business customers will be able to get the software before the end of November).

In the spirit of "RTM" day, Microsoft released this somewhat amusing interview with itself, which describes Vista as "the most heavily tested, highest quality and most secure operating system in the company's history."

The interview itself is fascinating if only to see how Microsoft sees itself from its insulated vacuum. There are also fun phrases like "ecosystem support," "outreach to... the ISV community," and "compatibility workshops" for you to puzzle over.

Anyway, fun aside, the good news (I guess) is that Vista is now on track for its real release. There's not much that can delay the OS any further, so you can finally mark January 30 in your calendar in pen. This baby's got a due date!

Previously on Yahoo! Tech:
What's New in Windows Vista Anyway?
How Much Is Windows Vista Really Worth?
Windows Vista Pricing Announced and Compared to XP