Joe Wilcox was at the PDC and had these post-show thoughts:
Much of the [Office] stuff Microsoft showed off seemed very insubstantial, like works in progress. Early works in progress. The forms stuff demoed well, yet felt very surface area. Maybe the breakout sessions got down to business (I simply couldn’t go to them all). But I talked to some other people checking out the Office breakouts and most had more questions than answers.
Maybe the Office folks are holding back–and that would be pretty reasonable this far from launch–but I don’t think so. Office gave out no code at the show, not even rough, preliminary stuff. Unlike the Windows team. Sure Windows Vista is rough, but developers for the platform have early code. If Office System also is a development platform and developers are supposed to be preparing now for Office 12 release, where’s the code?
Joe, that’s the way the Office team has been for as long as I can remember. The Windows team puts out lots of beta releases. After Windows Vista Build 5219, which was handed out to PDC attendees, they should release Beta 2 to a very wide audience, with monthly builds for technical beta testers and several release candidates. Knowledgeable product people are all over the beta newsgroups to answer questions in most areas.
This is the pattern the Windows team has followed on previous betas as well. If you’re a technical tester, you better have a high-speed connection, because you’ll be downloading lots and lots of bits.
By contrast, Office usually drops two betas, period. Interim builds are practically unheard of, and the level of information sharing in the beta newsgroups is similarly sparse. Testers talk to one another, but they don’t get much feedback from the product team.
Maybe I’m wrong and this will all change on this cycle, but I certainly wouldn’t bet on it.
Ed Bott 