I've received word from a confidential source close to Microsoft that the release of Windows 2000 Beta 3 is now scheduled for mid-to-late April 1999. This release--which will follow an early March release candidate for Beta 3--will be the last major beta before the final release of Windows 2000. According to Brian Valentine, who now heads the Windows 2000 team, Microsoft is committed to the quality of Windows 2000 and this is the reason for the delays. Rather than release the product before it's ready, Microsoft will take the time to get it right.
Windows 2000 is scheduled to be released to manufacturing (RTM) by the second half of calendar year 1999. The actual final release date will be based on feedback from beta testers, especially customers in the elite "Rapid Deployment Program" (RDP), which work closely with Microsoft, deploying beta builds of Windows 2000 in production environments.
So there you go: Windows 2000 in 1999. We'll see, but this is the plan as of right now
