Windows Home Server coming soonish

A niche product though it may turn out to be, those of the Microsoft persuasion are likely quite excited about Windows Home Server, the latest product to fly that multicolored flag. For its part, Microsoft has been rather quiet on the WHS front lately, which is especially odd considering that the OS is nearly complete, as far as we can tell.

Well, now we finally know why there's been no official announcement of a release date from Microsoft: there is no release date. Rumors of an August 27 retail release of the OS recently started to surface and Ars Technica decided to get to the bottom of it, getting in touch with the folks in Redmond. Turns out, the company has already shipped Windows Home Server to OEMs and distributors, who will, in turn, sell the software bundled with Home Server hardware. As "those guys are on their own schedule," there will be no formal launch date for WHS, rather, the OEMs are free to start selling the software whenever they please. Tellingly enough, however, Microsoft has established a tech support availability date of August 27 for the North American market--that's not a hard date by any means but should help give some idea of when Microsoft anticipates that WHS hardware could start shipping.

For more on Windows Home Server's impending release:
- see this Ars Technica article