Being as there are but a few days until 2008 kicks in, I thought that I would ask the question 'What to expect out of Microsoft in the coming year?', as well. Now, Microsoft is a company with a multitude of facets, and I mean in no way to offer indisputable predictions. At the same time, the Redmond company has quite a nasty reputation when it comes to delivering its software products in accordance to strict deadlines. But still, there are clear indications of what you should expect from Microsoft in the coming year. Well... where to begin?

Why, with the Windows client, of course. The first quarter of 2008 will be a veritable Windows service pack fiesta. Microsoft will release, early next year, both Windows Vista Service Pack 1 and Windows XP Service Pack 3. As of mid December 2007, users can access the Release Candidate build of XP SP3 and Vista SP1, with the final versions not that far behind. Also, on the Windows client front, Microsoft is currently cooking Windows Fiji, the next version of Windows Media Center, but this time a stand-alone product, not coupled with Vista, as it is the case with the Home Premium and Ultimate SKUs of the latest Windows operating system. Although talk about Windows Fiji will debut early in 2008, you can expect signs of the software later in the coming year.

And speaking of the Windows client... 2008 will bring to the table early development milestones of Windows 7, the successor of Windows Vista. And I do mean early, probably pre-alpha, but certainly pre-beta. With a deadline set sometime in 2010, it is clear that Microsoft is not in any hurry to let the Windows 7 genie out of the bottle. However, it's bound that MinWin, the next version of the Windows kernel, the core of the operating system stripped down to the bare bone, will get a lot more play in 2008. Still, whatever you do, do not forget Microsoft Surface, the company's first example of surface computing, with Windows Vista at its heart.

Now switching to the server side, 2008 will first bring with it the releasing to manufacturing of Windows Server 2008, and then, the launch of Microsoft's' last 32-bit server operating system on February 27th, 2008. The company also plans to release Windows Small Business Server 2008 (codenamed Cougar) and Windows Essential Business Server 2008 (codenamed Centro), but also Windows HPC Server 2008, Windows 2008 Hyper-V and the luxuriant plethora of Windows Server 2008 SKUs. And just keep in mind that Windows Home Server is scheduled to get its first major update in 2008. On top of it all, although the chances are pretty slim, Microsoft is also looking to debut the first Service pack for Windows Server 2008 next year.

Now, Windows is much more than just the client and server operating systems. There is also Windows for Embedded Systems, and Windows Mobile. You should expect at least a few crumbs out of each, and maybe even a taste of Windows Mobile 7. Also, Microsoft is bound to start building the bridge that will connect Windows Mobile with Zune, 2008 might just have something instored... And of course that last but not least... the first beta of Internet Explorer 8 will drop by mid 2008, with the final version of the browser toward the end of the year, or in early 2009.