When Microsoft revealed on June 29, right before the end of its fiscal year 2006, that it was delaying Office 2007 by some unspecified number of days/weeks/months, Microsoft watchers understandably began wondering whether Windows Vista would suffer the same fate.

The Office postponement led the Windows team to do some internal soul searching, questioning whether delaying Vista would be a sound move, according to our sources. A recent internal Microsoft e-mail debating the merits of a delay hinted (between the lines, we hear) that yet another Vista delay could be in the cards.

Officially, however, as of early July, Microsoft was holding fast to its existing Vista ship schedule of fall 2006 for volume licensees and January 2007 for retail availability.

Should Microsoft delay Windows Vista? Or would yet another Vista postponement wreak more havoc on tech vendors and users than it would save? Testers, partners and shareholders all have their own takes on this ongoing debate.

There are plenty of good reasons that Microsoft should refrain from delaying – for the fourth? fifth? do I hear a sixth? – time Windows Vista. Another delay could