Microsoft insists it will hit its November target for shipping Windows Vista and Office 2007 to volume-licensing business users, despite various reports suggesting that security issues or restrictions imposed by the European Commission (EC) will force another postponement.

“We’re feeling really good about it,” said Mike Sievert, Windows client corporate vice-president. “It’s a software development project, so surprises could come up, but our target is to have availability of Windows Vista and Office 2007 in November. The main focus now is about integration and performance, and this is true of any development project. If something were to come along [to cause a further delay] it would be a surprise.”

Sievert played down suggestions that Microsoft had not previously made a clear statement to silence suggestions of a further wait.

“The reality is that the project did not complete [to earlier stated schedules but] we said all along that the most important thing is delivering on the quality. We’re working very closely with the [European] Commission and we’re going to comply with the regulations.”

In order to avoid conflict with the EC, Microsoft earlier this year said it would pull features in Office that let documents be saved as PDF files or in Microsoft’s competing XPS format. Instead, the options can be added via a free download.

Chris Capossela, Microsoft vice-president of the Information Worker unit, said that output devices with XPS support, including a Xerox multifunction device, will be available on general availability of the shrink-wrapped version of Office early in 2007.

Other hardware spinoffs of Vista will include Microsoft’s wireless Ultimate Keyboard with ambient illumination, USB memory sticks that can be used to extend memory as well as for storage, and notebooks with external panels to display basic personal information such as email and appointments. Computer makers will also deliver second-generation Tablet PCs and UMPC units.

Capossela added that Microsoft is still debating details of its strategy for online applications to compete with the likes of Google’s Writely word processor or Spreadsheets program.

“The most important thing we can do is invest very heavily in Works, Office and Live,” he said. “We think [the balance lies] in a combination of rich desktop services like Word and complementary services. It’s not about Word on the web. Customers are more involved in solving problems.”

Capossela said sharing and distribution were more important than whether an application is based online or offline, and that Microsoft was examining options that included letting Office users download applications to another computer when travelling.

“Don’t think we don’t want to win in this space,” he said. “[Writely and other web-based applications] are really interesting but I don’t think it’s the authoring experience that is interesting.”

Microsoft has set aside a huge marketing budget for its new generation of products but the company is likely to skip the big-bang approach used for previous major product releases such as Windows 95.

“People will definitely know [the launch is] happening but times have changed so the campaign will also be viral and internet-based,” said Sievert.

Microsoft has just released a build of the Vista beta that allows users to turn off the boot-up music. Vista uses a new composition by former King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp.