The new Windows File System (WinFS) was initially planned to be one of the three pillars for Microsoft next generation OS "Longhorn". Earlier this year however, the software giant made it clear that WinFS would not make it into Longhorn but a test version of the file system should be available by that time, WinFS is now taking another major delay.

Earlier this week at a press conference Windows Server Chief, Bob Muglia said that WinFS won't be ready for shipping with Longhorn server either which means that the new file system could be shipping by 2008 at the earliest.

"We've been working on this for a long time, and this team is going to deliver," he said. "Our mistake, frankly--and it was a mistake--was to go out and talk about it before we really had clarity as to how we would be able to deliver it and all the complexities there."

Microsoft spokesman said that the company is trying to pull something unique with WinFS, something no one has ever done before, meaning we should be thinking of WinFS as a 2010 project, when the version of Windows beyond Longhorn, code-named Blackcomb, is slated to ship.