Windows XP launch in turmoil

Microsoft's hopes of shipping Windows XP in the autumn took a knock this week when it was revealed that many of its 100,000 beta testers were still waiting for their preview software.

The software giant announced its XP Preview Program at the beginning of the month offering the first of two final testing versions to potential customers at $10 a time.

According to reports in the US, however, many of those customers are still waiting a week and a half later

US news service Cnet added that Microsoft has given out the wrong passwords to those lucky enough to have received the software. Meanwhile a number of others who hadn't handed over their $10 were treated to a 'free' preview following server glitches suffered at the hands of the Redmond-based company.

The build up to the release of the XP operating system has been plagued by problems. Late last month, Microsoft dumped the controversial Smart Tag technology from XP following mounting criticism that it was being used to tie customers into the company's products and web services.