they can always add them in later on with a Plus Pack. :)

But the fact remains that Microsoft wants to rush this thing out to market, before 2005. I think they intend to do this for the following three reasons:

#1 To beat the DOJ case against them by making an OS that is no longer Windows or runs Windows software. They will claim they no longer hold a monoply with Longhorn, so it shouldn't be subject to any of the DOJ settlements.

#2 To get a lock on the software market. Since Longhorn won't run legacy code, Microsoft will be more than happy to sell the new programs to the businesses that buy into Longhorn. Office 2004/2005, for starters. What better way to force an upgrade?

#3 To get something out that addresses the security issues, viruses, trojan horses, spyware, adware, worms, etc. Longhorn won't run legacy code, so it won't have these legacy problems. It will take a while for those groups to re-write those things for Longhorn.

Did I miss any reason?