With the colossal resources at Microsoft’s disposal, and all the reported bodies thrown into the development pit for Vista, you’d think the delays would enable the software to do everything including cook you breakfast, bring back Elvis and cure cancer. But no such luck.

Windows Vista, the new operating system formerly codenamed Longhorn, succumbs yet again to another delay, this time for its consumer launch, to 2007.

successor to Windows XP, released over five years ago, has undergone massive delays and scaled-back features, earning it the title Windows “Longwait.”

The massive undertaking of creating such marvels of bloatware software is not in doubt, but still goes to the consternation not only of eager users but investors as well, sending the company’s shares down almost 3 percent for the day of announcement alone.

The company did pledge to ship the software to business customers by late in the second half of this year.

Oh well. At least the blue screen of death would probably look prettier.