Microsoft’s 2008 conference dance card is starting to fill in. It’s looking like a very busy February and March for the conference-going set. And, as usual with Microsoft, mid-summer will be full of Microsoft industry and insider events.

The biggest questions going into 2008 is how, when and if Microsoft will share more about its Windows futures plans with developers, partners and customers.

Microsoft has postponed its annual Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC) to some time in the fall of 2008. Usually, WinHEC is a May event. And there’s still no word on when and if the Microsoft Professional Developers Conference (PDC) will take place in 2008. Microsoft “postponed” the PDC, which was slated for the fall of 2007, and so far has not rescheduled it.

WinHEC and PDC are Microsoft’s biggest Windows-roadmap events of the year. But given that Microsoft will be in a ramp-up period in 2008 — with no new Windows 7 or Windows Server 7 bits ready to share — it’s going to be tough to come up with show content that looks ahead instead of back. (TechEd conferences, which usually are more focused on shipping products, not futures, are the primary venues for that.)

Windows 7 isn’t expected to ship until 2010. Windows Server 7, if Microsoft sticks to schedule, could hit around 2010, as well. Both products will be in the early milestone phase, at best, by next year. Given Microsoft’s reticence to talk about unannounced Windows products, I’m wondering what the Softies will have to say at WinHEC 2008 and, if it happens, PDC 2008. Stay tuned….

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