Supposedly their bug list will be down to about 0 in just over two weeks.. I can only assume from there they will ship off their first RC.. Just a bit off their previously planned time of the end of July, but still okay..
First RC won't go gold.
Then, you have 2 or 3 weeks before the next one. So about, mid to late august.
That one might not go gold. There is a chance though. 2 or 3 weeks later
You have the third RC. Mid September now.
Now, I have the feeling RC3 will go gold. I mean, if Valve has been doing as extensive testing as they claim, it may just go gold.
Lets also consider the CS:S Beta supposedly comes out on the 10th of August.
Considering that, I have to push back the second RC.. I mean, it has been stated that the CS:S beta is just a way of getting the engine out there for mass testing.. and chances are someone will stumble onto a couple big error with the engine... That'll delay it a bit.. hopefully not much though.
So, say it gets put back a week. Right? That pushes the Third RC into Late September..
Which gives you the odd feeling that Valve is going to get it out on that special day of September 30th.. just, a year late.
Not too bad considering the original Halflife got delayed a year too.