IBM uses two terms with very specific meanings: GA and SD, General Announcement and Statement of Direction, respectively.

After a GA - whatever is stated is official. It IS going to happen, or IS already happening. A SD (Statement of Direction) is IBM's way of going public on it's intentions of what MIGHT be.

The great advantage of have SD around is that IBMers can discuss said topic without requiring a non-disclosure agreement first. But, it is also very important that a SD is open-ended. The product or feature may be changed, release date changed, and even retracted (not withdrawn as can be confused with withdrawn from market and imply that it was on the market) as a direction. Winds change so to speak.