After initially saying it was planning to keep Windows 8.1 under wraps until its General Availability date in mid-October, Microsoft reversed course this week and put the RTM bits on MSDN and TechNet, so that developers and IT pros can begin working with the update in advance of the public.
It’s a welcome move by Microsoft, even if one wonders why they didn’t do this in the first place. We’re in uncharted territory with Windows 8.1, an update that is the first in Microsoft’s new rapid-release cadence, so I guess it’s possible to expect some confusion during the process.
I’ve been busy installing the Windows 8.1 RTM code on a variety of machines here today. Because this release is explicitly designed for testing and not for public availability, I don’t plan to review it yet. Instead, I want to use this post to answer some questions that early adopters, developers, and IT testers are likely to have.
- What’s available now?
- Where’s Windows 8.1 Enterprise?
- Where’s Windows 8.1 RT?
- What can I do with the Windows 8.1 installer package?
- What does RTM mean?
- Do I need a product key?
- Can I upgrade from the Windows 8 Preview?
- What’s new in Windows 8.1?
Read more at: Windows 8.1 RTM: What's new, what's next? | ZDNet