Windows 8.1, future update that brings back the Start menu and windowed Metro apps

Microsoft revealed earlier this month that the Start Menu will return to Windows 8 While Microsoft is keeping the timing for its return vague, sources familiar with the company’s plans tell The Verge that the Start Menu will likely be available in a second update to Windows 8.1 currently scheduled for August. Miller noted that the faster release cycle hasn’t come with the same quality controls from Microsoft, particularly with the Windows 8.1 Update, but Microsoft’s intent is to move the platform along with each update release. The applet version of Image was moved to a faster server so images and class files should now load faster. As expected, Microsoft’s Windows Blue release blanket will consist of Windows Pro 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1, slated to hit RTM around August of 2013.

Miller recommended that organizations should try to find a way to automate their testing, but he recognized that the faster Windows release cycle was going to make things harder. Tailored Start pop-up windows and menus as a replacement for themissing Start Menu in Windows 8 or any other version of Windows. A faster Windows release cycle means organizations may struggle to keep pace with updates for other products, such as Windows Server and Visual Studio, according to analyst Wes Miller.

Miller warned that developers of line-of-business apps will be pushed to update Visual Studio in sync with the faster Windows update release cycle because the two cycles are “tied at the hip.” Mesa 9.1 is released.This is a new development release.See the release notes for more information about the release. Mesa 10.0 is released.This is a new development release.See the release notes for more information about the release.

Mesa 10.1 is released.This is a new development release.See the release notes for more information about the release. Windows 8 Release Expected in 2012 article says that Windows 8 will be with us in 2012. Worked around a OSX Leopard/Java 1.5 bug that caused dialogs boxes to return defaultfield values when the return key was pressed.

Mesa 9.2 is released.This is a new development release.See the release notes for more information about the release. Now, there’s a good chance that an August release might be aimed at manufacturing partners. How the two flavors of Windows 8 will be different article gives some details how Windows 8 on ARM is different from Windows 8 on X86.

Microsoft’s demand that Windows 8.1 users install this week’s major update was another signal that the company is serious about forcing customers to adopt its faster release strategy, experts said today. According to Foley’s sources, this hastened cadence will lead to the next major Windows 8 update being released in August. Miller is the research vice president for Windows client and server at Kirkland, Wash.-based independent consultancy Directions on Microsoft In a webinar Thursday, Miller noted that the annual release cycle forecasted by Microsoft is now almost biannual with the release of Windows 8.1 Update , and it’s pulling organizations to update other solutions, as well.