According to The Verge’s Tom Warren, Windows 10 is done, having reached RTM status with build number 10240.
The timing is not surprising. Microsoft will release Windows 10 to its testing community on July 29, followed by volume partners and, after, the general public through an update process. RTM builds, in contrast, are designed for equipment manufacturers, who need the code ahead of time to prep new machines.
Dell, for example, is committed to selling Windows 10 PCs on the very first day, the 29th, that the code is live.
Windows 10 is a dramatic departure from prior Windows versions. The new operating system is designed for constant update, with Microsoft pushing the concept of it being more like a service than a discrete piece of software. The company is also offering free upgrades for a year to most PC users, in hopes of creating an updraft in use that can be leveraged into attracting more developer attention.
Oddly enough we are both at the near end, and nearly at the beginning of, the Windows 10 saga. Certainly, the code is nearly done and out. But at the same time, Windows 10’s next chapters involve the pace of upgrades, not to mention its growth story. So, while we can nearly close the book on how Windows 10 made its way to market, there are a full set of new questions that will be answered in time.
My god spare us all.