windows 10 RTM and SP3

[al404]

i read than in a couple of week MS should release windows 10 RTM, i'm not sure if is almost the same of a golden master
RTM version would be almost final version for tablet too?
i was wondering if i should install win 10 on my SP3 so i would get RTM on release

 

[Zulfigar]

When Windows 10 is released, you'll get a popup too grab the update, through Windows Update. So up to you if you want to add Windows 10 to your SP3 or wait another month and a half (or so).

 

[al404]

is RTM almost like final?

 

[RustyU]

RTM is final

 

[kenjancef]

RTM = Release To Manufacturing

Same as the real thing, but it gets released early to PC makers like Dell and HP so they can get it on their systems.

 

[hotphil]

RTM is final

I think the ideal of RTM being "final" is gone. It'll be enough for manufacturers to confidently write drivers and get pre-installing on OEM machines, but the nature of the new Windows-as-a-service mentality that 10 is ushering in means that the concept of RTM will seem outdated soon.

 

[anon(7901790)]

I think the ideal of RTM being "final" is gone. It'll be enough for manufacturers to confidently write drivers and get pre-installing on OEM machines, but the nature of the new Windows-as-a-service mentality that 10 is ushering in means that the concept of RTM will seem outdated soon.

No it is not gone. Even after being released over 14 years ago, Windows XP was updated until recently. Like RustyU and kejancef said, it is the final ready for the manufacturers version. Windows is not a service, it is an OS on which apps that access a service can run on. Just like OneDrive is for Android and iOS. Even though OneDrive is baked into Windows 8.1 Windows 10, it doesn't make the OS the service.

Will there be patches to fix bugs and version updates to add functionality? Sure, that is the nature of software.

Just like WP8.1 DP was for Windows Phone. It was not a beta test, it was released to developers so they could update their apps in preparation for it being released to the manufacturers.

@al404 - Windows 10 RTM probably won't be released to the masses, unless you are already in the Win10 TP program. So you can update to Win10 TP now and live with the bugs, or just be patient and wait for the release to users which will be after the RTM.

 

[hotphil]

You've missed the Windows as a Service announcements then.... a lot's changed in 14 years.

 

[anon(7901790)]

You've missed the Windows as a Service announcements then.... a lot's changed in 14 years.

I read them, and until recently nobody really knew what that meant. Even now, it's vague. Windows as a Service seems focused internally and not externally. Meaning that the OS developers will start using similar processes as the Bing, Skype, and Yammer teams. Which allows them to provide updates based on telemetry and user feedback they receive. Allowing them better data on what's going on under the hood. Kind of like what professional race cars do.

It also has been mentioned that it is for generating revenue based on searches and ads instead of relying on license sales. MSFT determined that revenue from consumer licenses was dropping, so why not make up for that another way. Which is what Google does. Google gets revenues from its ads and search as well as the other services it provides and not by selling the OS.

It's not about subscription type licensing like Office 365. In other words you won't be paying a yearly subscription fee for the OS.

MSFT now has its own line of devices like Apple and is now offering its OS like Google does, and therefore it is trying to take the best both worlds

As far as the OS goes it really doesn't change a whole lot. They will still do major upgrades on an annual basis with minor upgrades and fixes as needed.

 

[hotphil]

They will still do major upgrades on an annual basis with minor upgrades and fixes as needed.

MS have said exactly the opposite - Windows 10 will be the last big release. It's all about incremental evolution from there. And yes, that does infer subscription.

 

[anon(7901790)]

I think we're confusing actual version numbers versus branding. For example, Windows Vista, 7, 8, and 8.1 are all the same version Windows NT 6.x. Windows 2000 and XP (both 32 and 64bit) are Windows NT5.x.

So by "version" are they talking about actual version number (i.e. OS kernel) or they talking about the "Brand name"? The former is actual OS kernal number, the latter is the marketed named. Windows 8.1 is actually running Windows NT 6.3 kernel. Where as, Windows 10 has a whole new kernel (Windows NT 10.0).

So yes, for marketing purposes they can say it is the last major OS update. Yet, under the hood, it will be different version numbers. We as users would never know the difference.

List of Microsoft Windows versions - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

And nobody in Microsoft has even mentioned subscription based OS updates. That is all supposition by journalists and users.