Microsoft to declare Windows 8 RTM in three weeks, says report

Microsoft is a little more than three weeks away from wrapping up Windows 8, according to leaks of recent builds of the upcoming operating system and claims by a Russian blog.

Windows 8 RTM, for "release to manufacturing," is close, said sites and discussion forums that posted information about builds marked as "RTM," the milestone that marks completed code ready to ship to computer makers.

According to the Russian-language blog WZor.net, which requires registration for viewing, the Redmond, Wash. developer will announce that Windows 8 has reached RTM at the Microsoft Global eXchange (MGX), which runs July 17-20 in Atlanta.

MGX is the company's annual internal mass meeting of executives, salespeople and product managers where the next fiscal year's goals and projects are trumpeted to the troops.

The week before MGX, on or around July 12, Microsoft will sign off on the "gold" code for RTM -- in effect approving the latest compiled build as suitable for distribution -- said WZor.net.

Microsoft also used MGX to announce Windows 7 RTM in 2009.

:story: Computerworld