Thanks to everyone for an interesting discussion in the comments below. I apologize that many comments were held for moderation. I allow comments, but I trashed a half-dozen or so that consisted of name-calling or that were otherwise unenlightening. Pro tip: if you include the word “fanboy” in anything except an ironic, self-deprecating sense, you won’t get approved.

“As an in-depth engineering dialog, we tend to favor the long form for Building Windows 8 posts.”
– Steven Sinofsky, President, Windows and Windows Live Division, Microsoft

This week’s epic, 8,617-word post, “Building Windows for the ARM processor architecture,” should have answered nearly every question you might have had about how the next edition of Windows will work on special-purpose devices powered by low-power CPUs built using the ARM architecture.

The ARM version will be available only on new hardware specifically designed for it. Initially, these will probably be in the same tablet form factor popularized by the iPad, although there’s no reason they can’t also be available in designs that look like a desktop or notebook PC. You won’t be able to buy Windows on ARM (WOA) and install it yourself, even if you have an ARM-based device that appears to be identical, spec-wise, to a WOA tablet.

The WOA interface is nearly identical to Windows 8 on traditional PCs built using Intel x86/x64 CPUs, with the same Start and search screens. It will run the same Metro style apps as the x86/x64 edition, available through the same store. It will also allow you to access the Windows desktop, with full access to Windows Explorer (for file management), the desktop Internet Explorer, and other “intrinsic Windows features.”

Apple expert John Gruber is puzzled after reading about Windows on ARM:

So maybe I was right that Windows on ARM would go Metro-only — it’s just that they’ve made an exception for a few built-in apps from Microsoft itself. Why include desktop versions of Explorer and IE, though? Why include two different versions of IE if even the desktop version doesn’t allow plugins?

I’ve heard the same question from several colleagues who know Windows well.

The answer is actually pretty simple, if you think about it.

Why Windows Explorer? Because the new Metro style environment doesn’t have a full-strength file manager. As Sinofsky’s post notes:

You can use Windows Explorer, for example, to connect to external storage devices, transfer and manage files from a network share, or use multiple displays, and do all of this with or without an attached keyboard and mouse—your choice. This is all familiar, fast, efficient, and useful.

That capability isn’t available in the Metro environment, as shipped in the Developer Preview, and there’s nothing to suggest that it’s coming in the Consumer Preview. You can search for files and folders from the Metro-style interface, but that environment really isn’t suitable for management tasks like moving and copying large numbers of files.

Windows Explorer is also the host for the full Control Panel. The Metro style Control Panel has a decent subset of options, but it’s not comprehensive. You need the desktop Control Panel to set up parental controls, for example, or to adjust settings for a printer or network adapter.

Why desktop Internet Explorer? This one is more baffling at first. On x86/x64 systems, the most obvious advantage of the desktop browser is that it will run plugins like Flash, whereas the Metro style browser won’t. On WOA, however, Microsoft says third-party plugins won’t be supported. So why include it at all?

Again, the answer boils down to some management tools that aren’t available in the Metro style browser. For example, the only way to adjust security settings or add a Tracking Protection list is using the desktop version of IE. The desktop is also where you’ll find the full set of Internet Options as well as tools for managing Favorites, history, cookies, and so on.

And, of course, if you want to hook up an ARM-based tablet to a keyboard, mouse, and full-screen monitor, you might prefer to view two web pages side by side—something you can only do with the desktop view of Internet Explorer.

The real surprise in this week’s announcement is that WOA-based devices will include four apps from the forthcoming release of Microsoft Office, which is scheduled to ship at the same time as Windows 8:

WOA includes desktop versions of the new Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote. These new Office applications, codenamed “Office 15”, have been significantly architected for both touch and minimized power/resource consumption, while also being fully-featured for consumers and providing complete document compatibility.

These WOA-compatible Office apps are the only desktop apps that will be allowed on WOA-based devices—third-party developers won’t have any way to build desktop apps for this edition of Windows.

Update: Mr. Gruber graciously links to this post and responds: “But why not write a file manager using Metro? I still don’t get it.”

I could just as easily ask, “Why doesn’t the iPad have a file manager?” I mean, OS X has Finder, so why isn’t there an equivalent in iOS? Answer: Because file managers are complex beasties. Most of the operations you would want to perform require multiple windows so you can drag and drop stuff. They also require direct access to the full file system, which Metro apps don’t have, by design.

Building a Metro style Explorer equivalent would be a major undertaking, and it would require a huge amount of development and testing resources. It would be redundant in the x86 version of Windows 8, where the Windows desktop has full functionality. Why spend those resources when you have a perfectly good tool available for porting, one that users won’t need to be trained to use?

There are some file-management functions in Metro apps: pickers for photos, search tools, and the like. But the Metro environment, at least in this first iteration, does not lend itself to the richness Windows users expect from a file manager. That’s the same approach Microsoft has taken to Internet Explorer in Windows 8 and WOA. The Metro style browser is simple, fast, and good for the majority of common tasks. The desktop version is required for some tasks, and power users won’t need to be trained in its use.

Gruber’s question also misses the fact that Explorer is a host for other “intrinsic Windows features,” including the full Control Panel and the common dialog boxes that will be used by the Office 15 desktop apps included in WOA. You need Explorer to host those functions.

Sorry, the discount offer mentioned in this post has expired.

The first review is in. I don’t want to spoil the ending or anything, but to quote Sally Field: “He liked it! He really liked it!”

Reviewing Ed Bott’s Windows 8 Head Start | 7 Tutorials

After being walked through the basics by the earlier chapters, I think many non-expert, non-developers would feel confident trying out some of these more advanced topics. Having instructions from someone who really knows what he’s doing, and who can write everything clearly and without confusing jargon, is always important to understanding.

And a reminder that my special offer on this book is still valid.

Windows 8 Head Start is based on the Windows 8 Developer Preview, and in its 100 pages you’ll get a thorough overview of the new user interface and learn what you need to know to prepare. When the Consumer Preview arrives (in “late February”), I’ll immediately begin updating the book and making it substantially longer.

And here’s the best part:

If you purchase the current edition you will get the next edition for free.

Oh, and I have a coupon code you can use to get 30% off your order total when you check out. That means you’ll pay $6.96 instead of the list price of $9.95.

The book is available in a single download package that contains full-color editions suitable for reading on any device. Use the PDF file on your PC or Mac, copy the MOBI file to your Amazon Kindle, or use the EPUB file on a Nook or other Android device.

Interested? Here are the details:

• Go to the book page at the Fair Trade DX bookstore.
• Add the book to your cart.
• When you check out, include the code FriendOfEd. Your 30% discount will be reflected in the checkout price.

You can purchase the book at the Amazon or B&N store, but the checkout discount is only available from FairTrade DX directly. (Copies purchased from any source are eligible for the free update to the next edition.)

Why am I doing this? Because I want your feedback. Tell me what you want me to cover in the next edition and you’ll see that feedback reflected in my update.

This essay by Wondermark cartoonist David Malki is thoroughly delightful, entertaining, and educational.

I’ve excerpted one of the more boring parts here, but the entire thing is filled with eye-opening historical footnotes and observations.

Thoughts on intellectual property, Part 1

Patent law was created to preserve the rights of an inventor to the profits derived from his invention, without fear of the invention being duplicated by a rival; trademark law, the same for brand names (essentially to prevent counterfeit goods from being sold under a reputable name); and copyright law, the same for works of creative expression such as books, plays, and music. The three forms of intellectual property are nowadays often bundled together as far as legal rights are concerned, but it wasn’t always so.

Not convinced? As Malki points out, in 1877 someone in Congress tried to stealthily push through a law that would have abolished patents.

Read all about it.

I’ve heard from a few friends who were concerned after they read this story by The VAR Guy:

Ziff Davis Enterprise, Channel Insider, eWeek Sold: Now What?

The short version is this: a spinoff from the 20th Century Ziff-Davis publishing empire was sold, and the acquiring company plans to lay off 80-90% of the staff. The company being sold is Ziff Davis Enterprise, which publishes eWeek, Baseline Magazine, CIO Insight Magazine and Channel Insider.

Here’s the part to pay close attention to:

Today’s news has nothing to do with Ziff Davis (a completely separate company) and ZDNet (the popular blog destination, also a separate business).

I write for ZDNet, which is a member of the CNET family of companies, which in turn is owned by CBS.

The ZD in ZDNet derives from its heritage with the old publishing company, but the two companies’ paths diverged a long, long time ago.

The VAR Guy post has a good recap of how the various “companies whose names begin with Z” have evolved through the years. You can also read my brief history, from 2006:

Ziff Davis is not ZDNet (and vice versa)

Anyway, best of luck and good wishes to my fellow writers/reporters who are getting pink slips.

I literally laughed out loud this morning when I saw these sponsored ads on a search results page at Bing:

(No, I didn’t bother clicking.)

Meanwhile, back in the real world…

The beta of Windows 8 (officially called the Consumer Preview) will be publicly released in “late February.”

Here are some links that might help you get caught up.

• Looking ahead to Windows 8: five big questions for Microsoft (by me at ZDNet)
• Windows 8: Why the coming beta is likely to be labeled the ‘consumer preview’ (by Mary Jo Foley at ZDNet)
• Windows 8 has a special Bing homepage, Consumer Preview name all but confirmed IMichael Gillett, LiveSide)

I’m also soliciting feedback on whether and how you plan to test the Windows 8 beta … sorry, Consumer Preview. Please take a second to vote in this ZDNet poll. If you have any additional suggestions or comments, feel free to leave them in the comments here.

I don’t write about Linux much, but this story by fellow ZDNet blogger Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols caught my eye today:

Red Hat extends Red Hat Enterprise Linux lifecycle to ten years

I’m a big believer in “It’s not broke, then don’t fix it.” So is leading Linux company, Red Hat. The company has just announced that it is extending the production lifecycle of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 5 and 6 from seven to 10 years in response to enterprise customer demand and Red Hat’s hardware original equipment manufacturer (OEM) partners.

A lot of consumers and tech bloggers fail to understand that enterprises prefer stability over shiny new toys. It’s hard to imagine using a 10-year-old mobile phone or MP3 player, but boring corporate apps need stability on the dektop and server sides.

Interestingly, this puts the leading maker of Linux servers on the same support lifecycle as … Microsoft. Consumer versions of Windows are supported for five years, business versions (including servers) get extended support for a total of 10 years.

I’ve got an old but still useful post that explains it all:

How long will Microsoft support XP, Vista, and Windows 7?

The point of having a predictable release cycle—a new Windows version every three years—is to encourage upgrades. That’s especially true for consumers, who can skip one version but not two. Even so, full support will be available until the beginning of 2015. For businesses, anyone considering a Windows 7 migration can take comfort in knowing it will be supported for nearly another decade more—until January 14, 2020.

If you’re curious about how this translates into actual dates, the post also includes a table that breaks support for desktop Windows versions down by version.

Way back in 1999, the first draft of the Open eBook Standard was submitted for final approval. It evolved to become the current open EPUB standard.

Here’s what the man who spearheaded the standards-setting body had to say at the time:

It was critical for the success of the electronic book industry to unite and provide publishers and consumers with a common standard to which all eBooks could be formatted … Without a common standard, publishers would have to format eBook titles separately for each electronic device and the number of titles available for any device would be small. This would be a recipe for disaster.

Guess where that effort started.

Steve Jobs published his Thoughts on Music in February 2007.

I’ve taken the liberty of doing a little search and replace on this section:

Imagine a world where every online store sells DRM-free music books encoded in open licensable formats. In such a world, any player reader can play music display books  purchased from any store, and any store can sell music which is playable books that can be read on all players readers. This is clearly the best alternative for consumers, and Apple would embrace it in a heartbeat.

It doesn’t seem like anyone is working very hard to make that vision possible. Quite the opposite, in fact.

7 Tutorials reviews Windows 7 Inside Out, Deluxe Edition

Windows 7 Inside Out, Deluxe Edition is an excellent reference and a genuine educational resource. It’s a huge book and has all kinds of information that the reader may not have known before (but can be put to good use immediately). If you buy only one Windows 7 reference book, this definitely should be the one. It’s a keeper!

My co-authors and I are grateful for the many reviews we’ve received like this one.

Just a reminder that this book, like all of my Microsoft Press titles, is available in digital editions without any DRM. You are free to use the content in any program and on any device you own. We (my fellow authors and publishing partners) trust our readers.

Ironically, the best way to get the electronic edition of this book might be to buy the print edition first.

The print edition of Windows 7 Inside Out, Deluxe Edition is currently available at Amazon for $37.79. The Kindle edition is available for $34.01. You might be able to find it for a lower price elsewhere. At Barnes & Noble, the print edition is $41.30, whereas the digital edition for the Nook is $40.31. Those are pretty paltry discounts.

O’Reilly, which distributes Microsoft press titles, offers the book as well, but not at competitive prices. The print edition is $59.99, the ebook is $47.99, and a package of the two is (gulp) $65.99. If you paid those prices, thank you very much for your generous support. (If you own a previous edition, you can qualify for a 40-50% discount, as I explain later.)

So what’s the most cost-effective way to add this book to your library?

The print edition includes a full PDF copy on the disc bound into the back of the book. If all you want is the ability to read the book on your PC and search for specific words or phrases, get the print edition and copy the unprotected PDF copy to your PC, Mac, or other device.

Want the book on an e-reader? You can get a DRM-free copy suitable for use on any e-reader for a mere five bucks.

Here are the details:

• Start by signing up for a free membership at oreilly.com, which distributes Microsoft Press titles. After you create your oreilly.com account and sign in, you can see all of the options available to you (including the option to purchase updated editions for a 40-50% discount) at this page: Exclusive Membership Offers.
• Buy a print edition of the book from any source you like, online or at a brick-and-mortar store. If you already own the book, skip to the next step.
• Register your new book using its title or ISBN number. Sorry, English-language editions only. And no, they don’t care where you bought it.
• Click Your Products and then click the Print Books tab. Order the digital edition of the book you just registered and pay $4.99 for the full e-book package. Here’s what the transaction looks like:
  

That $4.99 upgrade applies to any Microsoft Press or O’Reilly title on your bookshelf, making it a great deal if you want a copy for your Kindle, Nook, iPad, iPhone, or Android device. After you complete the purchase, go to the Ebooks tab to see the download links. Here’s what it looks like for another of my titles:

The digital package you download from oreilly.com contains DRM-free copies in multiple formats. You can download any or all of them. For Android devices, choose ePub. For Kindles (including the Kindle Fire), choose Mobi. If you lost the disk and want a replacement for the PDF file, choose PDF.

If you’re confused by those acronyms, I’ve put together an explainer here: On digital book file formats.

Questions? Please ask away in the comments below.

Microsoft’s Tim O’Brien, General Manager of Developer & Platform Evangelism, confirms what most Microsoft-watchers already suspected:

[W]e have decided to merge MIX, our spring web conference for developers and designers, into our next major developer conference, which we will host sometime in the coming year. I know a number of folks were wondering about MIX, given the time of year, so we wanted to make sure there’s no ambiguity, and be very clear… there will be no MIX 2012.

O’Brien cites good reasons: developer confusion and "event fatigue" on the part of reporters, analysts, and tech bloggers. (Like me.)

"Sometime in the coming year" is a pretty broad timeframe. But there’s a big clue in the end of the post:

And something that was more behind the scenes but very relevant to the time management aspect relates to our engineering teams. If you’ve gone to a Microsoft developer event, you know that a non-trivial percentage of speakers and participants are from engineering. They take time out from shipping to prepare for and travel to these events and connect with developers, and their time is one of the most valuable resources we have in the company.

My takeaway from that is that the event—let’s call it BUILD 2012—will take place after Microsoft has released Windows 8 to manufacturing but before the product has gone on sale to the general public. If we assume release to manufacturing (RTM) in late summer (July/August) and general availability (GA) in late October, that puts this year’s developers conference on track to be exactly one year after last year’s event, in mid-September.

More details and speculation from my ZDNet colleague Mary Jo Foley: Microsoft to replace Mix with a new developer conference