Microsoft's 'Building Windows 8' Blog, Gives Users A Peek At What's Coming

Anyone anticipating the release of Windows 8 might want to check out Microsoft's new blog, Building Windows 8, which will chronicle the development of the forthcoming operating system.

Windows President Steven Sinofsky published the first post on Building Windows 8 (or B8 as it's affectionately referred to by his team) on Monday evening.

"We intend to post regularly throughout the development of Windows 8, and to focus on the engineering of the product," Sinofsky wrote. "Blogging allows us to have a two-way dialog with you about design choices, real-world data and usage, and new opportunities that are part of Windows 8."

Microsoft gave its first public demo of Windows 8 in June at the D9 Conference. Host Walt Mossberg shared his initial reaction to the OS, saying that changes to the user interface looked "pretty radical" and that the new system could be "even bigger" than Windows 95.

Windows 8 was developed with both tablets and PCs in mind. The OS will work "with or without a keyboard and mouse on a broad range of screen sizes and pixel densities, from small slates to laptops, desktops, all-in-ones, and even classroom-sized displays," according to a Microsoft press release.

Critics were intrigued by that first demo at the D9 conference, and they've been clamoring for more ever since.

Microsoft is encouraging Building Windows 8 readers to submit feedback as new details come out. PCWorld recalls that the company took a similar route during Windows 7 development by launching the Engineering Windows 7 blog.

TechRadar predicts that Windows 8 may be ready by autumn 2012. Until then, Microsoft fans can follow development updates via the Building Windows 8 blog. The @BuildWindows8 Twitter account will also post links to videos showing off the latest Windows 8 features.