For the last 30 years, when developing a new version of Windows, Microsoft eventually hits a point in which they are finished with development. This is known as the RTM milestone, a point in which Microsoft signs-off the version of Windows they have been working on and gives it out to OEMs and Partners. In the past, this was a very big and very physical affair. In 2002, when Windows XP hit RTM, it was sent to OEMs on a golden disk via helicopter, a freaking helicopter!
These days, it’s a little less exciting. With Windows 7, Microsoft announced that it had hit RTM via a blog post on its official Windows Blog, which is no longer available. The same happened with Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 as well. Traditionally, Microsoft would hit RTM with a version of Windows months before the operating system was even scheduled for release.
But with Windows 10, things are different.
Before we move on, I just want to be dead clear with everyone. Build 10240 was sent to OEMs, it will be the build that is pre-loaded onto ALL new Windows 10 hardware, that in itself is enough to consider a build as the RTM. Moving on.
The RTM milestone as we used to know it is dead with Windows 10, but the idea of Windows RTM’ing still exists. Internally, Microsoft still took a look at build 10240 and said “OK, this is ready. Release it to manufacturing”, but the reasoning behind them RTM’ing at this stage differs from usual. Windows 10 is not done, it’s feature-base is not complete, but Microsoft needs a starting point for getting Windows 10 out of the door.
So, the RTM this time around is more like a starting point for OEMs and Microsoft to get Windows 10 out into the public. It is not a finished product, there is still a whole bunch to do, but Microsoft most definitely Released To Manufacturing last week. Because of the Windows 10 RTM being compiled even though Windows 10 isn’t done, I understand many will automatically assume that means Windows 10 is buggy and unstable.
Not at all... Well, not really.
SOURCE : winbeta