Microsoft disbands three-ring Windows Insider circus and replaces it with 'channels'

Microsoft has announced major changes to Windows previews. The company currently operates a three-ring circus for these things, with a "fast" ring offering new-but-rough-edged code, a "slow" ring that delivers more stable builds and a "release preview" ring that delivered updates to already-live versions of Windows 10. But …

[anthonyhegedus]

It's just Microsoft's renam-a-thon. Though unusually, this one sort of makes sense.

[Pascal Monett]

Agreed. Typical management-level looking busy hack. Won't actually change anything on the ground.

[Boothy]

It also matches what the last client I worked for, used as their main git branch names...

dev, beta, release

Where...

release is the current release, and the only changes allowed here are to merge in the next beta once confirmed it's ready for release (or the occasional hot fix if really really needed).

beta the main next build, basically a pre-release of the next release.

dev the latest code.

New functionality, bugs etc would all have separate branches.

Also all three main branches must be buildable at all times (automated build and testing of course).

[Jimmy2Cows]

Rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. Again. Except Win10 doesn't appear to be sinking. Damn.

[jason_derp]

"Rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. Again. Except Win10 doesn't appear to be sinking. Damn."

That's kind of the rub, isn't it. Nobody moving those deck chairs felt too stupid pre-iceburg, that was just their job.

[Teiwaz]

Except Win10 doesn't appear to be sinking

What can you do when staff and customers are content to wade through ankle deep crud.

[DJV]

Hey look!

Shiny new name!

(Same old bugs that never get fixed.)

[J. Cook]

I'm thinking someone in charge (HA!) finally got the circus connection and got upset...

[Anonymous Coward]

Langowski hinted that could change, writing: "We are looking to improve this experience over time."

Emphasis needed here,"time".

Such a deliberately vague term, when it comes to Microsoft fixing its clunky (bag of nails) Windows Update given it's been a main topic of conversation on El Reg for decades, not just years.

"never" would be closer.

[bombastic bob]

what about a channel for...

what about a channel for things that don't go b0rk?

[Spanners]

Re: what about a channel for...

Could be a very "relaxing" channel!

[Jimmy2Cows]

Re: what about a channel for...

Easier for the devops teams I guess, never having anything to push there.

[J. Cook]

Re: what about a channel for...

This, perhaps? https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOIhM0NcHakhdBqvdrWxMBg

(with apologies to all swedes out there)

Oh, you wanted one that does not go b0rk... can't help you there.

[Wellyboot]

Quality as a goal from MS

We can but hope.

Ms. Langowski, future CEO or gone by Christmas?

[poohbear]

aka alpha, beta and gamma.

Dumbed down for management.

[BenDwire]

Just Maybe ...

It's possible that someone has finally acknowledged that the quality of code actually matters. Being Agile is all well and good, but things shouldn't stay broken as badly as they often are. Let's wait and see.

[Jimmy2Cows]

Re: Just Maybe ...

It'll be a shallow acknowledgement at best.

[Anonymous Coward]

I guess they had to.

Rings relate to marriage, therefore it discriminates against single people.

It's the way the world's going now.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: I guess they had to.

So instead 'channels' ?

'dev' = "dire straits" ?

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: I guess they had to.

If they were thinking such thoughts (and who knows) I would say that fast and slow are pejoratives against differently abled people (speaking as a slow one in physical education class who was called much worse things).

[redpawn]

Chaos in Middle Earth

What will happen to the Ring Wraiths?

[Sparkus]

A new Windows Insider 'manager' and this is the first thing they come up with to mark their territory?

[Barry Rueger]

Missing ring

Did they also rename the the end-user and retail ring, where MS products get tested in the real world, on a wide range of hardware, and is discovered to include major issues affecting thousands of users, who have long since accepted that no fix is ever coming?

[John Geek]

I've been trying to unsubscribe to Insider emails for a couple years now, but their unsubscribe links want me to authjenticate with a Microsoft Account, which I refuse to register for. I used to beta test their stuff eons ago, like Windows XP vintage, and quit after taht, but have stayed on their $#@$@@ email lists since.

hopefully, they'll start over with registrations for this new 'channels' program. ya right.

[a_yank_lurker]

Manglement

The Rejects of Redmond still fail to understand they need a real, internal QA staff before the code is released to each of the groups.

[Anonymous Coward]

WTF? Windows Insider Pre-Release Updates for Windows 10 2004 now showing in MS Update Catalog.

Microsoft are now mixing in "Windows Insider Pre-Release" updates into the Microsoft Update Catalog, that's not going to end well, especially if you don't realise.

So is "still a bit wonky" Windows 10 2004 still officially Insider Preview at Microsoft, even though it's been released?

Utterly clueless, whoever is in charge.

[williamj01]

It also matches what the last client I worked for, used as their main git branch names...