Windows 8 release date confirmed

Last week Microsoft confirmed that Windows 8 was on course for a late October release , but Windows chief Steve Sinofsky has finally revealed the date on which the new operating system will be unleashed onto the world.

, but Windows chief Steve Sinofsky has finally revealed the date on which the new operating system will be unleashed onto the world. Clear your diaries for October 26th, because that's the date that the world changes irrevocably. For good or for ill.

The announcement was made at a sales meeting last night. It's yet to be confirmed that the Surface tablets will be available for sale the same day, although it's widely expected that they and other touchy feely new PC hybrids will be.

So, depending on your opinion of Windows 8 and its new Metro interface, you can either start marking the days off on your calendar of excitement or you have 14 weeks to buy a couple of spare of copies of Windows 7.

Alternatively, you could watch the skies for more news of another way. Wouldn't it be positively marvellous if Valve launched a certain Steam variant the same day?

Incidentally, if there's any developers out there who want to talk to me about the joys/pains of developing traditional PC games for Windows 8, please do get in touch. Getting feedback from those who'll be reliant on it for their income is proving surprisingly tough.

The rest of you, go spend some quality time with your Start orb. You'll miss it when its gone.