14 DAY TRIAL // Testing involving the next major iteration of the Windows iteration is scheduled to start later this spring for Avast Software, chief technology officer Ondřej Vlček revealed exclusively for Softpedia. Our very own Lucian Constantin met with Vlček earlier this month for a chat on avast! 6 (and much much more), and snuck in a question about Windows 8 that I might have had something to do with.
I wanted to know whether AVAST Software had already been offered any of the early development previews of Windows 8 or not.
“Not yet,” Vlček stated, indicating that this will change in the coming months.
“We have something scheduled for this spring. Hopefully we will get our hands on an early build and find out what changes break things, so we can modify the code to be ready when the product ships,” he added.
According to sources familiar with the Windows 8 development process, information supported by a series of leaks, coding work on Windows vNext Milestone 3 started at the end of February 2011.
Milestone 3 is designed as the last stage in the development of Windows 8 before the operating system will graduate to Beta.
The move from M3 to Beta is expected sometime in the second half of 2011, with sources claiming that the first public preview of Windows 8 will be offered toward the end of the year.
Most likely, AVAST Software will be receiving access to Windows 8 M3 if they’ll get to start testing this spring, but don’t expect Microsoft to offer any official confirmation on the matter.
My best guess is that AVAST Software is not the only company getting the chance to take Windows 8 M3 out for a spin in the coming months, and this could mean that the software giant is somewhat broadening the testing program for the next major iteration of Windows.
I encourage you to read the rest of the interview with AVAST CTO Ondřej Vlček available here.