Is a Good-enough Windows 10 Good Enough for a Summer Release?

Those that have been testing Windows 10 as part of the Windows Insider club the last few months can tell you that the new operating system has made some great strides along the way. But, they'll also tell you that being a tester of a beta operating system can have its quirks, and in some cases, things just don't work.

This is to be expected, of course. But, Microsoft keeps promising a summer release for Windows 10. New devices sporting Windows 10 for phones are slated to start appearing as early as July, some rumors suggest. The smartphone version of Windows 10 has had only a single build eke out. Another one is due possibly this week, supplying testing bits for many more Windows Phone devices than the limited first list.

But, here's the rub. Windows 10, despite some cool new features, is Microsoft's chance to repair its relations with customers over the Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 debacle. Personally, I love Windows 8.1, but most don't. A whole industry, from consumers to businesses to hardware suppliers, skipped this entire version for a number of reasons. It was like the sequel to a bad Windows Vista movie void of an all-star cast.

When Windows 10 releases, it has to be stellar. It has to be worthy of a day 1 installation. Microsoft is setting its sights pretty high for a summer release that is still in active development.

Gabe Aul says that stabilization happens pretty quickly, right before RTM.

Can the company produce something that is rock solid in what seems like such a short time? Or, will Microsoft release a product that's just good-enough and rely on Windows 10's new updating features to fix issues during the release window? With a planned summer release, Windows 10 is getting close to feature complete. Is there enough there, amid the new features and a kinder, gentler Frankenstein UI, to get you to install right away? Even the Spartan Project browser has yet to make a full appearance. Microsoft is promising monthly Build updates now, but we're only a few months away from the deadline.

A new survey this week on SuperSite is taking an interesting shape. The question "Can Microsoft make the Windows RTM deadline for summer?" is being posed and it seems customers are happy to give Microsoft the benefit of the doubt. One commenter says…

"They could release it today. Software is never perfect, so it all depends on how you define 'done'."

That's an interesting take. I've been testing Windows 10 with each new Build and I'm not quite as comfortable with it as this commenter seems.

What do you think? Take a quick minute to add your voice to the survey: Can Microsoft make the Windows RTM deadline for summer?