Leaked screenshots of Windows 10 Build 9888 show significant Kernel version update
New leaked screenshots of the latest Windows 10 build (9888) have come to the surface, which show a significant update in the Windows OS Kernel; this hints that Microsoft takes the “One Windows” idea quite seriously.
Windows 10 Build 9888 has updated Kernel version to 10.0.9888
Each Windows operating system has its own kernel version, which is different from the numbering of the operating system itself. For instance, Windows Vista had Kernel version 6.0 and Windows 7 had Kernel version 6.1. And as a matter of fact, the kernel version was stuck to 6.x since Windows Vista, until these new leaked screenshots of the Windows 10 Technical Preview build 9888 surfaced and show that the Kernel version is updated, and not to version 7 or 8, but to version 10! That’s right, Microsoft has decided to move forward and make a huge update in the Windows Kernel version, at least regarding its numbering pattern.
Windows XP used to have kernel version 5.1, and when Windows Vista was released the kernel version was updated to 6.0. Windows 7 had kernel version 6.1, Windows 8 had kernel version 6.2, Windows 8.1 had kernel version 6.3, and Windows 10 Builds 9841, 9860 and 9879 had kernel version 6.4. The leaked screenshots of Windows 10 Build 9888 that were released by ithome.com show that in the About Windows box, Kernel version is 10.0 (Build 9888):
Another screenshot of the command-line box from the same build of Windows 10 exist as well, showing the same thing:
And here is a comparison of the information shown in the command-line box from Windows 10 Build 9860 and Windows 10 Build 9888:
Microsoft is indeed moving towards OneCore
Although it is (obviously) not known what has changed in the Windows architecture to have such an impact in the kernel version numbering scheme, it is hinted that Microsoft wants to make OneCore the next big thing. OneCore is Microsoft’s attempt to unify all devices by allowing them to use universal apps, i.e. apps that will work in every device running the corresponding Windows OS. This does sound exciting at first, but once you start thinking more seriously about it you get to see more and more disadvantages. You can read more details about OneCore and the obstacles Microsoft and developers will have to overcome here.
Windows 10 Consumer Preview release Date
Windows 10 Build 9879 is the last build for 2014 which is available for Windows Insiders, as Microsoft has stated, and the next builds which will be available to them will start rolling out in 2015. It’s pretty much reasonable since not every single build can be made available to those registered to the Windows Insider Program.
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