Home windows 11 Area Information Replace: 23H2, the Web site, and the E-book

I’m hoping to replace no less than a number of Home windows 11 Area Information chapters for model 23H2 whereas we’re in Mexico Metropolis. And I’ve a number of concepts about one of the best ways to try this.

These kind of updates are at all times tough. In an excellent world, I’d merely ship a brand new version of the ebook during which the entire chapters had been up to date for no matter new OS model, however that’s unattainable right here. For one, this can be a 900+ web page ebook with dozens and dozens of chapters, and there are new chapters, a lot of content material to replace, and too many screenshots to re-take to rely. However Microsoft’s weird updating technique is problematic too, as Home windows 11 is totally different on totally different PCs at any cut-off date. It’s all very messy.

However for this ebook particularly, I’ve performed one thing I’ve wished to do for a very long time and made a model of it accessible on the internet too, right here on Thurrott.com. That’s a pleasant perk for Premium members, I feel, but it surely additionally creates one other stage of help on my half: Not solely do I’ve to publish every chapter to the positioning, which is tedious on many ranges, however I’ve to maintain every up to date as I modify/edit the ebook as nicely. And I’ve performed OK at that, except for the Microsoft Edge chapters, that are at the moment a bit behind the variations within the ebook.

For the Home windows 11 model 23H2 updates, I’m beginning with the high-value targets, which means these elements of the system—and thus these elements of the ebook—which are altering probably the most. This may require main updates to sure chapters but additionally new chapters to cowl matters like Copilot, Outlook, Home windows Backup, and probably extra. It can require retiring some current chapters, like these for Mail and Information. And it’ll require extra new screenshots than I even wish to take into consideration.

Final 12 months, once I was making ready for the preliminary launch of the ebook, I wished to ensure I had one thing substantial for folks to buy with the understanding that it will nonetheless be a piece in progress and would get for much longer and full over time. And so there was an extended hole between me asserting that I used to be engaged on the ebook and the preliminary publication, and the primary launch included 27 chapters. It’s going to be a little bit totally different for 23H2.

Just lately, it occurred to me that one of the best ways to replace the ebook for 23H2 is to start out posting the brand new and totally edited chapters to the positioning first. I posted the primary of those final evening, What’s New and Acquainted in Home windows 11 Model 23H2 and What’s Lacking in Home windows 11 Model 23H2, and I “archived” the unique variations by pushing them into a brand new “Archived – 22H2” part on the backside of the desk of contents on the ebook’s touchdown web page. I’ll do the identical for every chapter I totally replace going ahead.

Neither of those chapters is especially notable, but it surely’s a begin. And whereas I haven’t recognized precisely which updates will represent the following replace to the book model of the ebook on Leanpub, it is going to probably embody the three new chapters famous above, up to date variations of the chapters within the Set up Home windows 11 and Improve to Home windows 11 sections, and perhaps a number of necessary chapters like File Explorer, Backup (which can be impacted by and even changed by Home windows Backup) and some others. If I can by way of all of that whereas right here in Mexico Metropolis, I really feel like I’ll be in fine condition. After which I can plow by way of the rest, updating as wanted.

Some updates might want to wait. Microsoft Edge, for instance, is getting a visible change within the type of a Copilot icon changing the Bing icon that’s functionally a non-event however will affect nearly each single screenshot in these chapters.

Some updates are nonetheless unclear. For instance, the ebook doesn’t at the moment cowl issues like Paint and Notepad, but it surely might want to now.  So that might end in a brand new chapter or two.

To distinguish this “version” of the ebook from the “authentic”—it’s actually only one factor in no matter transitionary state at any given time—the brand new and up to date chapters could have 16:10 screenshots as an alternative of 16:9, which higher displays the look of issues on fashionable PCs. And I’m going to have an upfront part in every chapter (that isn’t within the two chapters already posted as a result of it’s not wanted there) that may spotlight what’s new and/or most fascinating so readers can go proper to that content material. Why? It’s arduous discovering crucial content material in a ebook this massive.

Anyway, we’ll see how this goes. However I ought to begin posting some extra new and up to date chapters to this website quickly, and when it will get to the purpose the place it is sensible, to the book as nicely.

Come to think about it, perhaps I would like a brand new cowl design for 23H2 too. Hm.

Extra quickly.