This book—the 6th edition of Programming Windows—is a guide to programming applications that run under Microsoft Windows 8. At the time of this writing (May 1, 2012), Windows 8 is not yet complete and neither is this book. What you are reading right now is a preview ebook version of the book. This preview version is based on the Consumer Preview of Windows 8, which was released on February 29, 2012. Microsoft has announced that the next preview of Windows 8—called the Release Preview—will be available in June. The second preview ebook version of this book, which will update the seven chapters included here and add more chapters, will probably be available in July. If you are reading this in August 2012 or later, you are very likely not reading the most recent version. To use this book, you’ll need to download and install the Windows 8 Consumer Preview, as well as Microsoft Visual Studio 11 Express Beta for Windows 8. Both downloads are accessible from the Windows 8 developer portal: http://msdn.microsoft.com/windows/apps To install Visual Studio, follow the “Download the tools and SDK” link on that page. ebook version of this book, which will update the seven chapters included here and add more chapters, will probably be available in July. If you are reading this in August 2012 or later, you are very likely not reading the most recent version. To use this book, you’ll need to download and install the Windows 8 Consumer Preview, as well as Microsoft Visual Studio 11 Express Beta for Windows 8. Both downloads are accessible from the Windows 8 developer portal: http://msdn.microsoft.com/windows/apps To install Visual Studio, follow the “Download the tools and SDK” link on that page.