1903, 19H2, 1909, Oh My (Premium)

It started out so simply. And more important, so right: Windows 10 version 19H2 would be like a service pack or cumulative update instead of a full-fledged feature update. Doing so would give Windows 10 users a well-earned breather. Both from unnecessarily intrusive version upgrades and from unnecessary new features. For once, it appeared that Microsoft was doing right by Windows 10, if belatedly.

Naturally, this couldn’t last.

How Microsoft would test Windows 10 version 19H2 was confusing from the get-go, but only because it marked the first-ever change to how the different Insider Program testing rings were used. With Fast ring testers getting Windows 10 version 20H1 builds, Microsoft decided to push 19H2 builds to the Slow ring, which had always been the same as Fast but, um, slower. That took some adjusting, but it wasn’t completely untenable.

Next, the Insider Program began introducing more A/B testing in the Slow ring, meaning that some 19H2 testers got new features and some didn’t. I don’t agree with A/B testing in the Insider Program for a number of reasons, but the biggest and most obvious is easily stated: Insiders have explicitly signed up to test a particular version of Windows 10, and they should get that version. If Microsoft wants to test different things, it should ask Insiders to volunteer. Not doing so violates the very essence of the program and because it makes testers feel suspicious and betrayed, they are less likely to even bother.

Then, Microsoft escalated the A/B testing. The issue, we were told, was that 19H2 would be delivered like a monthly cumulative update, and that its few new features would be disabled by default. But with more and more of a chance that those who signed up for 19H2 testing wouldn’t even be able to test 19H2 features, the frustration only grew.

Then, this week happened. Microsoft pushed 19H2 to the Release Preview ring too. And because they’re doing A/B testing in both the Slow and Release Preview rings, there are now a minimum of four different versions of 19H2 floating around, and possibly more given the rampant A/B feature testing too. That means that no one who signed up to test 19H2 has any idea if they will actually be able to do so.

And I’m sorry, but that is ridiculous. Just like everything else that’s happening in Windows these days. It’s frustrating.

Here’s how the hapless Insider Program explains it.

“We will be delivering 19H2 to customers using our servicing technology (just like the monthly update process) for customers running the May 2019 Update (19H1).”

Windows 10 version 1903 was never called 19H1. So let’s introduce yet another name for this version of Windows, please.

“We have been testing 19H2 with Insiders in the Slow ring using the same baseline build number as the May 2019 Update but with an increased revision number like we normally use to show a build has been serviced with a Cumulative Update.”

Referring to a version of Windows 10 by the name of the update you install to get to that version is beyond confusing. No one is running “the May 2019 Update,” nor can anyone find this name in the Windows 10 user interface. If you run winver, you will see Windows 10 version 1903. Which is the name of this version of Windows. That I have to explain this to Microsoft is … well, frustrating.

“However, to designate 19H2 as a feature update, we are revising the baseline build number by one full build.”

This means that the version number of Windows 10 version 19H2 will be 18363.xxx. (Windows 10 version 1903 is 18362.xxx.) This is not communicated clearly at all.

“Insiders in the Release Preview ring who get 19H2 Build 18363.327 today will not see all the 19H2 features the Slow ring currently has as not all the features have been incorporated into the build yet.”

Sure. Why would they be?

“Because of the differences between the way the 19H2 updates are packaged between the Slow and Release Preview rings, Insiders in the Slow ring will not be able to switch to the Release Preview ring and get updates yet. Insiders who are thinking of switching rings should stay put for now.”

That Insiders shouldn’t switch rings is … whatever. That the updates in the Slow and Release Preview ring versions of Windows 10 version 19H2 are “packaged” differently is a mess and complexity of Microsoft’s own making, of course.

Earlier in the post, the Insider guys subtly imply that the real name of Windows 10 version 19H2 will be Windows 10 version 1909, by the way:

“A small subset of Insiders (around 10%) in the Release Preview ring …  will see that there is a Windows 10, version 1909 update available. They will be able to choose to download and install this update on their PC. After the update finishes, they will be on 19H2 Build 18363.327.”

No, they won’t. They’ll be on Windows 10 version 1909 build 18363.327. That is the real name of this release.

This whole situation is unbelievable. And once again, I will simply and fruitlessly call on Microsoft to put some adults in charge of this once vital and important part of the company. Some of us still care. I wish Microsoft did too.