Charles Petzold

The Release Preview ebook of Programming Windows 6th edition is now available. For the next two weeks, through August 27, 2012, the ebook is available at a special price of just $30. But don't tarry, because after August 27, the price goes up to $40. Complete details can be found on the Microsoft Press blog.

Of course, if you've already purchased the Programming Windows 6th edition ebook at whatever price, you can now download the Release Preview. (There seems to be a little glitch with the updated code samples — also known as the Companion Content — but that should be fixed later today.)

Programming Windows 6th edition is all about writing applications for the new-style user interface of Windows 8 using the Windows Runtime (WinRT) API with C# and XAML. Downloadable code samples have also been converted to C++/CX (which is C++ with Component Extensions so you don't have to access WinRT using COM).

The Release Preview has six more chapters and partial chapters than the Consumer Preview. These chapters are entitled: Animation, Transforms, Touch Etc, Bitmaps, Printing, and Going Native, for a total of 579 pages (so far). The final ebook — which you'll be able to download at no additional cost if you've purchased the Consumer Preview or Release Preview ebook at whatever price — is scheduled for mid-November, just three months from now.

Wish me luck!