Bunch Of Windows 8 Rumors Hit The Web

Rumors are the next best thing when there are no official news. That’s true for the majority of blogs out there on today’s Internet that love to report on every rumor imaginable, no matter how realistic or unrealistic it is. Even worse, some turn rumors into facts and confuse their readership in the process.
A bunch of rumors has been posted on the Russian news site Wzor. The website reports that the final version of Windows 8 will be assembled at the end of 2012, and that the server version will be named Windows Server 2012.
They have allegedly gotten their hands on the internal Windows 8 development plan. According to their information:

• Windows 8 Milestone 3 work will begin in March 2011
• The Windows 8 Beta 1 will follow afterwards
• Microsoft has scheduled two beta releases of Windows 8 which will both go public
• The Windows 8 Release Candidate will be assembled and published thereafter if development goes as planned.
• Three months after the release candidate Windows 8 RTM will be finished.
• Windows 8 retail will be sold from January 7, 2013 on.
• Development milestones are therefor Windows 8 M1, M2, M3, Windows 8 Beta 1, Beta 2, Windows 8 RC, Windows 8 RTM.

Here is the auto-translated article, ignore spelling and grammar errors please.

• Very soon, news of interest to Windows 7 will be put out at least another year, and at the same time, more enthusiasts are asking questions, at what stage the work to create an entirely new operating system Windows 8 .
• But back to Windows 7 , work on the creation of the second service pack, Service Pack 2 has been actively conducted since the fall of 2010 , and if all goes to plan then the appearance of a second service pack, Service Pack 2 for Windows 7 and Server 208 R2 is expected in mid-2012 .
• Meanwhile, looking ahead and say that the assembly of the final version of Windows 8 is scheduled for the very end of 2012, so it really can be called: Microsoft Windows 2012 Apocalypse Edition , at least the server version will be named as Windows Server 2012 .
• Yes, but what is happening now?
  Approximately a month later ( in March ) will begin the third phase of Milestone – M3 , and now completes the second stage of M2 , after the M3 will be the first beta version of Windows 8 Beta-1 .
• In general, a company Microsoft is scheduled two beta versions of Windows 8 Beta-1 , Windows 8 Beta-2 , the two test versions go public testing.
• Then followed relizkandidat Windows 8 RC , and after about three months will bring together Windows 8 RTM .
  According to our information the company Microsoft over plans to begin selling boxed Retail versions of Microsoft Windows in August on Monday, January 7, 2013 !
  Milestones on Windows 8 : RQM , M1 , M2 , M3 , BETA-1 , BETA-2 , RC , RTM , exact release dates, we will not publish , albeit a big Steve is working quietly and without looking at our plan …
• Possible leaks in the network of test assemblies may be expected only close to the appearance of the first beta version of Windows 8 Beta-1 , earlier this term and the emergence of the network M1 , M2 , M3 should not wait. If both appear on the network Milestone assembly is not from us and our sources, this can only happen if a worker or group of developers will be dismissed from the company, and it is extremely improbable event, but rather “the land of the raid on the celestial axis …

(via)
How likely is it that the retail data is the real data? It is as likely as any other date at the end of 2012 / or the year 2013.
Earlier last year a news article on Microsoft Netherlands suggested a release date in the last quarter of 2012.
Even if Microsoft aims for a January 7, 2013 release it is at this point in time not clear if the company will be able to complete the product in time.
One thing you can be sure of, we keep you posted on the development and you’ll be the first to pre-order Windows 8 or buy Windows 8.