Over the weekend information surfaced that the final, consumer-ready version of Windows 8.1 has been finalised by Microsoft.

This means that the finalised version of Windows 8.1 that Microsoft has at the moment will, barring serious bugs, be the one that computer manufacturers start loading onto their new machines. Windows 8.1 will still be a free update, but it’s crucial for manufacturers to have the most recent version of Microsoft’s operating system on their newest machines, especially given that Windows 8 hasn’t had stellar feedback from many users.

Those who already have a Windows 8 installation will be have to wait until October 17th to get their hands on the update.