We've been using Windows 11 for a while without noticing.
We've been using Windows 11 for a while without noticing.
In early April, Microsoft moved the Dev branch of the Insider Program from RS_PRERELASE to CO_RELEASE, marking the beginning of public development for the upcoming major Windows 10 update. At that time, rumors circulated about two initiatives—Project Cobalt and Project Sun Valley—suggesting they might be distinct releases. By mid-June, leaks surfaced about a Pre-RTM build of Windows 11 (Build 21996) on the same CO_RELEASE branch. It wasn’t until later that the connections became clear: the CO_RELEASE line indicated the next Windows version under the codename Cobalt, eventually becoming Windows 11. Project Sun Valley would represent the new user interface. This helps explain why Build 21996 felt similar to Build 21390, the previous major Windows release, which already introduced new icons and animations. It’s likely the 600-build gap was an effort to integrate code from the Windows 10X branch into the main codebase (I found screenshots of partially broken Windows 11 DLLs claiming it as “Windows 10X,” but they’re no longer available). Overall, it was a small update in a larger story. We were consistently testing Windows 11 without its new design elements.
It's all designed around DOS. That's been consistent from the start.
I finally understood it, but I didn’t realize about the name change. The 30fps drop is pretty noticeable, which explains why I’m still stuck on 1809.