Microsoft will be discussing the future of Windows later today

Gird thyself, a new Windows approaches. Tomorrow morning in San Francisco, Microsoft will show off some part of its next operating system in a long-awaited event whose existence leaked before it was formally announced. The market is expectant, and the technology and business media will have its eyes trained on what Redmond has on offer. In the past few days, odd rumors have cropped up: Will the technical preview be ready to go, or released several weeks after the event? Does the code even have a formal name? We’ll find out soon enough.

We’re less than 24 hours away from Microsoft’s special Windows event. After a mixed reception to Windows 8, Microsoft has invited members of the media to “hear about what’s next for Windows and the enterprise.” The software maker is expected to detail upcoming changes to Windows at the event, including the return of the Start Menu, a new virtual desktops feature, and a number of new changes to the traditional desktop area of Windows. It’s an event that will focus on power users and enterprise customers, and should give us an early look at what to expect from what many are calling Windows 9. Microsoft will deliver an early “Windows Technical Preview” in early October that will be updated regularly with new features for enterprise customers and enthusiasts to test ahead of a full launch next year. While Microsoft has been hinting at its future Windows naming, it’s expected to announce the official name of the next version of Windows at its event.