One of the points of disagreement that Paul O’Flaherty and I had in the days of the Daily Brief video podcast centered around when we might see a public beta of Windows 8.

Paul believed that we wouldn’t see one until sometime in 2012, and I always had a sneaking suspicion that we might see one at some point in 2011.  Now it looks like we have have a rumor surfacing that we could see an RTM of Windows 8 by early 2012.

The hint comes via Microsoft watcher May Jo Foley where she is quoting a previously reliable source as telling her that all versions of Windows 8 will be released to manufacturing by April 2012.

Last I heard, Microsoft’s goal with Windows 8 was to release to manufacturing (RTM) its next Windows release around Q2/Q3 2012, after two beta releases, plus various preview/RC drops. I’d also heard that the plan was to RTM Windows 8 for x86, Windows 8 for ARM/SoC (system on a chip) and Windows 8 Server all at the same time.

I’m now hearing there’s a different timetable for Windows 8. I’ve received new information from a trusted source that Microsoft is actually on track to release to manufacturing all Windows 8 versions by April 2012.

If this is indeed the case, it would mean that we would have to see a public beta no later than September or October of this year; and a Release Candidate by January of 2012.

It is also important to remember two things when considering this story: First off is the fact that the Windows platform is being lead by Steven Sinofsky who has a reputation of not talking, or showing anything until he has a solid product. We saw this with Windows 7, as even the beta and release candidate were good solid releases that for the most part able to stand on their own merits. I even have an older laptop still running the release candidate of Windows 7, and it is rock solid even if it is slightly limited.

Keeping all that in mind, think back to the D9 conference where Sinofsky took the stage to present a carefully prepared version of Windows 8 running on everything from an ARM tablet to a laptop to a desktop. So given Sinofsky’s philosophy of not showing anything to the world until it is stable I think one could safely assume that Windows 8 is a lot further along than most tech pundits might think.

It wouldn’t surprise me at all if at a major conference in the fall that Steve Ballmer gets on stage to announce that a public beta of Windows 8 is available for download.

What do you think, and would you line up to download a copy?

[Cross-posted at Winextra]