Windows 10 Preview Build 14332 makes quests out of bug bashing
Build 14332 rolled out to the Fast ring on Tuesday without much in the way of big feature additions. This time around Microsoft is more focused on squashing bugs with a new program called the Bug Bash that the company announced earlier.
In the company's parlance, a Bug Bash is a small window of time where Microsoft internal teams work on uncovering as many software issues as possible. With 14332 Microsoft is bringing Insiders into the fold for the first external Bug Bash that runs through Sunday.
To get things started, Microsoft has added “quests” to the Feedback Hub that require you to carry out a task and report back with any issues you uncovered. Microsoft will publish new quests every day.
There will be limited time quests that expire within 24 hours, as well as advanced quests that are only for super users who know how to deal with system configuration changes.
As for regular feature adds, anyone with an Office 365 account at work or school will be pleased, or not, to see deep Cortana integration in build 14332. Microsoft’s personal digital assistant will be able to search your email, contacts, calendar, as well as files stashed in OneDrive or a SharePoint server. To use the service you first have to connect your Office 365 account to Cortana’s notebook. So don’t worry, privacy-conscious users, you won’t be opted in to the new Cortana integration.
That’s really the biggest change in Build 14332. Other than that, Microsoft says it fixed a connectivity issue for Bash on Ubuntu on Windows (on “can’t you give anything a snappy name, Microsoft”). Apparently some users were having trouble using basic tools like apt-get that require going online.
Microsoft also fixed a problem where the Move command wasn’t doing its job properly, which is never a good thing. Not wanting to leave the Windows Command Prompt without any love, Microsoft also added windows scaling improvements for high-DPI displays.
The last major feature is improved battery life for connected standby PCs. There are also a ton of bug fixes and known issues you can read about on Microsoft’s Windows blog.
Why this matters: The Bug Bash is a fun way for dedicated Insiders to participate in the development of Windows 10. It may also suggest that after this push, another big Redstone build will make its way to the Slow ring. Meanwhile, Cortana’s deep integration with Office 365 will be great for anyone who relies on the digital personal assistant for staying on top of their lives.