Microsoft just released the Windows 8 Release Preview (official ISO images here)for the 'Desktop OS' which is to be regarded apparently as the final public release candidate of that OS. There is apparently not to be a parallel release of the Server OS at this time, but if the Windows 8 RP is any indication, the current level of Metro and Desktop Start Menu integration are set in stone -- and it seems reasonable to assume from that we'll be stuck with all the single task interface limitations of Metro on the Server OS as well...

For congruence the Windows Server 8 (Beta) forums should probably be re-entitled Windows Server 2012 as the Server OS has been given the calender moniker again, and is no longer in beta but has reached the state of release candidates; available for some months as public download here...

It will be very interesting to see what comes in the next Server 2012 RC, as the single task limitations of Metro and the control interfaces in Windows 8 and Server 2012 have to be rather shocking to Enterprise Customers -- one has to wonder if Microsoft or some third party will make some sort of TWM or some sort of windowing interface for for Metro, or if some alternative like the Classic Shell, that will be part of Neige's next Server Converter and Windows Server 8, or Windows Server 2012 will be largely eschewed by Enterprise Customers due to it's interface limitations...

Just an update, according to Mary-Jo Foley, the release now available through the Windows Server 2012 Portal Page was been updated today 31 May 2012, and is a new Debug/Checked RC of the Datacenter edition of Server 2012. This apparently has the new UI updates mentioned in this thread...

picture or never happened

Huh? Picture of what?

r some third party will make some sort of TWM or some sort of windowing interface for for Metro, or if some alternative like the Classic Shell

is alternative shell that ms working on ? for server only ?

I think you misunderstand my post, or I misunderstand yours, (or both)... There are many alternative 3rd Party (not made by Microsoft) shells that can run on Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2 -- several of these used to work on Windows 8 and and the Windows Server 2012 Beta -- but now according to Paul Thurrott in this blog post:


So it looks like Microsoft is working overtime to circumvent people from restoring the 'Start Menu' though Start8 does appear to still work on the latest RC builds -- if the trend continues Microsoft will even put a stop to that.

In my opinion Microsoft will have to see the light of day and do something to allow some sort of multi-tasking multi-window interface -- as it's just not possible to use workstations and servers in some deployments with access to only one task at a time, or having information you need to monitor obscured when you need to access features of the OS. It seems likely as Metro is Microsoft's new pet project the interface changes will come there...