Got a Mac? Try Windows 8.

Through a remarkably generous offer, Microsoft is helping you Mac folks try Windows 8 - primarily to aid with testing websites on the latest Internet Explorer.

If you visit the Modern.ie website, you'll see a special offer which allows you to get a USB stick with a copy of Parallels Desktop 8 and Windows 8 - all for a token payment.

** UPDATE - sold out, I'm afraid. Follow the link for more information on other offers, and links to useful Virtual Machine images **

Now, if it just so happened that you were also interested in beginning to write apps for Windows 8, this would be a very tempting deal, right? And the reason I bring that up is because that's why I'm here at Microsoft. I'm going to help any app developers who want to give Windows 8 a try.

Over the next while, I'm going to look at some ways you can use your existing app writing skills to write some amazing apps for Windows 8. Windows 8 is a brand new platform, with a brand new App Store, and brand new hardware. Everything a code geek wants, right?

So stay tuned and we'll explore this brave new (old?) world together.