Thanks to a modern-day Robin Hood enigmatically named WZOR, new pirated Windows 8.1 RTM bits are coursing through the underground veins of the Internet. I've had a chance to play with the pirated RTM version of Windows 8.1 Pro for about 18 hours now, and what I see is disheartening at best, infuriating in places. A full review will follow, but here's what struck me the most about the latest, unofficial, not-yet-released version of Windows 8.1.

If that isn't enough of a caveat, consider: Microsoft has said repeatedly that it will make changes to Windows 8.1 itself, and particularly to the Metro apps, before General Availability on Oct. 18. More accurately, Brandon LeBlanc in Blogging Windows played a little time zone game:

I am excited to share that starting at 12:00am on October 18th in New Zealand (that's 4:00am October 17th in Redmond), Windows 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1 will begin rolling out worldwide as a free update for consumers with Windows 8 or Windows RT devices through the Windows Store. Windows 8.1 will also be available at retail and on new devices starting on October 18th by market.

What we're seeing in the RTM bits right now may change by the time customers start using Windows 8.1 on Oct. 17 or Oct. 18.

Unfortunately, a whole lot of the problems in Build 9364, which I described in March, were also in the disappointing Milestone Preview detailed in June and elaborated on in July, and in the mess encountered in Build 9471 earlier this month and are still in the pirated RTM build. Whether they'll change by GA is anybody's guess.

Here's a quick rundown of the problems I still see: