Microsoft's big event for developers in Seattle is traditionally where it shows off a lot of things that also impact us as consumers using Windows, Office or its other products, but this year it will be an exclusively virtual one. The company revealed in a statement to The Verge that "...we will deliver our annual Microsoft Build event for developers as a digital event, in lieu of an in-person event. We look forward to bringing together our ecosystem of developers in this new virtual format to learn, connect and code together."

Yesterday, Washington governor Jay Inslee announced a ban on events with more than 250 people that will run at least until the end of March. While that's set to expire before the Build event in May, Microsoft is acting now to prepare people for a "virtual format" instead of waiting any longer to see if it's extended. Facebook F8 and Google I/O were scheduled to take place earlier in May, and both have already canceled any in-person component of those developer events.

Last year Microsoft showed off the new Linux kernel for Windows 10 and Minecraft AR, and this year we expect to hear a lot more about its support for developers creating apps to run on Windows 10x and dual-screen devices like the Surface Neo.