Early today Microsoft posted the dates and venue for Build 2014 on its website and then quickly withdrew them with a spokesperson saying that Microsoft "isn't commenting at this time regarding future //build dates." Now the dates are back and April 2-4 in San Francisco is confirmed.

The details are that it will be held at the Moscone Center in San Francisco April 2-4, 2014 with registration opening on January 14.

Build is the conference that replaced PDC, the Professional Developer Conference at which Microsoft used to release betas of successive versions of Windows and .NET.

The inaugural Build, held in September 2011 was shrouded in secrecy, as we commented on at the time (see Even less information on Microsoft's Build).

As we now know, the event's revelation was the Developer Preview of Windows 8 plus those for Windows Server 2012 and Visual Studio 2012.

BUILD 2012 was held on Microsoft's Redmond campus shortly after the release of Windows 8 and last year a much bigger event, at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, was used to unveil Windows 8.1. 

So what can we expect from BUILD 2014 and will Microsoft be ready in time for the beginning of April?

Rumours have it that we are to see the next release of Windows Phone 8 which would bring it in-line with Windows 8.1. and perhaps an update to Windows RT. 

Is pulling the announcement just another case of Microsoft indecisiveness and dithering?

There was a time when you could think of Microsoft as being strong on decision making - not always the right decision but at least you knew where you where. Now Microsoft seems to drop information and then backtrack even before there has been much time for a reaction. 

Update:

Now the date has appeared again on the Windows Phone blog along with a registration site which will open at 9am PST on January 14, 2014. So it seems that the fuss that Microsoft initially caused was about nothing and the show will go on - starting on April 2nd 2014.