LIVE NOW: Speak Your Brains on Windows chief's defenestration SHOCKER

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Live Chat Steven Sinofsky, Microsoft’s Windows chief, left Microsoft suddenly and without adequate explanation a week ago.

Sinofsky helped launch Windows 7, took over the Windows group in 2010 and in two years turned around an organization tainted by Windows Vista to put Microsoft on an attack vector against Apple with Windows 8, last month.

A future without the 23-year Microsoft veteran seemed inconceivable. So what’s next for Microsoft and what does it mean for Windows 8 and 9?

Why did Sinofsky leave so suddenly, between releases of Windows RT Surface and Windows 8 Pro Surface, and part did Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer play?

Who is Julie Larson-Green, the UI exec responsible for Metro and the Office 2007 UI now in charge of Windows hardware and software engineering?

What are her prospects?

Join All-About-Microsoft blogger Mary-Jo Foley, Reg software editor Gavin Clarke and fellow Reg readers for a half-hour special Live Chat to find out and to speak your brains.

We'll be kicking off today at 2pm GMT, 9am Eastern, 6am Pacific; you can sign up in the window below.