More Microsoft Vista surprises
p2p news / p2pnet: If you haven’t decided to migrate to Linux, by now, and you want to use Microsoft’s Vista, whenever it arrives, you’ll need to allow a Microsoft cop into your PC to run an anti-pirate check.
You’ll also have to meet, “some pretty specific and arcane requirements, including memory bandwidth of at least 1,800MB per second,” CNET News has the company saying.
Before Vista will display Aero, its “showiest side,” it’ll run a check, “to make sure the software was properly purchased,” the story has Microsoft declaring. “Those who are not running genuine Windows will not be able to take advantage of the Windows Aero user experience.”
A product guide said Vista will include a tool for showing if a given system is up to snuff, “but Microsoft did not offer further details on how consumers with existing PCs will be able to see if their machines meet the standard.”
Standard?
Aero calls for a graphics chip with a Vista-specific driver, “as well as a varying amount of minimum graphics memory, depending on the size of the monitor,” CNET states, going on:
“A computer with a single display of 1280-by-1024 pixels or less, for example, must have 64MB of graphics memory. For a larger screen, 256MB may be needed, as well as additional memory for secondary displays.”
According to tentative Microsoft guidelines, you’ll need:
“1. A legitimate copy of one of Vista’s higher-end versions: Home Premium, Business, Enterprise or Ultimate
“2. A Vista-specific (WDDM) graphics driver
“3. A minimum of 1,800MB per second of graphics memory bandwidth
“4. Enough graphics memory (amount needed varies based on monitor size).”
A PC with shared memory would also work with Aero, but it would call for 1GB of dual-channel memory, with at least 512MB of that memory available to the main system, adds CNET.
Wonder what other tasty surprises Bill and the Boyz have in store?
Also See:
CNET News – Vista won’t show fancy side to pirates, April 13, 2006
April 14th, 2006 at 2:19 pm
The only way this will get onto desktops is by forcing it as OEM onto new machines. Hopefully, new machines that will not be bought. Microsoft has just killed any incentive for technical advance.
April 14th, 2006 at 5:21 pm
I’ll be sticking with XP & am learning Linux.
Fuck you Microsoft!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
April 14th, 2006 at 6:04 pm
Never forget, it your Hardware and you can do with it as you like. You do not need Microsoft, but Microsoft needs you.
Amazing things are happing in FLOSS systems. Microsoft is a large business but they are just blip on FLOSS enviorment where likes of IBM, Novel, Sun are riviles who are using software.
If want to have some fun with GFX Workbench on Linux have look at XGL.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xgl
http://www.novell.com/linux/xglrelease/
April 14th, 2006 at 9:20 pm
…will crack it.
April 14th, 2006 at 10:06 pm
Now THIS will give Linux a fightin’ chance (it will with me at any rate).
April 15th, 2006 at 1:46 am
ya, ya, linux lovers have been telling us for a decade now that they are going to take over Windows and rule the world.
*yawn*, I’m really tried of hearing it.
If it was any good it would have done so by now.
April 15th, 2006 at 6:54 pm
WGA is usually cracked within 20 minutes each time M$ tries to patch it up. I believe the design standard for Vista is that it should be secure for at least 45 minutes.
April 16th, 2006 at 8:25 pm
I have never seen a spec that calls for 1800MB/sec video memory transfer speed. I have seen AGP 4x and 8x, but nothing like a specific number. 256MB graphics card? 1GB system RAM? Are these people insane? Only the most intensive games, like Doom 3, have requirements that are even close to that.
In other words, I have to have a $7,000 gaming machine just to run an OS. What a joke. Microsoft lays another turd.
April 17th, 2006 at 3:03 am
yeah, I know Linux has issues (I still use windows ). but if you are a country that is way down on the economic ladder, what would you do – pay exhorbitant amounts for new computers or get used ones for cheap and an OS for nothing ?
I’ll put it like this; I haven’t used IE for two years. It came with my computer,but the free stuff is getting better, and I use Opera now. I got tired of getting viruses that were incurable because IE can’t be uninstalled and reinstalled. I’m just saying give it time. Once the impetus is there things can happen real fast.
October 19th, 2006 at 7:15 pm