Quote: "Why are you still allowed to breathe?"
erm.. perhaps because unlike you, I'm actually useful.
Quote: "Personally I think Microsoft Windows Longhorn, will be just as inefficient with the power of the PC as XP and 98SE are. The Windows Longhorn layout looks as if it will hog more graphics, CPU and RAM power than before."
Actually as Nick mentions, Windows XP is a considerable improvement over previous models. Conserning Windows itself, only Explorer really takes up the ram and resources.. almost everything else on the system is streamlined to run with a small memory footprint and with as little forground processing as necessary.
Explorer unfortunately is the backbone for the Visual-End of Windows though, and it's ages is showing through more and more each day. It's the only part of Windows that really hasn't been worked on since '95, and as such what worked well for the lower specs we had back then.. now causes some very worrying issues.
But then this was the point in Codename Longhorn.
Microsoft took Windows Source and throw it away. Starting from scratch to create what on the surface looks identical to Windows XP, because it's interfaces are great.
I keep hearing 'Microsoft isn't good with UI design' and another BS, but quite frankly it's the main reason that Windows is so damn popular.. because it's easy as hell. That's the key to good UI Design, not bewildering the users with everything a single click away, but providing the interface with a clear and understandable way to use it!
Windows 5.3 Codename Longhorn, is being built with the same mentality as .NET has been.
In previous Windows incarnations the idea has been to build upon what was previously there.
Kernel32 -> WinAPI -> MFC -> MicrosoftScript
Everything was built to use something else, that used something else. While this means Microsoft programs are a fraction of the size physically to other operating systems. Often being 2-3x smaller than the Linux and Macintosh compiled Runtimes.. when you include the library after libary of information most of the time programs will take up much more memory and run slower due to running several programs at the same time.
Current DLLs are design so that sure they'll run a function, but in order to run it, your effectively running another program.
This is actually a damn awesome way to structure programs because quite often 90% of the real program code is just reuseable functionality.
What Microsoft did with .NET was take this to the next level, yet introduce a more Self-Contained Modular design.
This means that most functionality you use can be seperated from a Managed Library on runtime, meaning less memory, faster program calls, and because everything self regulates itself it is less prone to security, error, or memory issues.
While sure, this Microsoft Windows will need atleast a Pentium 3 400MHz with a 4MB 3D Accelerator, and 128MB RAM.
Quite frankly, most computers 6years ago were running that. Computers NOW would just laugh at those being the minimum specifications.
It isn't as if this is some 'new' trend either.
95 forced you to use a 486 33 w/16MB Ram w/500MB HDD
98 forced you to have a Pentium 60 w/32MB Ram w/VGA 2MB Card w/1GB HDD
XP forced you to have a Pentium 200 w/128MB Ram w/SVGA 4MB Card w/4GB HDD
The Windows platforms have never been known for thier 'amazing arcaic technology compatibility'.. they're always been about embracing future technology.
So really Microsoft's decision to have thier next generation platform seemlessly use a technology that was made common-place 6years ago, is just smart business sense. Not that the Anti-Microsoft people are going to let that stop them making this into some huge issue.
Given that Media Center *requires* a specially built PC-Config just to run, as well as a 32MB 4th Generation ATI/NVIDIA Card, 20GB HDD (min), 800MBz Processor and over 384MB RAM, yet no-one batted an eyelid about those requirements. I don't see what the fuss is about.
Simple fact of the matter is.. if you can run any of the current games, then you can run Windows Codename Longhorn; if you don't play games then chances are you won't upgrade anyways.
Longhorn doesn't offer anything new, in-fact ALL of the technology except for the core stuff is being made available for Windows XP right now. (to be honest it currently all runs better on XP atm)
At the end of the day, all I can see are a bunch of whiners over an Operating System not due out for atleast 12months.
