Quote: "I thought there was already a Windows XP 64bit version out. Like a server version or something."
Windows 64-bit for Itainium Processors, has been out for 3years.
Windows 64-bit for Athlon64 Processors, has been an open beta free from AMD.com (directs to MicrosoftStore)
The one they're proposing will cover all processors rather than those designed for it...
Honestly, i doubt it'll ever see the light of day because Windows 6.0 has the support. So they'll probably just pass over it.
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 supports 64bit processors and there is a free 180day trial on Microsoft.com
(infact most of thier Operating Systems are available on free trial downloads.)
Quote: "i'm kind of surprised that it doesn't have that much new stuff. PS / VS 3"
DirectX 9.0c add support for SM 3.0, that isn't the major feature though so it isn't covered. NVSDK 8.0 due out in a few weeks time covers it.
Quote: "(though i'm sure you have a PS / VS 7 card, raven, and are using the shaders extensively )"
You wanna be a smartass, go be one at LLRGT. Else keep your comments to yourself.
Quote: "wasn't summer update 2003 a bit bigger? i mean, the whole PRT section, in addition to some other lighting stuff, a revised ID3DXSprite interface, lots of animation improvements.."
These are pure *updates* on the original DirectX 9 SDK released.
If you have all three SDKs you will have 64 Examples,
which cover:
SM 2.0, HLSL, Sphere Harmonics, Mesh Optimisation, Vertex Shaders, Pixel Shaders, Stencil Operations, Bump Mapping Techniques, Shadowing Techniques, Texture Blending, Pipeline Optimisation, Mesh Editing, Animation Controls, User Interface (XNA), Pixel Shader Linking, SM 3.0, HDRI and a few other things I forget.
The SDK in it's entirity will take up around 530MB on your HDD, but the actual coding SDK is closer to around 25-30MB.