Is your PC ready for Longhorn?

[Reverend]

Microsoft said it will unveil the hardware requirements needed to run Longhorn--the next version of Windows--at a May developer conference.

In an e-mail, the software maker said it will outline the required specifications for computers to run Windows at WinHEC (the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference), which takes place May 4 to May 7 in Seattle.

In a promotional e-mail for the conference, Microsoft said hardware and driver developers could "get the first close look" at Longhorn. In addition to the system requirements, the Redmond, Wash., company said it will detail how to write the drivers needed to connect hardware in Longhorn, along with "future directions for mobile computing and Tablet PCs, Media Center Edition, 64-bit Windows" and embedded versions of Windows.

Microsoft released a developers' preview of the software at its Professional Developers Conference last fall and has promised that the first beta, or test, version will be made available this summer. The company has not said when a final version of Longhorn will arrive, but analysts expect that it will be late 2005 or 2006.

The company has billed Longhorn as the biggest advance for Windows since Windows 95. The operating system features three major upgrades--a new graphics and presentation engine known as Avalon, a new communications architecture called Indigo and a new file system known as WinFS.

c|net (http://news.com.com/2100-1016_3-5161274.html?tag=nefd_top)

[cash_site]

Hope my duron 800 can cope with it, i did install XP on my old AMD 300, lets hope Longhorn is compatible. But if its going to be released in 2006 :eek: I doubt it very much. I hope its compatible with all your new comps and 64 bit.

[Big Booger]

I don't know why they cannot ship the OSes with reduced functionality so that it can install on any hardware???

I don't understand it? I mean, they'd make more money in the long run wouldn't they?

[Reverend]

I don't know why they cannot ship the OSes with reduced functionality so that it can install on any hardware???

I don't understand it? I mean, they'd make more money in the long run wouldn't they?I see your point,but then it would cost them more to continue adding support for older and obselete hardware.

[Big Booger]

Yeah that is true. But one would think that adding support for even the oldest pentium class machines would lend itself to selling more OSes.. :D

It's like one supports the other. The more support you have, the more you sell.. or something like that.
:D

BUt it probably would be rather tough. Surely a company like MS could do it.

[efc]

If my present thoughts prevail, I will be totally transitioned to Linux by the time Longhorn is released. My goal is to operate without a single MS product on my computer.

[Big Booger]

You know efc, with the state linux changing as rapidly as it has, I'd say a lot of users will be heading down your path.
:D

[Reverend]

If my present thoughts prevail, I will be totally transitioned to Linux by the time Longhorn is released. My goal is to operate without a single MS product on my computer.So what M$ products are you using now and why?

[efc]

So what M$ products are you using now and why?

Fair question.

I am using XP which is necessary with direcway. If I could access broadband internet from here in linux, and without spending a fortune, I would start the transition now.

I have IE6 and Outlook Express. The only time IE6 is opened is to check HTML coding. You know the problem that different browsers give different results. I don't use Outlook Express, in fact, the only time it has been opened is when friends or family call to ask for help with some problem. Mozilla mail is a great program that is far safer than OE. I currently maintain 5 pop accounts. Opened the fifth one a couple hours ago to handle mail associated with a local election.

I use Mozilla Composer and Arachnophilia (a top notch free html editor that I have used for many years) instead of Front Page for web design. I use Composer for initial work and then tweak the code with Arachnophilia. I found early on that Front Page often did nasty things to a page when it is accessed with another browser.

I use Open Office instead of MS Office.

Thats it.

[SupaStar]

Go EFC!!! I've got a friend who's trying the exact same thing as you! Only MS product he uses is XP - for games!! All other boxes are linux distro's!