The PC becomes a console

Alrik Fassbauer

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Hello everyone,

well, I've read in a computer magazine this morning about the hardware requirements of Windows 8.

What Microsoft does is basically nothing but turning the PC into a console.

And they'll most likely succeed, because about 90 % of all world-wide PCS use MS Windows.

Their "hardware requirements" are so restrictive that for example the use of UEFI is demanded in a way so that alternitauve OSses like Linux are … at least hindered to be installed and booted - and in the most restrictive variant even blocked out.

In the more restrictive variants regarding UEFI booting the use of alternative firmware is blocked, and thus the including of alternative securitiy keys.

The most restrictive variants of the UEFI hardware requirements demand that a Security key which is used to verify the OS is stored within the BIOS firmware - and through this detail the BIOS manufacturers contriol which OS is allowed to start and which not.

Alternative firmwares are allowed in less restrictive variants, or so I understood it, and these less restrictive hardware requirements allow the "infusion" of security keys to verify Linux OSses.

What these hardware requirements do is basically take away the freedom to install an operating system of the own favour inside of a PC.

The path of this is clear : BIOS manufacturers most likely won't develop BIOSses with allow other OSSes like Linux to be installed - simply because 90 % of all world PCs use MS Windows - or so the article says. And developing BIOSSes and complete mainboards only for a minority will be seen as a financial and economical loss.

With this first step of/in contriolling what's in a PC the next steps appear to be clear : Full control over the hrdware like in the MS XBOX. Or any other console.

Finally, the PC becomes a proprietary machine. Just like any other console.

And when I look art consoles, I see

- games and apps stores
- exclusion of competors in terms of software
- the article muses that even storing data might become "funnelled" after the manufactorer's will
- cloud data storage destroys privacy
- everything will be in the hands of those companies who manufactured the hardware, and those companies which are allowed to use this hardware (installation of OSses)

In principle, this is more or less like I've foreseen last year. I remember that I wrote somewhere that Microsoft might try to turn the PC into another XBOX.

And now they are applying it.

Alrik
 
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The path of this is clear : BIOS manufacturers most likely won't develop BIOSses with allow other OSSes like Linux to be installed - simply because 90 % of all world PCs use MS Windows - or so the article says. And developing BIOSSes and complete mainboards only for a minority will be seen as a financial and economical loss.

That won't happen. Microsoft tried once to force BIOS manufacturer to roll their way and it didn't work. The EU contemplating of suing them for anti-competitive behaviors (again) worked really well in that regard...
 
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One other thing you see when you look at consoles is a lack of virus programs running around. Pure evil this ain't.

But I think you're overstating by quite a bit. There are a LOT of linux servers out there. There will certainly be a market for linux motherboards if this thing actually goes through.

P.S. Remember how Vista wasn't going to support OpenGL going forward?

P.P.S. But the PC is becoming a console - see the OnLive topics and my constant ranting about how that is our future, like it or not.
 
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I plugged an X-Box controller into my computer and turned it into a console :p

Isn't it too early to worry about a new OS from Microsoft? Win7 will be around for a very long time or at least it'll be around on my compute for a very long time.

I normally keep my old OS until the devs stop making games for them or they stop making drivers for the video cards. I had Dos, Win98 and XP for years. I only got Win7 because I got a top-of-the-line computer as a present and all they had was Win7. I'm happy with Win7 so I imagine it'll be a good 5 - 8 years before I even need to consider switching. I'll worry about my console computer then.

As for the hardware, I wouldn't be too worried about it. The world has a way of slapping MS when they get too pushy.
 
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I understand your concern, but pretty much everything you're saying has been flying out of people's mouths for 20 years.

Just look at it realistically; do you REALLY think Microsoft is out to piss off their customers?
 
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That won't happen. Microsoft tried once to force BIOS manufacturer to roll their way and it didn't work. The EU contemplating of suing them for anti-competitive behaviors (again) worked really well in that regard…

Yup, there is a difference between what MC wants and what it will be allowed to do.

Just look at it realistically; do you REALLY think Microsoft is out to piss off their customers?

If they could get away with it, I don't think they would care if people got pissed.
 
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Personally, I think Windows 8 is going to flop like Windows Vista did. It's just too radical a change for desktops. I am fully content with Windows 7 and will likely stay with it for as long as I stayed with XP (10 years).
 
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Personally, I think Windows 8 is going to flop like Windows Vista did. It's just too radical a change for desktops. I am fully content with Windows 7 and will likely stay with it for as long as I stayed with XP (10 years).

I agree I think Windows 7 is a great OS, and I won't change until I have to. I skipped Vista altogether.
 
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It's really too early to say about how this is going to end. RC1 to final build is a long journey.
 
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Isn't it too early to worry about a new OS from Microsoft? Win7 will be around for a very long time or at least it'll be around on my compute for a very long time.

The article is an article in a rather technically oriented magazine. It is THEY who worry - and I jut chose to believe that they might be right, because they have convinced me with their point of view.

I mean - of authors from a magazine that's rather about PC technics and a bit about programming as well (they had recently an article on how to program the Kinect thing for the PC) are worrying - shouldn't I listen ? It's not that these worries came from a gaming magazine. The worries come from a magazine for professionals !
 
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The worries come from a magazine for professionals !

Remember this: Scandals sale better and make for cheaper marketing...

Also, don't be scared of Windows 8, it's going to be a flop. It's so disconnected with the market that I don't understand what Microsoft is trying to achieve here. Kill itself?
 
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not sure why no one would believe you. Microsoft hasn't been hiding their intentions. They plan to use windows compatibility to gain market share in the console and mobile phone markets.

They don't want the pc to be a console though. They want everyone to buy an xbox to game, a windows pc for internet, email and productivity apps and a windows mobile phone to bring it all with them.

This unification and convenience could be a big blow to console and mobile phone os competitors alike.

I really wish someone would come up with a valid os to compete with microsoft and apple doesn't count as it can only be run on their specific hardware without hacking it.
 
In terms of gaming, the PC is already a console.

It's just a console that's obscenely under-utilised, both in terms of hardware capacity - and interface peripherals.
 
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