Bill Gates unveils Vista editions, impersonates teapot.

Epos Nix on 20/5/2006 at 21:30

This has been around Google video for awhile now but for those interested this is a good watch: (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7321509538447636309&q=windows+vista) Interview with the Windows Architects.

And for those who aren't interested in techno-babble whatsoever, you can watch (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-192915687694387299&q=windows+vista) this idiot instead.

Enjoy!

Convict on 20/5/2006 at 23:04

Did that guy remind anyone else of David? :sweat:

dvrabel on 20/5/2006 at 23:34

Quote Posted by Epos Nix

Fantastic. Uh uh. Excellent. Mmm hmm. Interviewer doesn't have a clue.

redrain85 on 20/5/2006 at 23:51

The only good thing about Vista, is that by forcing people to get decent hardware specs with high-end video acceleration: they won't bitch any more when their bargain-basement Dell or Walmart special, won't run the latest game.

"Hey I bought this $300 PC on sale, and it won't run Oblivion! WTF is up with that?" :rolleyes:

Fringe on 21/5/2006 at 01:45

Does anybody actually say that?

descenterace on 21/5/2006 at 09:50

Fringe: you've never worked Tech Support, have you? That's the sort of complaint you'd expect from a smart user.

Quote Posted by Tonamel

The way it was explained to me, the 3D-ification of the interface was done so they could move all the UI calculations to the (currently unused) graphics card, so they could free up the main cpu and ram for other things.

I don't know if that actually makes sense, though.

Makes a lot of sense.

Anyone remember the days of Doom and Quake, where all 3D calculations were done on the CPU? Basically, every game had to include a 3D card emulator.
Then that processing was moved into the hardware by the addition of a dedicated 3D processor to the system.

Windows GDI does what a 3D card does, but does it in software. It is therefore approximately ten years out of date. Yes, Windows basically includes a software 3D renderer.

And before anyone points out that Windows is not 3D... are windows not layered? What calculations are done to determine whether a window is on top of another window? And how are windows rendered?

Uncia on 21/5/2006 at 10:11

3D card emulator? Ecks dee.

ignatios on 21/5/2006 at 13:21

Quote Posted by descenterace

And before anyone points out that Windows is not 3D... are windows not layered? What calculations are done to determine whether a window is on top of another window? And how are windows rendered?

There's something called a 'z index' which determines the orders of windows on your desktop. In one sense it is definitely 3D, but in the sense that people talk about it for 3D accelerator cards, no maniuplation of coordinates in 3D space is necessary to determine window ordering.

Window rendering is just copying an array of bits from one location to somewhere in video memory (called a 'blit'). There are tricks to make sure things don't look like total crap, but the basic operation is just a straight copy.

ZylonBane on 21/5/2006 at 16:25

Quote Posted by descenterace

Anyone remember the days of Doom and Quake, where all 3D calculations were done on the CPU?

Gosh no Descenterace, you're the only one here who's over twelve years old.

TheGreatGodPan on 21/5/2006 at 21:02

I missed the Doom/Quake/Duke3D/Unreal era. I went right from Wolf3D to Deus Ex. Well, I suppose "right" is the wrong word, because there were quite a few years in between, but didn't own any FPSs in between.

And although I realize that my computer can't handle pretty much anything made after DX, I'm still angry that they require new graphics cards. I could care less for the improved graphics, and I sure as hell don't feel like shelling out for a new card unless the gameplay completely blows away what I can do on my current computer.