Microsoft Plans To Combine 32-bit And 64-bit Windows Vista After Sp1

[Guest Reimar]

Microsoft Plans to Combine 32-bit and 64-bit Windows Vista After SP1!

A clue for the development strategy of Windows Seven? Thanks to odeeee for this post. Although it has downplayed Windows Vista Service Pack 1 as just a standard refresh, Microsoft in fact plans to combine 32-bit and 64-bit versions of its latest operating system.

The Redmond Company is under an all out Windows Omerta, gagging all details related to the first service pack for Windows Vista, to Windows Seven or to Windows Fiji. But crumbs do fall from Microsoft's table, and this piece of news via WindowsConnected is just such an example. Much in the same manner in which a single DVD contains all the editions of Windows Vista, Microsoft will also add both the 32-bit and the 64-bit versions to a single installer. This alteration is cooking now in the Redmond Company's laboratories, and will be made available to consumers following the release of the first service pack for Windows Vista, scheduled for the end of 2007.

Unlike Apple, Microsoft cannot dictate the direction of hardware development and adoption. Instead, the Redmond Company has to play to the tune of both 32-bit and 64-bit architectures with the Windows operating system. While Windows Server 2008 will be the last server operating system for Microsoft, Windows Vista still supports both 32-bit and 63-bit platforms. Windows senior product manager Alex Heaton revealed that the word is still out on whether Windows Seven, the successor of Windows Vista will be exclusively 64-bit or not.

Marrying 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows Vista on a single installer, Microsoft will be one step closer to Apple, as the Cupertino-based company will offer only 64-bit Leopard. The initiative is also designed to resolve the gap between 32-bit and 64-bit Vista. Microsoft does not currently permit upgrading or switching between x86 and x64 versions of the operating system. This will no longer be an issue after SP1. In addition, the move delivers a clue for the Redmond Company's plans with Windows Seven. If Microsoft does not scrap 32-bit with their future Windows client, then it could include both x86 and x64 on a single installer. Of course Microsoft has not confirmed this aspect.

source: news.softpedia.com

[Firefoxx]

Hmm, there's a "63-bit" platform?

My notebook came with x86 Vista-only drivers. No 64-bit at all. Unless MS comes up with a solution to this (since this is fairly common, there are far less 64-bit vista drivers than x86), going exclusively 64-bit will fall flat on its face.

[Kyosuken]

MS is not a "hardware" company i don't see them making "drivers" to please the plethora of computer hardware combinations out there, they do what they can, if the hardware companies are too slow/incompetent to come out with decent drivers, MS cannot be blamed for that

Combining the two is a fairly good move actually it could force the industry to go full scale to 64bit

[Firefoxx]

No, MS can't be blamed for something like that. Thing is, the success/failure of the combination will still depend on it. Say you develop a brand new 100% efficient compact car that drives 5,000km to the gallon and can reach speeds rivaling that of F1 cars, and is dirt cheap. Thing is, it uses a very special fuel that no one's ready to produce yet, and there are perhaps 3 gas stations in the whole world that actually sell this fuel. Great idea, bad implementation, because even though one company may be ready for it, it's not just that one company that drives the whole system.