So this is what they've been keeping under wraps (>250KB)

[Kosh Naranek]

One thing is the serial issues and the interface but this http://www.wired.com/news/technology...?tw=wn20010213 .......
SAP secure audio path thing takes the grand prize.........of !~!$@#^!%@%!%@

[Pace]

Ok.

And it's well known? I thought/expected no performance gain, probably a slight drop, especially in beta status

And, that interface is definitely growing on me

Paul.

[Gurm]

Well known to beta testers. Improved video performance was one of the first things we were promised early on, although it didn't really appear until recent Whistler builds due to the DirectX bugs.

- Gurm

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Listen up, you primitive screwheads! See this? This is my BOOMSTICK! Etc. etc.

[Helevitia]

Quick read:

http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/zd/20010215/tc/is_windows_xp_for_you__1.html

------------------
What if the Hokey Pokey is what it's all about?

[Jammrock]

I'm posting this from IE 6.0 inside Whistler Beta 2. It's Win2k with a differnt GUI. I don't have the scheme that is shown in the above picture, and my version is still called Whistler, not XP. Later I'll have the real version.

Haven't tested gaming perfomance yet, but the built in drivers do have Dual Head support. I'd test it, but I don't have a second monitor right now. I'll post again after I run it more and can give a more accurate description.

EDIT: The drivers may support DH, but don't try to play any 3D games. Tried running Oni and the mouse barely moves it's so bogged down. Guess I'll haft to wait for XP drivers before I can game in XP.

Jammrock

------------------
Athlon 650
256 MB PC133 CAS3 from Crucial
87 GB storage from WD & IBM
Matrox G400 (it's not dead yet!)
SB Live! the original full retail, still going strong
Klipsch ProMedia v.2-400, the PC speakers that goes BOOM!
Hope Matrox releases the G800 before rebuild time, becuase the end is near!

[This message has been edited by Jammrock (edited 20 February 2001).]

[Gurm]

I'm not actually IN the Windows XP beta program at this point, having terminated my employment which had garnered me the subscription.

However, the NDA isn't huge. You aren't allowed to give the software out, but you can talk about it. The beta newsgroups are wide open. Weekly build testers aren't supposed to talk to general testers, which is why there's often confusion as to where in the testing process they are. It's not uncommon to have build 2020, build 2032, and build 2050 all in testing.

As for how open they are to suggestions, I don't know. There's a place to report them. Will they act on them? I have no idea. But judging from how many years it took them to stop "focus stealing" programs (5), I'd say they're pretty slow when it comes to that.

- Gurm

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Listen up, you primitive screwheads! See this? This is my BOOMSTICK! Etc. etc.

[Maggi]

quote from nonags

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">Now one thing I'd like to point out to our friends at Microsoft is that there are some of us who like to upgrade or build new computers more often than some of their customer support people change underware, and we are not about to call and beg them for permission to let us reinstall software we have paid for. More and more consumers seem to have no rights at all when it comes to software, we only have the right to pay for it and then the various Microsofts of the industry get to dictate to us what to do or not with it. Have you ever bought a boxed piece of software that had the license agreement on the outside of the box so you could read it before you pay for it? And we all know what the policy is after you open the box, no returns, only exchanges.

The bottom line is that pirates will find a way of bypassing this activation scheme, they probably already have, but it's the honest consumer that will suffer with these measures. All of a sudden Linux is looking better and better for me, and if Microsoft sticks with this new policy I suspect there will be millions like me. So here's this weeks tip, it's short and sweet.... Buy Linux stock.</font>

[Gurm]

BUY... LINUX... STOCK?

Ok, so they're saying to INVEST in a FREE program?

I don't think so.

Kinda like when all the pundits said to INVEST in Yahoo and Lycos - companies with no profits, no revenue stream, and NO PRODUCT.

I'll keep my money where it is, thank you.

- Gurm

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Listen up, you primitive screwheads! See this? This is my BOOMSTICK! Etc. etc.

[Maggi]

jesus, Gurm ... what's wrong with you ?

it was a joke !!!

are there even shares available for Linux ????

[Pace]

RedHat floated And they haven't sunk....yet

Also, about the product activation:

Fact: http://arstechnica.com/wankerdesk/01q1/wpa-1.html

Speculation: http://www.microsoft.com/PressPass/p...2ProdActPR.asp

Paul.

[Gurm]

Maggi,

It's not a joke. Redhat is selling shares, despite losing money.

*shrug*

- Gurm

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Listen up, you primitive screwheads! See this? This is my BOOMSTICK! Etc. etc.

[Pace]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">Originally posted by Gurm:
Well known to beta testers.</font>

Hehe!

Also, how much feedback do Microsoft actually accept? I sometimes have 'inspirational' flashes about interface improvements etc - are you allowed to report on these, or is it more general bug/stress testing?

And what kind of NDA, if any, is on you from Microsoft?

Paul.