Vista Sheds Another Anticipated Feature?

Iria · Mar 11, 2006, 12:07 AM

With little explanation (so far at least), Microsoft has decided to cut from Windows Vista planned support for the Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI). EFI, the successor to the PC BIOS, has been touted as an operating-system-independent interface that could aid in driver portability. Microsoft has been promising for months, if not years, that Vista would support both BIOS and EFI. According to new information coming out of this week's Intel Developer Forum, Microsoft has decided to drop EFI support entirely for 32-bit Windows variants, and provide EFI support for 64-bit Windows first in Longhorn Server in 2007.
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Source: Microsoft Watch

IvanV · Mar 11, 2006, 01:00 PM

So, what will be new in Vista, except the GUI?

big_D · Mar 11, 2006, 03:25 PM

So, most of the features that would make me thing of looking at Vista are slowly being thrown out?

EFI sounded like a good future proofing step away from the clunky old BIOS, but I guess we'll have to wait a bit longer for modern hardware...

WinFS was about the only thing that made me think Vista was going to be interesting, but that's gone, the new GUI hasn't shown anything "new", as in what isn't already available with plug-ins or on other platforms.

The new layout of the interface in IE and Office, from what I've seen doesn't look like a step forward, the security features probably will be worth upgrading for, but I've already moved away to Linux for most of my tasks now, Windows only gets booted for games or the rare occassion that I need to use Visio or MS Project...

bug77 · Mar 11, 2006, 09:53 PM

Since EFI = BIOS w/ DRM, I can't say I care much...

Mar 11, 2006, 12:07 AM	#1
Iria DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 7,275 Rep Power: 89	Vista Sheds Another Anticipated Feature? With little explanation (so far at least), Microsoft has decided to cut from Windows Vista planned support for the Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI). EFI, the successor to the PC BIOS, has been touted as an operating-system-independent interface that could aid in driver portability. Microsoft has been promising for months, if not years, that Vista would support both BIOS and EFI. According to new information coming out of this week's Intel Developer Forum, Microsoft has decided to drop EFI support entirely for 32-bit Windows variants, and provide EFI support for 64-bit Windows first in Longhorn Server in 2007. __________ Source: Microsoft Watch

Mar 11, 2006, 01:00 PM	#2
IvanV HH Assassin Guild Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 5,917 Rep Power: 336 System Specs	So, what will be new in Vista, except the GUI? __________________ If anyone has Portal 2 and hasn't played the co-op and wants to do me a favour, let me know (PM me or whatever). Last edited by IvanV; Mar 11, 2006 at 02:18 PM.

Mar 11, 2006, 03:25 PM	#3
big_D DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: München, Germany Posts: 58 Rep Power: 0	So, most of the features that would make me thing of looking at Vista are slowly being thrown out? EFI sounded like a good future proofing step away from the clunky old BIOS, but I guess we'll have to wait a bit longer for modern hardware... WinFS was about the only thing that made me think Vista was going to be interesting, but that's gone, the new GUI hasn't shown anything "new", as in what isn't already available with plug-ins or on other platforms. The new layout of the interface in IE and Office, from what I've seen doesn't look like a step forward, the security features probably will be worth upgrading for, but I've already moved away to Linux for most of my tasks now, Windows only gets booted for games or the rare occassion that I need to use Visio or MS Project...

Mar 11, 2006, 09:53 PM	#4
bug77 DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: around Posts: 792 Rep Power: 0	Since EFI = BIOS w/ DRM, I can't say I care much...