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What about alternative operating systems? Looking at Linux: Will a random Linux distribution work? Will a recent Kernel be required?

SolaceQuantum 10y ago
I believe the article is implying that alternatives will also no longer work. From the article: >The company is all but guaranteeing that the future will be bright for Windows 10, since all PC makers will be shipping products that can only work on the platform.
- Synaesthesia 10y ago
  Linux should still work, this is just kernel level support issues for Microsoft, they want to support all the new CPU features and ditch all the legacy code.
  - SolaceQuantum 10y ago
    Makes sense. Thanks. I suppose the article needs a bit more clarity.
anta40 10y ago
Bad wordings, I guess. Should be: "In the case of Windows, all next-generation processors built by Intel, AMD, Qualcomm, or others, will only support Windows 10" I think...
- dkersten 10y ago
  Or maybe "Microsoft will only support the latest processors in Windows 10 and beyond"
- dkersten 10y ago
  Or maybe "Microsoft will only support the latest processors in Windows 10 and beyond"
blinkingled 10y ago
The title is somewhat misleading. This is old news and it's only applicable to various Windows versions - MS has traditionally spent efforts ensuring that supported versions of Windows work with latest hardware. They're saying they'll no longer do that - implying that if you buy new hardware (Kaby Lake based system for e.g.) they'll not guarantee that Win7/8.1 will work with it. Linux will work the same way it has - you might need a newer distribution, support maybe flakey initially, Intel might cut costs and decide some SoCs won't be supported by their open source efforts etc. Or it might all work great - this news doesn't change that.
- cptskippy 10y ago
  The title is completely misleading. CPUs aren't being designed to not work on operating systems other than Windows 10. That's flat out wrong. The whole article is just clickbait. Microsoft simply announced it would not be adding support for the latest and greatest features of new CPUs in older operating systems based on the OS position in the support life cycle Microsoft has established. Microsoft basically said "Windows 7 is about to be EOL, and we're not going to churn the code base by introducing a bunch of new code that might destabilize it." That's it. For older Linux kernels to support newer CPU features, someone will have to go back and make kernel patches.
arkades 10y ago
> Running the OS on newer PCs requires "device drivers and firmware...to emulate Windows 7's expectations for interrupt processing, bus support, and power states- which is challenging for Wi-Fi, graphics, security, and more." This suggests the issue is that MS will only be supporting Win10; the article doesn't mention any attempt being made at being affirmatively in-compatible with other OSes.

SolaceQuantum 10y ago

I believe the article is implying that alternatives will also no longer work. From the article: >The company is all but guaranteeing that the future will be bright for Windows 10, since all PC makers will be shipping products that can only work on the platform.

Synaesthesia 10y ago
Linux should still work, this is just kernel level support issues for Microsoft, they want to support all the new CPU features and ditch all the legacy code.
- SolaceQuantum 10y ago
  Makes sense. Thanks. I suppose the article needs a bit more clarity.

anta40 10y ago

Bad wordings, I guess. Should be: "In the case of Windows, all next-generation processors built by Intel, AMD, Qualcomm, or others, will only support Windows 10" I think...

dkersten 10y ago
Or maybe "Microsoft will only support the latest processors in Windows 10 and beyond"
dkersten 10y ago
Or maybe "Microsoft will only support the latest processors in Windows 10 and beyond"

blinkingled 10y ago

The title is somewhat misleading. This is old news and it's only applicable to various Windows versions - MS has traditionally spent efforts ensuring that supported versions of Windows work with latest hardware. They're saying they'll no longer do that - implying that if you buy new hardware (Kaby Lake based system for e.g.) they'll not guarantee that Win7/8.1 will work with it. Linux will work the same way it has - you might need a newer distribution, support maybe flakey initially, Intel might cut costs and decide some SoCs won't be supported by their open source efforts etc. Or it might all work great - this news doesn't change that.

cptskippy 10y ago
The title is completely misleading. CPUs aren't being designed to not work on operating systems other than Windows 10. That's flat out wrong. The whole article is just clickbait. Microsoft simply announced it would not be adding support for the latest and greatest features of new CPUs in older operating systems based on the OS position in the support life cycle Microsoft has established. Microsoft basically said "Windows 7 is about to be EOL, and we're not going to churn the code base by introducing a bunch of new code that might destabilize it." That's it. For older Linux kernels to support newer CPU features, someone will have to go back and make kernel patches.

arkades 10y ago

> Running the OS on newer PCs requires "device drivers and firmware...to emulate Windows 7's expectations for interrupt processing, bus support, and power states- which is challenging for Wi-Fi, graphics, security, and more." This suggests the issue is that MS will only be supporting Win10; the article doesn't mention any attempt being made at being affirmatively in-compatible with other OSes.