Considering "switching" but new MacBooks don't meet Vista's min. requirements?

[DougTheImpaler]

For an onboard graphics solution to use memory, it has to be assigned that memory in the BIOS/firmware. Usually it's a selectable thing. My Dell 4700c let me choose either 1MB or 8MB for the video, though, so it wouldn't do Vista because the BIOS doesn't support giving it more memory. The same is true of the integrated graphics on low-end Macs...you have to give the machine memory. Especially since Boot Camp is BIOS emulation for Macs - you'd have to be able to assign memory.

It's not like the "good ol' days" of the PowerMac 6100 where it only used the memory it needs.

 

[simie]

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/getready/capable.mspx

Windows Vista Capable and Premium Ready PCs

Choose a Windows Vista Capable or Premium Ready PC for the Windows Vista edition that's right for you.

Are you looking to buy a Windows XP-based computer today but want to make sure that it can run Windows Vista? There's no need to wait. When you buy a new PC that carries the Windows Vista Capable or Premium Ready PC designation, you’ll be able to upgrade to one of the editions of Windows Vista while taking advantage of all the opportunities offered by Windows XP today.

What is a Windows Vista Capable PC?

A new PC that carries the Windows Vista Capable PC logo can run Windows Vista. All editions of Windows Vista will deliver core experiences such as innovations in organizing and finding information, security, and reliability. All Windows Vista Capable PCs will run these core experiences at a minimum. Some features available in the premium editions of Windows Vista—like the new Windows Aero user experience—may require advanced or additional hardware.

A Windows Vista Capable PC includes at least:
A modern processor (at least 800MHz1).
512 MB of system memory.
A graphics processor that is DirectX 9 capable.
Windows Vista Premium Ready PCs
To get an even better Windows Vista experience, including the Windows Aero user experience, ask for a Capable PC that is designated Premium Ready, or choose a PC that meets or exceeds the Premium Ready requirements described below. Features available in specific premium editions of Windows Vista, such as the ability to watch and record live TV, may require additional hardware.

A Windows Vista Premium Ready PC includes at least:
1 GHz 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor1.
1 GB of system memory.
A graphics processor that runs Windows Aero2.
128 MB of graphics memory.
40 GB of hard drive capacity with 15 GB free space.
DVD-ROM Drive3.
Audio output capability.
Internet access capability.
You can read all of the Windows Vista Capable footnotes here.

You can review the Windows Vista Minimum Supported System Requirements here.

WindowsMarketplace has a selection of Windows Vista Capable and Premium Ready PCs that are available today.

Windows Vista enterprise hardware planning guidance is available on TechNet.

Can the Windows Vista experience vary on different PCs?

Yes. Windows Vista is the first Windows operating system with a user experience that adapts to take advantage of the capabilities of the hardware on which it is installed.

All Windows Vista Capable PCs will be able to run at least the core experiences of Windows Vista.

All Windows Vista Premium Ready PCs can deliver even better Windows Vista experiences, including the new Windows Aero user experience.

Does buying a Windows Vista Capable PC mean that I will receive a free upgrade to Windows Vista?

No. A PC that is Windows Vista Capable or Premium Ready means that the PC is ready for an upgrade from Windows XP. You would still need to purchase the edition of Windows Vista that you want to install on your Windows Vista Capable or Premium Ready PC.

 

[Timepass]

It is amazing when Vista was way back planned to be out. Way back they planned it for 2001 then it keep being re-written. pushing the dates back year after year, until now. XP was suppost to be out in the late 90s. I am not joking.

some how I find you being full of BS with that post. Namely because XP was designed to come out after 2000. XP may of been a little late but not the far behind.

Vista orginal slated date that is even consider a valid one was 2004. 3 years after XP. Now yeah it over 2 years behind but still 2001 is complete bs because that was when XP was released. for XP to go to the 90s it would have of been release back when 98 was.

 

[motulist]

Vista orginal slated date that is even consider a valid one was 2004.

___________________________

Microsoft first talked about "Longhorn" in July 2001, even before Windows XP's release in October of that year. It was originally expected to ship sometime late in 2003 as a minor step between Windows XP and "Blackcomb" (now known as Windows "Vienna"). Gradually, "Longhorn" assimilated many important new features and technologies of "Blackcomb", and so the date of release was pushed back a few times. Faced with ongoing delays and concerns about feature creep, Microsoft announced on August 27, 2004 that it was making significant changes. "Longhorn" development basically started afresh, building on the Windows Server 2003 codebase, and re-incorporating only the features that would be intended for an actual operating system release. Some previously-announced features, such as WinFS, were dropped.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Vista

 

[balamw]

for XP to go to the 90s it would have of been release back when 98 was.

Back in the 1990s 98, 98 SE and ME were never supposed to exist. At that time Microsoft was working on "Chicago" which became Windows 95. At the same time they announced "Cairo" which was announced as the Windows NT based successor to "Chicago." Merging the home and pro versions of windows.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Microsoft_Windows

Windows NT 3.1 (Microsoft marketing desired to make Windows NT appear to be a continuation of Windows 3.1) arrived in Beta form to developers at the July 1992 Professional Developers Conference in San Francisco. Microsoft announced at the conference its intentions to develop a successor to both Windows NT and Windows 3.1's replacement (code-named Chicago), which would unify the two into one operating system. This successor was codenamed Cairo. (In hindsight, Cairo was a much more difficult project than Microsoft had anticipated, and as a result, NT and Chicago would not be unified until Windows XP, and still, parts of Cairo have not made it into Windows as of today. Specifically, the WinFS subsystem, which was the much touted Object File System of Cairo, has now been put on hold, and will not be released until Windows "Vienna").

While XP merged the two code trees and Vista has added some more features that were lieft out of Cairo. What had been promised over 10 years ago has not been delivered.

B

 

[JackSYi]

Why is it that Vista does all the same fancy things with the graphics as OS X, but the requirements are so high?