First, all Microsoft operating Systems come with a full compliment of
drivers for the most commonly used hardware. Those drivers, while
often
developed in cooperation with Microsoft are supplied for the operating
system by the device manufacturer. Every attempt is made during the
development and the beta testing period to make the operating system as
compatible as possible with the widest possible variations of hardware
and
it should be noted, that many such systems not only have different
hardware,
some of which may be non-standard but also have a wide range of
software
that might interfere with the function of various devices and cause
problems
for their drivers.
Second, XP, for example, does offer a wide range of options but often,
hardware to take advantage of those options are only in development or
have
not yet reached market at the time operating system goes to market.
Third, it would be wholly impossible for Microsoft to continue to
develop,
supply and otherwise write drivers for all hardware that comes out or
is
updated with new versions throughout the life of the operating system.
Also, many devices take advantage of the system to perform various
functions
well beyond the basic function as envisioned when the OS released.
Many
scanners, for example, have function buttons to allow users single
button
access to various functions. The system, usually can handle the
scanning
function from within but it's up to the manufacturer to supply the
drivers
that enable the single button functionality.
Fourth, the OP was talking specifically about Windows 64-bit and the
specific question in his post was when will Microsoft come out with a
computer that fully supports 64-bit will all necessary drivers. Aside
from
the incorrect assumption that Microsoft manufactures or otherwise
designs
computers, with regard to 64-bit, very few manufacturers have 64-bit
compatible devices yet available to the public. That was even more the
case
throughout most of the XP-64-bit development period wherein the OS was
created in what was largely a vacuum with regard to 64-bit devices
because,
beyond the processor, there were none or very few such devices. Hence,
the
OS was largely developed with compatibility with the processor and
64-bit
compatible applications in mind because most of the other hardware
didn't
exist. That's one of the reasons why user options with regard to
hardware
for the 64-bit OS are rather narrow.
Again, if for no other reason and I've cited many other reasons, given
the
fact there were so few devices available for even testing purposes for
the
64-bit OS be it the Opteron or the Intel 64-bit processor, what you
suggest
was and is impossible and also further points up the reason why device
drivers are the responsibility of the device manufacturer not
Microsoft.
Microsoft make DDKs, Driver Development Kits available to the
developers and
fully supports developers and manufacturers in their efforts to develop
and
create devices and the appropriate drivers for their OSs as that is its
responsibility if it wishes to maintain widespread compatibility as
well as
acceptance from the consumer. But beyond that, while Microsoft offers
an OS
that creates an environment in which those devices can function, the
responsibility to develop, create and supply the drivers falls to the
device
manufacturer.
You might be interested to know that even the drivers that come through
Windows Update are supplied by the device manufacturer and are only
offered
through WU because they've gone through Microsoft's testing and
certification. Further, even at Windows Update, there is usually a
notification that the drivers being supplied are for basic device
functions
and taking advantage of broader functions beyond that basic
functionality
will often require getting drivers directly from the manufacturer.
--
Michael Solomon MS-MVP
Windows Shell/User
Backup is a PC User's Best Friend
DTS-L.Org:
http://www.dts-l.org/
I disagree, If I pay for Win OS then it is in part "if not hole" MS
responsibility to offer an OS the can work with devices that are
NEEDED to
do
what MS claims it can do!!
:
I would just point out, device drivers, including those for 64-bit
systems
are the responsibility of the device manufacturers.
Also, there's an implication in your post that Microsoft
manufactures
computers, it is not in that business. You need to check with the
manufacturers for computers, devices and drivers that are 64-bit
compatible.
--
Michael Solomon MS-MVP
Windows Shell/User
Backup is a PC User's Best Friend
DTS-L.Org:
http://www.dts-l.org/
has MS came out will a good full PC for a 64-bit chip?
Like
Intel has advantages as a company, and Itanium has some good,
demonstrated
performance benefits. But the Opteron's compatibility with 32-bit
Windows
binaries at full speed rather than having to recompile new
versions of
all
your applications is attractive,
There's still the issue of making today's PC hardware 64-bit
ready.
"The
biggest challenge is going to be the device drivers in 64-bit
mode,"
You
need
all new drivers for all of your key components [graphics cards,
hard
drives,
and the like]--all the stuff that the operating system needs to
work
well.
If
you want 64 bits because you want performance, you can't have a
bunch
of
32-bit drivers mucking things up.
