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Microsoft calls Intel's Windows 8 claims 'factually inaccurate' and 'misleading'
SOFTWARE FLOGGER Microsoft has discounted claims made by a senior Intel executive that Windows 8 on ARM will not run older applications.
Renée James, SVP and GM of Intel's software and services group claimed that Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system for the ARM architecture won't be able to run older applications. The comments were made during a presentation at Intel's investor event. They flew in the face of Microsoft's claims and demonstrations that showed that it already had applications working on a very early beta of Windows 8 for ARM.
James also claimed there will be four versions of Windows 8 for ARM processors, adding that applications would not be compatible even across chip vendors. During James' presentation, she pointed out that Intel's architecture allows applications that run on Windows on the desktop to work seamlessly with Windows on any other Intel chip.
James' comments were startling to say the least. Microsoft demonstrated a very early beta of Windows 8 running on ARM-based chips at CES with applications such as Microsoft Word and Internet Explorer, and even emphasised how little work it had to do in order to get the operating system and applications working. Given that this was a very early beta, the swish demonstration was pretty impressive and it seems to discredit James' claims.
So it is no big surprise to learn that Microsoft has strongly contradicted Intel's claims in a fiery statement to The INQUIRER.
"Intel's statements during yesterday's Intel Investor Meeting about Microsoft's plans for the next version of Windows were factually inaccurate and unfortunately misleading. From the first demonstrations of Windows on SoC [system-on-chip], we have been clear about our goals and have emphasized that we are at the technology demonstration stage. As such, we have no further details or information at this time."
Intel might have a point if developers have to modify their code slightly if they want to run in a native Windows 8 ARM mode. However it is more than likely Microsoft will include some sort of virtual machine in order to maintain software compatibility, in the same way that Apple still allows code designed for PowerPC Macs to run on Macs that have Intel x86 chips.
Intel might have realised that it doesn't need to cosy up with Microsoft anymore. After all, the traditional desktop operating system seems to be making way for web browser based applications and the action in the IT industry seems to be moving from PCs to mobile devices. Of course Microsoft won't disappear overnight but it's safe to say that in the next few years the firm's decades old PC operating system model will be overtaken by operating systems that are primarily based on the Linux kernel.
So while James' comments might be surprising given Intel and Microsoft's close relationship, they could be motivated by the realisation that Microsoft simply doesn't have the pull, or the future, that it once did. µ
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ARM is not built for sheer performance. It is built for good performance-per-watt. That means CPU-cycle-wasting applications like running an emulator for complicated, power-hungry x86 chips are going to run like a dog.
So what will Windows for ARM run? Not a lot.
I think Intel have been stroppy with Microsoft ever since x64 Windows setup and build string have been called AMD64, which acknowledges AMD invented x64, and EMT64 is nothing more than a effectively name change.
I just had to order new safety training software, because the version we have that installs and runs perfectly well on Windows XP simply will not install at all on Windows 7. The CPU is really quite irrelevant; the basic Windows model changed dramatically with Vista, and some older software simply will not run at all.
Microsoft built a JIT-compiling x86 emulator for the Xbox 360, so that it could run games built for the original Xbox.
http://www.qbrundage.com/michaelb/pubs/essays/xbox360.html
The 360 does require profiles to be built for each game, but I suspect this is more to do with the difference between the graphics chipsets than the processor architectures. The original Xbox had an nVidia-derived part, the 360 has an ATI-supplied GPU and while you could code with DirectX, the game would generally be faster by coding directly to the GPU.
The ARM processors are likely to be lower in raw processing speed than your average x86, but few general-purpose applications are CPU-bound anyway. Most of the time your CPU is just sitting idle waiting for you to press a key, move the mouse, or some data to arrive from the disk. The difference between the CPU-bound part completing in 2ms and 10ms is barely noticeable.
"PC operating system model will be overtaken by operating systems that are primarily based on the Linux kernel"
God help us all, last thing I need is for that bit of toss splash to become the norm... But I suppose its better than Apple.
Despite this reporters wild dreams of M4 going tits up I do think that in 10 years we'll still have Windows, desktops and the Inq may actualy have gotten better...
I can dream.
Some programs may be recompiled by their publishers to run on ARM natively. Some other emulated but cross CPU emulation is a slowdown by its very nature as it is very much like talking to a foreigner through a translator. Finally all depends how processing intensive the program is. Some older ones may run acceptably well but there is not a slightest chance for any serious games. There are also rumors that Intel may use its Intellectual Property to banish such attempts and this is what their announcement means.
I don't think Nokia will take a leap of faith. They know that ms is building something that can compete in portable pc market. Ms invented the consumer OS, its not that easy to take out the god father.
Intel is just plain wrong! Everyone knows that Windows 8 will make use of ARM's x86 mode that runs at least twice as fast as the latest Xeon offerings from Intel.
That was simply a stroke of luck for Microsoft and I, for one, am looking forward to plugging my mouse and keyboard into the first Windows 8 phone from Nokia.
"However it is more than likely Microsoft will include some sort of virtual machine in order to maintain software compatibility"
So is it compatible or not? I've seen some of those emulated systems to have incompatibilities or worse yet, massive slowdown.
Either way, it sounds like Microsoft is being factually inaccurate here.