Can you just buy WM2005 and install it?

[code-frog]

So this is probably a dumb question but maybe not. Can I just buy WM2005 and put it on my Dell X30 or PPC-6600?

Probably not because that would be to easy and why would Microsoft *want* to allow more sales of their products...?

[KTamas]

So this is probably a dumb question but maybe not. Can I just buy WM2005 and put it on my Dell X30 or PPC-6600?

Probably not because that would be to easy and why would Microsoft *want* to allow more sales of their products...?
Sweet dreams....

(No.)

[code-frog]

Sweet dreams....

(No.)

Yeah, that's pretty much what I figured. Why do they make it *so* difficult?

[KTamas]

Sweet dreams....

(No.)

Yeah, that's pretty much what I figured. Why do they make it *so* difficult?
Cause then HP/Dell/Asus/etc. could not force you to buy a new PDA just for WM5 by simply releasing an update....

[code-frog]

Cause then HP/Dell/Asus/etc. could not force you to buy a new PDA just for WM5 by simply releasing an update....

Yeah, well someday maybe they'll figure out we don't have the same salary as their CEO's and they will liven up the American economy a tiny bit with the revelation. Until then I'll find a way to get some feedback to the cronies making the decisions. I know some people at Dell at least. Won't be worth much I'm sure but I'll tiny-rant at them.

[yankeejeep]

MS sends the core OS out to the manufacturers, but it is up to them to create the specific ROM images required for their models. Each ROM image carries only the hardware drivers required for the specific model(s) it is tagged to support. That's how the ROM images are kept to such a small footprint. Unlike desktop Windows, that arrives with a wide range of drivers (and is a huge space hog), WM has to keep as slim as possible so it can fit into the determined ROM space.

You can get the full CE package, but then you will need to chase down drivers and those typically aren't available from the various component makers. Then, you will need to trim off what in CE doesn't apply to WM and make it all slip into less than 32 MB.

Last fall, MS was making some noise about changing the distribution process so that they issued updates to the core OS and device makers would issue their add-on bits, but with all the compnent choices out there for the OEMs to use, I'm not sure how well that would work out. An incompatible driver could leave you with a nice brick instead of an updated PPC.

[Janak Parekh]

MS sends the core OS out to the manufacturers, but it is up to them to create the specific ROM images required for their models. Each ROM image carries only the hardware drivers required for the specific model(s) it is tagged to support. That's how the ROM images are kept to such a small footprint. Unlike desktop Windows, that arrives with a wide range of drivers (and is a huge space hog), WM has to keep as slim as possible so it can fit into the determined ROM space.
Additionally, the hardware drivers are "compiled" tightly into the image, as opposed to being modular like a desktop. Using a desktop-style modular architecture imposes a performance overhead. Whether or not that performance overhead is worth it is a different (and good!) question.

--janak

[code-frog]

In my opinion the device manufactures should released bundled images that only have the drivers built in. They should not be allowed to control the dissemenation of the OS. They should *have* to support each current version of the OS and the last 2 previous versions.

Microsoft should make the API for the SDK open enough that the drivers have a nice consistent interface to snap into so that there is relatively little work supporting past and present versions.

If the manufactures wanted to encourage upgrades they could spend their time working on PDA software proprietary to their specific models. They could do some really cool stuff to motivated people to upgrade.

If things were done this the PDA market would have an explosion in growth and new development because hardware vendors like DELL and HTC could not only develop hardware but highly specialized software for their platforms. The wouldn't have to fret so much about the ever changing programming paradigm that is the Microsoft SDK. I burn $2000+ every year keeping my Universal Subscription up to date so I can keep with the trends and it's a freggin burden.

Am I not totally wrong here? As a developer I know Microsoft could make the OS's a lot more consistent so that manufactures could just write driver bundles for a STRICTLY DEFINED REVERSE COMPATIBLE INTERFACE and be done.

{SIGH} If only Bill would hire me. I could fix this problem in a few ... EHEM ... years or so... :wink:

[surur]

The new update engine in WM5 should at least prevent stupidities such as new PDA's still shipping with WMP9.

Surur

[code-frog]

The new update engine in WM5 should at least prevent stupidities such as new PDA's still shipping with WMP9.

Surur

Admittedly, this is good. However, their is still a lot of stupidity that will prevail until some sort of standards is established for PDA's and the OS's that reside on them. I'll put down the crack pipe now as I know that won't ever happen...

- Rex