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The long and short of Longhorn's hardware requirements

Redmondmag.com

Check out this article to learn more about Longhorn system requirements, x64 processor support, auxiliary display support for laptops, and real-time collaboration PCs.

Enter the Longhorn PC
http://redmondmag.com/features/article.asp?EditorialsID=484

Typical Macrosoft: bloat it up, take out all of the "amazing new features," make you need a whole new computer to run it, and offer no choice about most of the matter.

I'll stick with my spanking-new KDE 3.4 linux GUI (Heck, it'll be KDE 4.1 by the time Longthorn comes out!) running on my AMD 1700. Who needs these issues that M$ creates for everyone!?

With so many organisations running Microsoft based infrastructures we will no doubt be testing and eventually rolling out the next generation and future generations of the tools we are given. It does seem that we are given few real choices to deversify our options.
Are we really looking at alternative systems?

As we all know the pre service pack solutions from Microsoft are rarely bug-free and there also has to be a lot of work involved in terms of re-learning, planning, testing, etc.

I only hope that Microsoft has learned from past experiences in order to produce a solid solution.

Here's to Living in hope..

Can't build em without those links.

Thanks for the info...I work in an all UNIX/LINUX environment, but like to keep up with all 3 major OS's. The way I see it: The more I know about all 3, the more likely I will keep working and subsequently - getting paid!

Ok, I give up. How can TechRepublic say that Microsoft is going to be looking at legacy hardware with Longhorn and it require more powerful hardware?

If I were MS, I think I would make one OS that would be compatable with everything from a 233 Mhz up to the new 4Ghz OS's in that when it sees the hardware, it installs the appropriate kernel of that system. One OS fits all. Get it?

Yea, all the links are dead. Have they all become outdated in less than a week? Or, were they yanked because they painted a less than favorable picture of Longhorn? Looking ahead and seeing how this new OS will be forced upon us by it's maker no matter what it's benefits or hardware requirements, I think it deserves the name SHOEhorn instead of LONGhorn...

I seriously doubt that a measly 64 Meg of RAM is keeping anyone from "upgrading" to XP. More likely is the wish to avoid asinine licensing terms and product activation crap that come with XP and its generation of applications.

After all, if you're happy where you are, and the road ahead shows nothing but misery, why go that direction? If what you have serves your needs and continues to run without constant reactivation or forced upgrades, there's no point in making the so-called "upgrade". That's why there are so many Win98SE boxes out there still. And that's why M$ won't fix IE for those older versions, so people are forced to upgrade or risk losing their data, financial, and/or identity info.

As for making it compatible with current hardware, let alone older hardware, that's just not the Wintel way. Intel has to bring out spiffy new features that can only be used by new versions of Windoze, and M$ ensures that the new versions of Windoze will only run poorly on anything but the very latest hardware. They've been running us around that vicious circle for decades; you didn't really expect them to change the recipe for their success merely for the consumer's benefit, did you?

Don't forget, M$ is getting into embedded systems, too. Soon you'll be hearing your multimedia refrigerator announcing, "You appear to have installed a new bottle of milk in your refrigerator. Please insert your credit card in the slot provided on the front of your M$ WinFridge to upgrade your license to a multi-bottle version." I can hardly wait...

From my perspective the hardware is not the holdup here. Has anyone priced the hardware in the Requirement Box? I think that you will find that the Hardware is Cheaper than the OS !!! The OS is THE issue, not the hardware. Also, I can buy, use, and reconfigure hardware without having to call up the manufacturer and ask for their permission - not so with the OS. What an nightmare of cost and time XP is to maintain. On the positive side - after the XP upgrade and OS cost commitment I have yet to find anyone who has a desire to "roll-back" to the old OS.

I recently priced out a decent system to replace my Win98SE box that ran for 5-6 years before the motherboard crashed. Without the OS, it was only about $500. For WinXP Pro, they wanted another $189. Fortunately, my wife is now a big fan of Mandriva/Mandrake.

Bye-bye, Micro$$$oft.

My soon to be DVR is running FC3, my desktop is FC3, my laptop is FC3 (well...soon), and my brand spanking new Athlon X2 will be FC4/Win XP Pro Dual boot (gads, I don't want to, but I have to...)

Sooner or later the desktop crowd just won't be able to afford an MS OS, so they'll all find out about Linux!

w2k & XP both have their problems but they are vast improvements over 98, 95, & 3.1.

Hardware costs are part of the equation however. The typical win 98 system shipped with 16-32 Mb memmory and >10 Gb disk drive. For any office, 2 employees or 10,000, the cost is too great to upgrade until it is unavoidable.

Upgrade to 512Mb is about $50. More disk $100, OS $175, plus tech time to install and convert. This is at least $500 per seat!

Anyone who tells me that it's cheap can send me the check for the 5 systems in my office (PayPal accepted).

I know, someone is going to say "What do you mean - my O.S. doesn't expire?". Well if you have an O.E.M. version of XP running on a machine and the machine dies then the liscense for the O.S. dies also. I have been informed by M$ that they will not issue an activation code to me because O.E.M. XP can not be "transferred" to another machine. If I were to buy a retail copy of XP then it could be transfered and they would issue another activation code.

So everyone who buys a new machine with XP on it and reconfigures the machine enough to require a new activation code, or who's machine dies and you try to get going on another machine - well - you're out of luck. You will need to head down to the nearest M$ outlet and get another copy of the O.S.

Just try "trotting down to the local store" for a retail version of Windows XP - either Pro or Home here in Australia. Microsoft offered all of the wholesalers here a "buyback" deal on all their XP licences the last working day before Vista was released....now there is hardly an XP licence to be had anywhere.
So for all those who need an XP licence - good luck!.......hens teeth would be easier to find. GOOD ON YER MICROSOFT.....just another example of a power-mad corporation.

So far pricing is unrelated to CPU speed, etc.

That may be right around the corner (like Mainframe licensing - based on capacity).

But for now, just buy another activation code (while they work), then when M$ decides that we all need to upgrade - they'll "run out" of "Old" activation codes too...

Would users be able to configure to "Barebones Classic" even if they have 1024 Mb memory, Directx 9999, etc... Or is the 'Bloat' automatic ?

Why not focus on function. I don't care about my OS's GUI competing with Game graphics... just want to run software - old AND new...

Of course what can we expect from the ONLY company to Market an OS that does not develop or sell the PC's it runs on ?

...and what ELSE will that "automatic configuration" software do for us (turn in "Pirates" ?!?)...

With the New and up and coming O/S from M$ we now hard a PCIE Video card to support the new operating system.

Who is dictating the development and creation of all the New Hardware specs ? Certainly not the hardware companies ? they get told what is required and what we must purchase.

For me ? I gave up on the still DOS based MS operating systems which are still using the appalling memory management problems but hide them from our view.

If you have any legacy programs and have had to create alternative config.sys files ? yes they will over right the default one if you create one ? any you use up too much conventional memory in you drivers ? Windows ? Vista ? Longhorn will NOT load and you blue install screen will report ? NOT ENOUGH CONVENTIONAL MEMORY. For the new people to this game that RAM below 640K ? that's where everything happens.

The O/S needs re-writing from the ground up ? not put more eye kandy on display to keep the eye happening.

Once upon a time we only changed our O/S with a promise of increased productivity from our staff ? have we all forgotten that automation and the dollars we spend we all to provide better productivity outcomes.

Over 1 year ago I made the decision to change to Linux ? and yes there are a few bugs ? but they do get fixed and yes I have had to employ 1 Linux ADMIN ? who was not cheap ? HOWEVER the hardware I had a year ago mostly P4 HT's with varying RAM from 500MG to 1.5 GIG for hight demand users who needed it ? Well they are ALL running faster than they ever have and occasionally some of the staff will boot M$ Windows and they ALL without prompting exclaim how clunky, slow and how much time they were wasting for things to happen.

With current GUI interfaces it is only very occasionally that the ADMIN will revert to a command prompt.

I am safer, I have NO virus problems, NO malware problems and in an office environment I elected the Open source version so I purchase 1 copy of the next release ? there are about at least 1 a year for USD 65.00 and I load it all onto 40 workstations with NO driver problems NOR Printer Problems and my Web Site runs like dream.

At that saving I was more than happy to hire a Linux admin permanently and the cost savings not only in NOT needing new hardware and increased productivity have seen all my staff love it ? It just took them a few days to stop them playing with transparent Windows and enough options in eye Kandy to keep them amused for years to come.

Think about where you are headed ? DO you want to have to keep upgrading you hardware forever for the new M$ O/S and do you get a productivity increase that compensates you for the mass dollars you have spent.

Take a look at where you want to be in 3 years from now!

Once upon a time we made Business decision to spend big dollars for the promise of better productivity.

I will share with you now one of the more interesting features of XP - God only know how much Bandwidth with be taken up by Vista Phoning Home and eating into your precious bandwidth.

I hope my tab stop have made the table following my comments readable

New Security Features in Vista Scare ME! IF XP produces this traffic for unknown reasons What will Vista be sending home in the way of information.

There seems to be a relentlessness effort of Each and very XP PC initiating its own traffic to Microsoft 24/7 and the reasons why this traffic has always fallen on deaf ear ? Is that the service that is responsible for it cannot be terminated ? you best bet is to constrain it with a software firewall.

The very suspect SVCHOST service is at the heart of this.

You need SVCHOST..EXE and multiple copies running to perform mundane things like -
1.Correcting and updating the PC interface to time servers for Update requires SVCHOST.EXE.
2.Performing a Windows/Microsoft update also requires it.
3.Left alone, as in this example its very active by itself.

The most frightening part of SVCHOST.EXE is that is runs under credential of System, Network Services and frighteners me running under Local Services account and you cannot disable this service ? only block its activity by a software firewall

There is not a great deal in information about the need for SVCHOST.EXE, however running with credentials of the local services account it not only sends a stream of HTTP traffic to M$ IP's, however it also sends HTTPS traffic to either Hotmail IP's .

I normally constrain SVCHOST.EXE activities by using a personal firewall and BLOCK this service from having unrestricted access to the internet when and if it want to.

The below traffic was caught on a System Log generated by my IDS as it views each and every packet sent or received and here is an example of SVCHOST.EXE operating in an unconfined sense.

I will help you read the information by putting headers in, but you can see how much activity SVCHOST.EXE contributes to you network congestion.

The IP range 207.46.0.0/16 is register to M$ Corporation and the
IP range 208.169.96.0/19, 208.169.128.0/17, 208.170.0.0/15, 208.172.0.0/16, 208.173.0.0/17, 208.173.128.0/18 belongs to one of our major Internet DNS servers,
IP Range 67.72.116.32/27 ? belongs to Ian McCarty ad the rest belong to
IP Range 64.4.0.0/18 belong to Hot Mail

After you get sick of paging down you can see that SVCHOST.EXE will originate from ANY of your PC IP range above 1024 ? not that unusual.

This capture was performed on an Idle PC doing nothing at 01:15 in the morning. Initiated by the program itself. I don't know what is in the information, but my burning question is why does an Idle XP PC need to send out so much traffic. Forget about resolving DNS for the PC this is straight activity exiting Port 80 of you PC(s) every moment of the day.

I am sorry I could not preserve the Tab stops in the table below - have a good look at the time period, when the PC was idol

If you have a software firewall I would strongly suggest you deny the program access outbound and only release it if you need to perform an update or synchronise the system time.

As for the other traffic generated 24/7 I have NO idea about its content, nor any reason why its frequency exists, but all I know is that it self generates a lot of outbound traffic, you precious bandwidth can do without.
Draw you our conclusions as to the purpose of this traffic. - It cannot, but I nick name it the I.T factor ? Phone home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Time TCP Origin Port Destination IP/Outgoing Port Program initiating Traffic

0:01:15 TCP 1549 207.46.253.93 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
0:01:15 TCP 1550 207.46.157.61 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
0:01:15 TCP 1551 207.46.244.253 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
0:01:15 TCP 1552 207.46.253.93 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
0:01:15 TCP 1553 207.46.157.61 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
0:01:15 TCP 1554 207.46.244.253 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
0:01:15 TCP 1555 207.46.253.93 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
0:01:15 TCP 1556 207.46.157.61 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
0:01:15 TCP 1557 207.46.244.253 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
0:01:15 TCP 1558 207.46.253.93 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
0:01:15 TCP 1559 207.46.157.61 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
0:01:15 TCP 1560 207.46.244.253 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
0:01:34 TCP 1563 208.172.128.222 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
0:21:38 TCP 1570 208.172.128.222 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
0:41:42 TCP 1576 208.172.128.222 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
1:01:47 TCP 1582 208.172.128.222 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
1:21:51 TCP 1588 208.172.128.222 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
1:41:56 TCP 1594 208.172.128.222 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
2:02:00 TCP 1600 208.172.128.222 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
2:02:56 TCP 1603 208.172.128.222 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
2:23:00 TCP 1609 208.172.128.222 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
2:43:04 TCP 1615 208.172.128.222 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
5:26:29 TCP 1629 67.72.116.62 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
5:26:29 TCP 1630 208.172.128.222 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
5:46:33 TCP 1636 208.172.64.254 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
5:46:33 TCP 1637 67.72.116.62 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
5:46:33 TCP 1638 68.120.74.254 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
6:04:07 TCP 1642 207.46.253.93 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
6:04:07 TCP 1643 64.4.21.61 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
6:04:07 TCP 1644 207.46.198.93 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
6:04:07 TCP 1645 207.46.253.93 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
6:04:07 TCP 1646 64.4.21.61 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
6:04:07 TCP 1647 207.46.198.93 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
6:04:07 TCP 1648 207.46.253.93 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
6:04:07 TCP 1649 64.4.21.61 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
6:04:07 TCP 1650 207.46.198.93 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
6:04:07 TCP 1651 207.46.253.93 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
6:04:07 TCP 1652 64.4.21.61 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
6:04:07 TCP 1653 207.46.198.93 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
6:04:28 TCP 1655 207.46.13.28 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
6:24:32 TCP 1663 207.46.13.30 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
6:44:36 TCP 1669 209.245.20.94 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
6:44:36 TCP 1670 4.78.214.61 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
7:02:47 TCP 1676 207.46.253.219 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
7:04:40 TCP 1680 68.120.74.254 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
7:04:40 TCP 1681 208.172.158.222 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
7:04:40 TCP 1682 4.79.74.61 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
7:24:44 TCP 1689 68.120.74.254 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
7:24:44 TCP 1690 208.172.91.61 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
7:24:44 TCP 1691 67.72.4.94 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
7:44:48 TCP 1697 63.236.111.222 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
7:44:48 TCP 1698 208.172.158.222 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
7:44:48 TCP 1699 4.78.214.61 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:04:23 TCP 1704 207.46.253.157 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:04:23 TCP 1705 64.4.21.189 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:04:23 TCP 1706 207.46.156.25 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:04:23 TCP 1707 207.46.253.157 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:04:23 TCP 1708 64.4.21.189 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:04:23 TCP 1709 207.46.156.25 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:04:23 TCP 1710 207.46.253.157 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:04:23 TCP 1711 64.4.21.189 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:04:23 TCP 1712 207.46.156.25 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:04:23 TCP 1713 207.46.253.157 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:04:23 TCP 1714 64.4.21.189 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:04:23 TCP 1715 207.46.156.25 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:04:43 TCP 1717 67.72.116.62 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:04:43 TCP 1718 206.24.192.252 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:04:43 TCP 1719 67.72.4.94 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:06:12 TCP 1722 68.120.74.254 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:06:12 TCP 1723 208.172.158.222 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:06:12 TCP 1724 67.72.116.62 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:06:12 TCP 1725 68.120.74.254 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:06:12 TCP 1726 208.172.158.222 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:06:12 TCP 1727 67.72.116.62 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:06:12 TCP 1728 68.120.74.254 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:06:12 TCP 1729 208.172.158.222 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:06:12 TCP 1730 67.72.116.62 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:06:12 TCP 1731 68.120.74.254 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:06:12 TCP 1732 208.172.158.222 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:06:12 TCP 1733 67.72.116.62 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:06:27 TCP 1734 144.135.8.200 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:06:27 TCP 1735 144.135.8.207 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:06:27 TCP 1736 144.135.8.200 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:06:27 TCP 1737 144.135.8.207 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:06:27 TCP 1738 144.135.8.200 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:06:27 TCP 1739 144.135.8.207 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:06:27 TCP 1740 144.135.8.200 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:06:27 TCP 1741 144.135.8.207 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:06:42 TCP 1742 64.4.21.189 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:06:42 TCP 1743 207.46.156.25 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:06:42 TCP 1744 207.46.253.157 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:06:42 TCP 1745 64.4.21.189 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:06:42 TCP 1746 207.46.156.25 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:06:42 TCP 1747 207.46.253.157 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:06:42 TCP 1748 64.4.21.189 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:06:42 TCP 1749 207.46.156.25 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:06:42 TCP 1750 207.46.253.157 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:06:42 TCP 1751 64.4.21.189 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:06:42 TCP 1752 207.46.156.25 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:06:42 TCP 1753 207.46.253.157 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:24:47 TCP 1759 67.72.116.62 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:24:47 TCP 1760 64.158.92.62 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:24:47 TCP 1761 65.59.184.62 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:44:51 TCP 1767 64.4.20.62 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
8:52:30 TCP 1770 207.46.253.219 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
9:04:56 TCP 1775 63.236.48.222 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
9:04:56 TCP 1776 63.236.111.222 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
9:04:56 TCP 1777 209.245.20.94 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
9:25:00 TCP 1792 67.72.116.62 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
9:25:00 TCP 1793 206.24.192.222 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
9:25:00 TCP 1794 4.79.74.61 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
9:45:05 TCP 1837 206.24.192.252 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
9:45:05 TCP 1838 208.172.96.222 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE
9:45:05 TCP 1839 206.24.190.190 80 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SVCHOST.EXE

From the link in the article I read the PowerPoint "Evolving the PC Platform: Chipset Directions for 2005 and Beyond [WinHEC 2005; 908 KB]" (http://download.microsoft.com/download/9/8/f/98f3fe47-dfc3-4e74-92a3-088782200fe7/TWDT05001_WinHEC05.ppt).

Here are some quotes and my thoughts on MS's ideas.

Slide 5: "What Is Driving Change In Chipsets?"
.
.
.
.
.
? Security/content protection
////"protection" from the user!

Slide 11: "Security & Content Protection Needs"
.
.
? Premium content owners demand protection
////DRM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Slide 15: "Take Advantage of Offload Technologies"
////Offload==done by hardware (that might be) managed by OS
.
? Networking Offload
? Firewall Offload
.
? Cryptography Offload
////Can we say "Clipper Chip?"
? Protect massive amounts of data & media content moving to/from storage across internal PC bus

Slide 19: "Leveraging Multi-Core Processors"
.
?Multi-core processor is more power efficient compared to 2 single core processors
////Why are they planning to "offload" all these things to other chips (processors) if multi-core CPUs are more efficient?
.

Slide 20: "Securing the Platform & Network"
.
? Cryptography Offload
////In addition to "Clipper Chip" types of concerns, how could it be updated if a security flaw is detected?
? Firewall Offload
////The high-speed wireless internet router handles this just fine (using the *software* that it runs)! Software firewalls work just fine too!
? TCP Offload
////At this point, we're going to need to "offload" the interfaces for all these new chips. The OS will probably /need/ to be "offloaded" as well.

Slide 22: "Cryptography Offload"
? Using the distributed resources of the PC while in a low power state will necessitate being able to offload the cryptography task for I/O to a dedicated engine in the chipset
? Example: using the GPU to transcode premium content on demand for downloading to a portable media center
////Why would the computer be in a low power mode to do that?
////Why not just *not encode* the "premium content?" Pirates will always find workarounds anyway!
? Not just networking ? storage, audio, and others
////DRM + WGA in hardware form == System refuses to run non-M$ OS's

Slide 23: "Hardware Firewall Offload"
.
? As bandwidth increases demand on the firewall will strip CPU capacity to keep up
////A firewall is like a traffic light; as capacity and utilization increase, they don't have to run that many times faster.

Slide 24: "Managing the Platform"
? Numerous vital tasks running in the background
? Virus, anti-spyware scanning
////What about not installing any to begin with!!!
? Search engine indexing
////"Vital tasks?"
? SW updates
? System maintenance tasks running inthe background
? Disk optimization
? System optimization
? Media & secure content consolidation and protection
////While you sleep, it's locking away your files to keep protect them from the evil software pirate that is you....
? Diagnostic and troubleshooting support
? Hardware automation for common tasks orcomplex tasks
////Sounds like the OS isn't going to need to do much of anything if the hardware does all this!
? Failure prediction and analysis
////So M$ wants the *hardware* to be the fix for Blue Screens of Death, etc.?...

Slide 32: "Call to Action"
? Design for thermal (power) management flexibility
? Always on, always working
////Working on what?
? Implement intelligence to offload user tasks
////So now all the OS does for the user is decide what microchip to delegate the task to?
? Use existing Industry Standards ? don?t reinvent the wheel, just improve it
////It's just that their definition of "industry" is different then most everyone else's....
? Write applications to utilize offload capability provided by Windows
////So now the apps will have to tell the OS what chip they should run on....
? Work with Microsoft and industry partners to standardize support for advanced scenarios
////"Industry partners?"