60% Of Windows Vista Code To Be Rewritten

Alien54 writes "Up to 60% of the code in the new consumer version of Microsoft new Vista operating system is set to be rewritten as the Company "scrambles" to fix internal problems, according to this report. In an effort to meet a deadline of the 2007 CES show in Las Vegas Microsoft has pulled programmers from the highly succesful Xbox team to help resolve many problems associated with entertainment and media centre functionality inside the OS. Much more at the link."

Wow! 60%??!!

[Anonymous Coward]

That's a lot of GoTo statements!!!

Apple, "MacOS W", & the real reason for the de

[Anonymous Coward]

The real reason for the delay is an event that occurred this Tuesday, which was written up by an Apple Insider [macrumors.com] in the famous MacRumors forums. I quote the post below in full. My comments are at the end.

The board meeting

So it's Tuesday morning at Apple. The boardroom is having another meeting about the future of the Macintosh. They're perusing the feedback over the unofficial port of Windows to the Mac, and considering the consequences. There's a whole bunch of things on the agenda. OS development is hard, and it's expensive. Their competitors, Sony and Lenevo, doesn't need to do it, and they're doing pretty well all in all. Plus, there's the whole break up plan. When Apple separates into Apple Macintosh Inc and iTunes Corp, how attractive will Apple Macintosh be as a take-over target? The whole move to Intel will be for naught if it hasn't made Dell and friends just a little more excited and comfortable they could fit the Macintosh into their lines.

Apple has some little development projects on the boil and has for some time. To begin with, it's pretty much completely reimplemented the Carbon APIs under Windows. Indeed, that's how iTunes and Quicktime are implemented. But, interestingly, so are the Cocoa APIs. They're all there, Apple never stopped developing them, even after it nixed WebObjects for that platform. It's also in need of certain features that would help it with the future. Apple has no "managed code" environment - it supported Java to a certain extent, but Cocoa never was a perfect fit for that. Apple's progress with .NET, unofficially, under Windows and OS X, is coming along surprisingly well.

As time has gone on, the notion of switching to Windows as the base platform really has gotten more and more plausable. There are still roadblocks, Apple needs Microsoft to provide them with a little more customizability of the UI. A switch to Windows without providing the essential Macintosh experience just wouldn't do. But, well, .NET, and Aero, are Microsoft's attempts to break with the past. Perhaps an OS built upon these APIs could, with Microsoft's help, look entirely like a Mac environment - with the right code, obviously. You don't want a Dell user flipping a registry switch and getting a Mac.

It's clear that whatever happens, OS X is doomed. Postings by MacRumors alumni arguing that the porting of Windows to the Mac spells disaster are read out, and largely agreed with. But the question then is - does Apple continue to pour money into OS X, or could Gates and Ballmer be ameanable to making the modifications needed to make Windows Vista the next Macintosh OS?

The phone call

Jobs picks up the phone and calls Gates. There's a brief discussion, and then the phone's put down. A few minutes later, the phone rings. It's Ballmer, Gates, and Allchin.

"We think we can do it, Steve" says Bill Gates. "I mean, this is a major thing for us. It's a coup, and I know you know we're thinking it. So we're going to help in any way we can."

Allchin interjects: "Funnily enough, from our end, the code's largely there. We need a bit more time. WinFS needs some work - we'd put it on hold, but if you're going to want Spotlight on this OS, we'll need to finish it. Sticking menus at the top of the screen and reordering them... that's easy stuff. We'd appreciate it if you ported your own Dock and Finder, you can keep that proprietary if you want."

Jobs smiles. "That's perfect for us. Means we keep control over the so-called Macintosh experience. That's really the only reason we've stuck with our own operating systems for so long."

Ballmer speaks next. "Well, I'm looking at the timings, we can probably get things to you in a service pack for Vista, perhaps in April or May of 2007?"

"January", says Jobs. "It's got to be January. I want to go to MacWorld, and announce a new operating system, Mac OS W, th

Third Rule of Software Development

[Error27]

Always add gaming programmers late in the project and to improve security and reliability.

Come on

[Serapth]

When has Smarthouse.com.au steered you wrong in the past????

Seriously, some of the shit that gets posted on Slashdot is the geek equivelant of a tabloid.

What is it, Bash Microsoft Day at the press core?

[soren42]

Wow, does it suck to be Microsoft today... just look at the homepage of Slashdot:

• 60% of Windows Vista Code to be Rewritten [slashdot.org]
• Forbes Says Vista Not People Ready [slashdot.org] (do people really run Windows? I thought it was more for computers... kidding...)
• Office Delayed, Too [slashdot.org] (Why was the title of this article "Too" when it was posted before the Windows delay articles???)
• Highly Critical Hole Found in IE [slashdot.org]

The hits just keep coming... I'm no Microsoft supporter, but that's a lot of bad PR for any company in one day - makes you feel sorry for them.

I wonder if all this negative press will affect their stock price [yahoo.com] in trading today. (Makes you feel sorry for their shareholders!)

classic managment mistake

[geekoid]

When you run into a large issue, you don't pull people off another project to help.

It's like getting 3 women pregnant so you can have a baby in 3 months.

You need to define your new schedule and stick to that. otherwise you end up with a slower schedule and a different set of bugs.

Re:Please Don't Interpret this Incorrectly

[DebianDog]

Heck... let's make it 95% to 100% and I will consider going back to Windows!

Re:Come on

[general_re]

When has Smarthouse.com.au steered you wrong in the past????

Never. Not one single time. Who the fuck is smarthouse.com.au?

Re:What is it, Bash Microsoft Day at the press cor

[Anonymous Coward]

No, it's a normal day at Slashdot.
Nothing to see here, move along.

"Vista is People Ready"

[tegeus]

Just not computer ready....sigh

Slow news day?

[paeanblack]

Microsoft is pulling some staff from an finished project and assigning them to an unfinished project...targeting a similar market, no less...

Brilliant!

So what?

[helix_r]

Shut up, fools, 99+% of you are going to end up using Vista anyway.

Re:Apple, "MacOS W", & the real reason for the

[Mr Z]

Darn it, I read this post without my tinfoil accessories. [lessemf.com]

--Joe

Xbox code

[Rob T Firefly]

Microsoft has pulled programmers from the highly succesful Xbox team to help resolve many problems associated with entertainment and media centre functionality inside the OS.

Xbox code in Vista! Think of the possibilites!!

When we get the Blue Screen of Death we can simply wait a few seconds and respawn somewhere nearby our original desktop.

We can use a Gameshark to hack ourselves more time or chances to get our work done.

We can whip out a plasma rifle from "Halo" to frag Clippy with.

Re:So what?

[fatted]

Shut up, fools, 99+% of you are going to end up using Vista anyway.

I think you'll find that the answer is merely 98.2%. Who's the fool NOW!!

Re:classic managment mistake

[Anonymous Coward]

Are you implying that my 9-woman beo-womb cluster is infeasible?

LIAR!

Baby-making WILL be revolutionized!

Re:Third Rule of Software Development

[Linker3000]

"Looks like you are writing a letter- man, that's sooo boring - hows about I fire up Duke Nuken Forever and we play one on one for a while?"

Re:Apple, "MacOS W", & the real reason for the

[Zontar_Thing_From_Ve]

Let's see... if true, this would mean that consumers would get a double benefit - they would pay MORE for an Apple PC than a non-Apple PC AND (drumroll, please!) they would get to use "quality" Microsoft software on this PC!

If true, let me tell you what over 90% of the consumers out there would say. These are the people who are not Apple fanboys. "You seriously expect me to pay MORE for an Apple PC than a non-Apple PC just to run Windows?!? When both PCs will run it? Are you out of your freakin' mind?!?" And Apple soon joins DEC in the computer afterlife.

Re:Wow! 60%??!!

[birder]

That's what they get for giving it to their "goto guy".

Re:Apple, "MacOS W", & the real reason for the

[Anonymous Coward]

& then Jobs reaches under the desk and pulls out a minigun. He jumps on the desk and sprays the boardroom with thousands of bullets, laughing manically. An SWAT team storm the building and wrestle Jobs to the ground. Then you woke up.

I have access the vista code!

[hsoft]

It went from:

#import <WinXP.h>

WinXPApplyTheme(PRETTY_THEME);
WinXP RunLoop();

to:

#import <WinXP.h>

WinXPApplyTheme(PRETTIER_THEME); //To "Impact people" better
WinXPApplyPolicy(DISALLOW_GATOR); //For improved security
WinXPRunLoop(); // We're going to f___ing kill google!

Re:Third Rule of Software Development

[maxwell demon]

Always add gaming programmers late in the project and to improve security and reliability.

Of course. For example, the programmers of FPS games are likely good at writing AI which fights against the user. Just the thing you need for a secure OS, because you know, the biggest security problem often sits in front of the screen.

Re:Come on

[Dystopian Rebel]

Slashdot is the geek equivelant of a tabloid.

This is simply not true.

If Slashdot were like a tabloid, we'd have poorly written diatribes everywhere and a picture of a naked woman on Page 2.

Cowboy Neal, I'm waiting for Page 2.

Xbox coders

[slapout]

Microsoft has pulled programmers from the highly succesful Xbox team

So that's why Halo 2 will require Windows Vista!

Re:Apple, "MacOS W", & the real reason for the

[MooUK]

Nicely written story. But there's one major flaw that makes it entirely unbelievable.

No airborne chairs.

Re:The Mythical Man Month.

[0kComputer]

Hence the expression "9 women can't have a baby in 1 month."

Re:Come on

[notnAP]

...we'd have poorly written diatribes everywhere and a picture of a naked woman on Page 2.
Cowboy Neal, I'm waiting for Page 2.

Please Dear God may I not find a picture of a naked Cowboy Neal on page 2 tomorrow.

Re:Interpret this

[bckrispi]

whatever comes out of this will be a cobbled together train wreck.

Ahh, so you've used Windows ME too, then.

Re:The Mythical Man Month.

[gowen]

There's a quote in "The Bluffers Guide To Maths" that say

If a five-piece jazz band can play 'Honeysuckle Rose' in six minutes, you might think a ten-piece could play it in three minutes. In fact, it would take at least 12, because everybody's got to have time to take a solo

Re:Wow! 60%??!!

[KilobyteKnight]

Apparently there was an error in the job listing. They were looking for a "go for" guy. And now, since they don't have coffee and fast food 60% of the project has to be redone.

... vs. First Law of Robotics

[abb3w]

because you know, the biggest security problem often sits in front of the screen

Yes, but since HAL would agree [imdb.com], using FPS programmers in this context leaves me a with a edge of nervousness.

Re:Please Don't Interpret this Incorrectly

[Jeff Carr]

Here's to hoping the rewrite of Vista will be looking something like this:

cg-clone git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stab le/linux-2.6.16.y.git make config make sudo make modules-install

Re:So what?

[fatted]

My next computer will be a Mac. XP is the last version for me.

Yeah,we know your type. You'll be DUAL-booting in no time!

We're WATCHING YOU!

Re:Already covered and discussed on digg.com

[Overly Critical Guy]

Us Slashdot idiots don't want you here if the most constructive thing you can come up with is "We're already discussing it on digg".

It's "We Slashdot idiots."

Re:so lets make a list..

[ronanbear]

10 ???

11 profit!!!

It was all GPLed code

[doorbender]

It was all GPLed code that accidently got in.

Re:Please Don't Interpret this Incorrectly

[badasscat]

Actually I wonder which half is being re-written?

Knowing Microsoft, probably the good half.

In other news...

[Gruneun]

just look at the homepage of Slashdot

that's a lot of bad PR for any company in one day

In other news, the local pro-life newsletters had several scathing articles about abortion.

Re:Please Don't Interpret this Incorrectly

[pintpusher]

you misspelled pugrade. Its poo-grade.

poo-grade: n. 1 a collection of one or more system software packages mostly comprised of poo. 2. shit on a disk. Usage I've downloaded our poo-grade and it is ready to install.

poo-grade: v. 1. the act of replacing existing system poo with new and improved system poo. Usage: It is time to poo-grade the main file server, please back up your shit. Thanks, sincerely BOFH.

Re:What is it, Bash Microsoft Day at the press cor

[jafac]

So, on Monday, we'll find out that Microsoft is dumping Intel, and partnering with IBM to produce a new Personal Computing Platform based on PowerPC, and Vista will be ported to, and run exclusively on this new PPC platform.

(stranger things have happened: MacOS X86, Xbox360. . . . )

Re:What is it, Bash Microsoft Day at the press cor

[friedman101]

No one feels sorry for Microsoft shareholders.

Re:Please Don't Interpret this Incorrectly

[martalli]

Maybe they found some SCO code in Vista...