Is this an idea so that they could compile code to a RISC like instruction set running on a GPU like architecture with many simple parallel CPU like cores? GPUs have WIDE address buses, and this is logically an extension of NVidia's CUDA.

Thats may be what is going on. Given NVidia's positioning in business wih regard to Intel and ATI/AMD, maybe this is their ace os spades play with MS.

I was on OS X and had OSS HELL for getting things going for the stuff I work on - changing boot functionality for starting stuff I have to hand install is not good.

went back to amd 64 and Ubuntu Linux

Tell him to go and get an SBLive of some sort - once
you get it going, this cheap card has 32 hardware stereo input channels!

Someone distribution should also get jack working in behind whatever ausio hook up they use...