Microsoft revealed today that it will not support EFI booting for Windows Vista on its launch. The news will be a shock for owners of Intel Macs who had hoped they would be able to dual-boot between Windows Vista and OS X. Intel Macs only support booting via EFI. [read]
This really says a lot about M$. The comment below sums it up perfectly.
No disrespect, but who cares that *Mac* users won’t be able to boot Windows… this is a MUCH bigger issue.
BIOS is the last creaky part of the PC software system – a 25 year old relic that OSes like Linux basically do their best to get around.
While it’s been hacked and cobbled together to make it work with new devices like USB external drives, the lack of a consistent, unified boot system is beginning to seriously compromise the ability to move PCs into the next generation.
Microsoft never seems to learn that they have to be leaders not followers in this domain. If MS doesn’t build EFI booting in because there’s not enough machines with EFI – then there won’t be any new machines that use it because they won’t have a way to boot! Chicken and egg!
The same lack of forward thinking has all but killed Bluetooth outside of Macs and cellphones. Microsoft could have taken the Bluetooth market for their own.
Even USB was an afterthought – TWICE – USB 1.1 didn’t get added until Win98SE and then USB2 didn’t get added until WinXPSP2.
They say it’s for support but it seems as if M$ rather screw a few Mac users and sell a few Virtual PC for mac boxes before being proactive for all of us. Just another reason I hate MicroSoft.
