Most of you probably know, Microsoft is coming out with a gaming console named the X-Box.
The X-Box, a videogame console based on PC components including an x86 chip and the Windows 2000 kernel, is Microsoft’s take on a single platform with a common architecture for the next generation of content.
I have at least one problem with it. That is, I am not fond of using the archaic x86 architecture. I’m sure they know what they’re doing and will be able to optimize it accordingly, but it still automatically strikes me as old/slow and the only reason the PC market holds on to it is for compatibility reasons. That may not be 100% accurate, but that’s the impression I get. They say the reason they went with x86 is this,
“Our goal is to enable developers to create better console games faster,” Bacchus said. “We wanted to give developers a platform they understood and was well supported so they didn’t have to learn the quirks of the platform.”
That definitely does make sense, and must be a good enough reason for them to stick with it. There’s plenty of time left before it makes it close to hitting shelves (it’s scheduled for Fall ’01), so we’ll see what happens. Check the source for more details.
On a side note, Wired must have just changed their layout cause it’s different now and it wasn’t last time I saw it.
Source: Wired
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