Such is the mindset at Microsoft these days or so it appears. This time, though, the feature axed is not another feature of Vista lost in its inexorable efforts to push the box out the door in time for the Christmas rush. At least, it won’t be a major loss.
The amputated appendage will be the ability of the 32-bit version of Vista to play Blu-ray or HD-DVD disc content. And, in this case, it’s not some huge technical problem or lack of time that is going to keep this feature out of the shrinking lineup of feature sets. No, this time we have Microsoft’s invertebrate status to thank. It’s knuckled under AGAIN to the pressure from the MPAA and Hollywood. According to an article in APC Magazine (no, not THAT APC) the Big Boys do NOT want people playing HD content on any old 32-bit machines.
Where will this kind of thing end? Will we be required to have Movie Police come into our homes to certify that our home theaters and PCs aren’t breaking any of their rules before we can turn on the set and sit down to watch the evening news? We really wish that Microsoft would show a little backbone.
[tags]vista,hd-dvd,microsoft,blu-ray,copy protection,hd[/tags]