...from refusing to support their OS if it's used with non-MS hardware and peripherals.

Hard times and all that, but they are obviously trying to increase revenue by trying to gently push customers in the direction of MS kit. Two problems with this; firstly I can already see other hardware manufacturers considering legal action on anti trust grounds; and secondly they will probably scare potential Windows 7 customers away. On reading this latest advice I'm sure some people will be concerned that Windows 7 won't work with their non-MS hardware.

Bit of an own goal really.

I've always wondered why drivers for USB devices aren't included on the device itself.

Imagine, there is a standard 'blank' USB device that is something like a USB flash drive (from a driver perspective). The drivers for this 'industry standard' device are shipped with all operating systems.

Every USB device, for example printers, are recognised as one of these generic devices by default. Now, the printer has a small amount of read only memory that contains the applicable driver for all operating systems its supported on.

This 'blank' driver knows enough to (a) configure the device as this magic default, and (b) upgrade the dirver with the appropiate driver as found on the device itself or check an internet location for a later version (as defined in some sort of config file on the device itself, say XML).

This would allow for operating systems to ship with minimal drivers pre-installed, reducing footprint. Obviously this would not be applicable for all instances and device types, and there would probably be security risks too.

but would you really trust a mouse manufacturer to write an operating system?

...I can see another anti-trust coming on.

Oddly enough, MS hardware is actually pretty good, and fairly abuse-resistant.

I've had one of their keyboards for a good 5 years worth of pounding on, and it's taken it all.

But yeah, no surprises here otherwise.

MS compete on the hardware side. Apple cannot survive competition, that is why it is FORCING the extremly simple minded customer stupid enough to buy Apple crap to use Apple Crap Hardware (and software).

Apple is leader in anti-consumer behaviour. once Apple got your money, they only want one thing... more money. and they will do anything to get it, expecialy by selling you generic x86 hardware in shiny plastic case (that emit toxic fumes) at a grossly inflated price.

"Apple insist you use their hardware why should Microsoft be any different"

This is very good comment, I totally forgot about it.

Who cares if they promote their keyboard and mouse. Of course other brands are going to work, this is just their chance to push their hardware. Btw I own Microsoft Natural Ergo 4000 Keyboard and I love it. I care less if it has MS logo or not, it just works great. But it's just a dam keyboard, nothing more nothing less.

Just like Apple then...

The MS hardware I've got is generally quite nice. Makes me suspect that it's someone else's work, rebranded, but it all works fine under Ubuntu. More than I can say for the Vista debacle, where the computer was useless, and it's not exactly working great under Win 7 beta either.

As Tom says, I'm expecting a very quick u-turn from them, or a referral to the EU monopolies/competition people...

"but would you really trust a mouse manufacturer to write an operating system?"

Yeah, about as much as I'd trust Microsoft to write an operating system...

Duh. They make that hardware for their coding monkeys. That's like making toys for little kids. It has to be nearly impossible to break otherwise it'll break on day 1.

Microsoft Hardware (that "works").

Yes, they can make keyboards and mice, but that appears to be about it. Put any complexity in it, and it will probably only work with XP. If you want to upgrade to Vista, or Windows 07, you will need to spend $$$$$. Oh, well..

Just saw a news item on the Manchester Guardian's website. Shock! Horror! Apparently, Windows 7 will not be offered by Microsoft to netbook manufacturers who use the ARM processor in their products. I'm not clear what the netbook maker whose comments the article featured was expecting; an ARM port of Windows 7, like Windows Mobile, wouldn't be able to run the Windows programs you see in the shops (x86 binaries, don't you know) any more than Linux would. In fact, thanks to Wine, rather less well than Linux running on Intel, AMD, or Via hardware.

although aren't all their current peripherals actually made by Logitech anyway?

Manufacturers love OS changes. One new OS, and all old devices stop working. Manufacturers could spend money writing new drivers for their obsolete hardware, or they can sit back and let you buy replacement hardware to get the driver you need.

I can imaging that Microsoft has as much difficulty getting programming specs out of manufacturers as Linux programmers do. I respect Microsoft for not playing the same game with their own hardware. Their operating system may be an overpriced resource hog fit only for malware, but I have been impressed by the quality of their mice (mine still works after about 12 years).

@Mark Legosz: Cost

The cost of some flash increased by 30% for each layer of the distribution chain is significant on a £5 mouse. Instead, USB devices identify themselves as firmware devices. The operating system gets the device ID, uses that to get the firmware, sends it to the device and resets the device. The device then identifies itself as a webcam or whatever without having to include more than 16 bits of non-volatile storage.

OK, so they are trying to give end-users the best possible experience... but there's more to it than just the peripherals. Microsoft need to be setting strict guidelines about the core specs of the machines first.

Desktop PCs with 448MB RAM, 80GB Hard disks and a 2.4GHz Celeron processor should NEVER have been *allowed* to run Vista, or show a Vista logo. Yet they did, and novices saw the cheap price, and bought it. Then slagged off Vista. Well, duh!!!! No decent keyboard or mouse could sort that disaster out.

If Microsoft want Windows 7 to get a good reputation, make the minimum requirements 2GB RAM and a proper processor. Hell, even netbooks could handle that.

Unfortunately Autoconfig died along with the Amiga. The idea that hardware should just be recognised by reading the information directly from the hardware apparently wasn't something other OS creators were capable of reproducing reliably. Of course not every manufacturer of hardware is willing to go the extra inch of having identifying information stored within the hardware itself, but most do. The very fact things like digital cameras and usb flash drives usually don't need drivers shows it can be done even under Windows or OS X.

Does this mean the MS Sidewinder Strategic Commander will finally work again, after they broke it for Vista and 64 bit OSes?

just imagine if MS did have peripherals that only worked with their software ....... antitrust would come calling faster than they could plug it in. Its just another case of Redmond Press Corp opening mouth and inserting foot ..

@Mark Legosz, no thanks... Problems I see:

1) There are a few broadband cards that do this, and it ends up being rather gross... They either show up as the device *and* a superfluos USB drive, or they show up as a USB drive until some "magic bit" is flipped on it, then show as the actual device only. Either is rather inelegant in practice...

2) "All supported OSes" means Windows and *possibly* OSX, I don't want the added complexity and costs for something that'll do me no good.

3) There's USB standards, the devices should just follow them. Then, no drivers are necessary (beyond basic USB drivers), simple as that. Printers "should" use Postscript (preferably..), PCL5, or standardize on a raster format. But they don't to cut costs.

4) You won't cut the footprint much by excising the drivers out of *most* OSes. Ubuntu, all the drivers included are probably about 200MB or less total, and that's including devices from the mists of time that Windows dropped support for years ago. OSX's drivers aren't too big either.

---------------------------------

Microsoft -- please, what a silly way to push your hardware.... one thing I do have to grant them, they took a hard line with Vista and told webcam makes to quit making non-standard USB webcams, follow USB video standard or else. And they do now (keyboard, mouse, and gaming device makers already were following standards.). With that said, this means gaming devices, keyboards, mice, and web cams will work no matter who makes them, no Microsoft-branding needed (and, on the flip side, Linux has tons of webcam drivers to handle older webcams, but you can buy a new one without worrying about it since they follow standards.)

As noted, Microsoft actually makes pretty decent keyboards and mice. My computers run linux, but my keyboards are from Microsoft. Does this mean that future Microsoft peripherals will be deliberately incompatible with anything non-Microsoft? Although this certainly wouldn't surprise me, such a policy does seem unusually stupid, even for them... Oh well, plenty of other keyboards out there.

Microsoft, for years has been known as the makes of really good hardware and so-so operating systems. If it wasnt for their hardware i would say that Microsoft was suffering from "Symantec Syndrome"! A company thats better at making money than they are at making useful products...

As for them getting some anti-trust lovin', thats wont happen, not in this case anyway, in order to qualify as a monopoly one must control 70% of a given market, which, in this case, Microsoft doesnt, nor are they the biggest supplier. Logitech holds the biggest market share for mouse and keyboards.

Microsoft has been producing hardware for over a couple decades... so why now all of a sudden would this be considered an anti-trust issue? From the gist of the press release it more or less sounded to me that MS is just guaranteeing that their hardware will be compatible with Windows 7, and some of the hardware may have Windows 7 specific enhancements. Big-woop.

As to the "drivers on the device" comment, the most common USB device that I can think of that most OS's don't necessarily have drivers for are printers. Have you looked at the size of most printer drivers lately? I mean JUST the driver, not all the support software that goes along with most printers? They can be HUGE. I doubt most manufacturers are willing to add a ROM/SRAM to store the drivers for multiple OS's on their device just for your convenience and to cut down on the OS size. You can just install it from the CD/DVD or download it yourself, thank you very much. Interesting idea, but one that isn't going to gain acceptance.

They can make some damn good mice and keyboards, and I believe it stems from their philosophy of viewing everything from the users perspective, their mice are a joy to handle, their keyboards are only beaten by IBM laptop keyboards. The same applies to their software, the UI is usually well thought out and it just works, things are where you expect them to be (usually again...) I think they take anthropometrics and ergonomics very seriously, its a shame the backend of their software is such a mess.

"..mice, keyboards, webcams.........",

What fantastic new innovations!

Oh, wait...

will it's mice and keyboards be any different to those sold by other manufacturers?

Ctrl+Alt+Delete will all be on the same key now?

All jokes aside, they still have to compete with the hundreds of other hardware manufacturers who are still going to be supplying Windows drivers with their products. And Microsoft will surely carry on including drivers for the vast majority of generic input devices with WIndows.

So basically Microsoft is punting it's hardware, not massive news.

Wake me up when you get the first reports of computers going tits up despite using MS software + hardware.

Why all the negativity? They're simply reassuring their customers that their hardware will work seamlessly with their latest operating system? And so it should. However, I don't see what the problem is? They make good hardware too and all this does is increase consumer confidence.