back to article FYI: Qualcomm hasn't given up on Arm-based Windows 10 slabtops

Like a lawman in an old-timey Western movie running while firing his pistol at escaping bandits, Qualcomm is running through PC land shooting out Snapdragon system-on-chips at computer manufacturers. Today, in time for Computex in Taiwan, Qualy emitted details of the Snapdragon 850, a 64-bit Arm-compatible octo-core processor …

  1. Shadow Systems

    But can it run Linux?

    I wouldn't be an early adopter, I let others be the beta testers to iron out all the bugs, but I'd be interested if the MS shit can be wiped off & a real OS can be installed instead.

    1. DanceMan

      Re: But can it run Linux?

      My question also.

      This report could have mentioned ARM kernels for linux and whether this also requires window managers and apps coded for ARM.

    2. Geoff Campbell Silver badge
      Windows

      Re: But can it run Linux?

      Linux generally lags a little behind the leading edge of available hardware (yeah, I know, your downvotes fall upon me like a gentle Spring rain. Now ask me if I care...)

      Given how compelling these devices look, I suspect full Linux builds will be available soon enough.

      GJC

      1. Charlie Clark Silver badge

        Re: But can it run Linux?

        Given how compelling these devices look, I suspect full Linux builds will be available soon enough.

        The lack of a need for binary code compatibility or emulator make these particularly suitable for non-Windows machines. As always, it will be the quality of the drivers, especially power management, that make or break them.

    3. Waseem Alkurdi

      Re: But can it run Linux?

      Don't want to spoil the fun, but apparently Microsoft loves UEFI Secure Boot, making it impossible to run unsigned EFI binaries.

      Remember the Windows RT tablets? They had this problem too (although GNU GRUB was later signed and there was that UEFI signing authority leak)

    4. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: But can it run Linux?

      Technically it should be able to, but knowing Microsoft, it will probably make it very hard or near impossible to do so. At the very least, it voids your warranty.

      Because it's a Qualcomm ARM chip, it should be able to run Android too, at least in theory.

      It's amusing to see Microsoft allying itself with Qualcomm, and distancing itself from its long-time ally Intel.

  2. Zippy's Sausage Factory

    I'm wondering whether Windows on ARM is starting to feel like OS/2 on PowerPC?

    By which I mean, it's an obvious next step and yet turns out not to be a good idea in practice.

    1. Charlie Clark Silver badge

      It's more like WinNT on DEC Alpha. OS/2 on anything was hobbled because OS/2 was a great OS for running Windows and DOS applications because you could give them each more RAM than they could ever get on DOS. The meant nobody bothered to develop native OS/2 apps regardless of what instruction set they were compiled for, but also that Windows on OS/2 on Power would be a dog without both Windows and the apps being recompiled for Power.

      Intel effectively got Microsoft to kill WinNT on DEC by getting them to move off HAL. This meant more work for porting to the undoubtedly better hardware at a time when Intel was able to regularly boost clock speeds.

    2. Wade Burchette

      Windows on ARM will never work unless I can run my programs (and not just apps) from 10 years ago on it. I have programs from over 10 years ago that I still use quite often. I cannot be the only one. Legacy compatibility is more important than people realize.

      1. tony72

        @Wade Burchette - that's what the x86 emulation is for, it's mentioned in the article. With 10 year old applications, it's even possible the performance won't suck too badly.

      2. Geoff Campbell Silver badge

        @Wade

        Windows on ARM has a full x86 emulation layer, so it should run any 32-bit x86 Windows apps seamlessly. Early reports seem to show that the performance hit isn't hideous, either - Windows Central said that the Snapdragon 835 based HP Envy X2 was "kinda like an i3 running native applications, and kinda like an Atom running emulated applications". Or something, quotes from memory of a podcast I listened too whilst driving a few days ago.

        The Snapdragon 845 and 850 should be even nicer, in theory. An interesting couple of years ahead.

        GJC

  3. bombastic bob Silver badge
    FAIL

    Hitching their wagons to Win-10-nic

    With Qualcomm and PC makers "hitching their wagons" to Win-10-nic, it is a recipe for FAIL, regardless.

    In case nobody ELSE noticed, Windows "Ape" and Windows 10 are _THE_ _BIGGEST_ reasons for slumps in the new PC market. For why would ANYONE _WANT_ to replace a perfectly good working Windows 7 machine with something that runs Win-10-nic?

    Yeah, I understand that hardware breaks over time, and this fact is going to force people to replace 'otherwise perfectly good' computers with "something off of the shelf" when they go titsup. But the fact remains (and this is based on me observing and reading news articles about it, etc., not just some rectal extrapolation): There is no real "wow" factor for Windows "Ape" and Win-10-nic, people aren't lining up to get it, they just tolerate it and generally shrug their shoulders over it, because THERE IS NOTHING ELSE, like when ONLY vanilla ice cream is on the menu at some restaurant.

    This is unfortunate because ARM64 is a pretty cool thing. PC makers need to STOP letting THEIR success rely on the success of their COMPETITOR, aka Micro-shaft (the makers of Surface).

    1. Waseem Alkurdi

      Re: Hitching their wagons to Win-10-nic

      Provided that the EFI firmware is opened up (unlike RT, time will tell), this argument is moot for a power user because you know, Linux.

      Your average aunt won't care anyhow. 'Case they did worry, slap a Linux install in there.

      If they hate it, BOFH.

    2. Geoff Campbell Silver badge
      Black Helicopters

      Re: Hitching their wagons to Win-10-nic

      That reminds me - anyone seen amanfrommars recently?

      GJC

      1. Waseem Alkurdi

        Re: Hitching their wagons to Win-10-nic

        His circuits have been attacked by a Zip Slip, er, he's on his annual pilgrimage to Mars.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Hitching their wagons to Win-10-nic

      Win 8 and Win 10 were responses to an already declining PC market.

      They jury is still out on whether:

      1) Microsoft is exacerbating the situation by fusing the desktop OS and mobile OS.

      2) The PC market was declining regardless of what Microsoft had or hadn't done. Smartphones have usurped the functionality of casual computing.

      3) The PC market wasn't 'declining' (saturated), but the irrational fear of it has caused Microsoft to inadvertently play into the self-fulfilling prophecy.

  4. cambsukguy

    What I HAVE to know is...

    ...will they make one the size of a phone?

    No need for the most powerful processor.

    It could then do 'proper' continuum except it would simply use Win10 extended screen, multiple windows, mouse control, everything, including the ability to run real USB devices that had drivers, of which there would be many if the Laptop thing takes off.

    That means really running printers, scanners, external drives etc.

    I don't mind if the mouse cursor shows on the 'phone' display when moved from the external display.

    I assume the 'phone' display would be Full-Screen by default etc.

    I know the phone is a bit different but most of it is because it is like Win10S with full sandboxing etc. so it must be able to act that way. I wouldn't care if the 'phone' was like full Win10 though, the advantages would vastly outweigh the disadvantages.

    I don't care if the legacy apps needed a stylus to use them, RDP to a desktop has mechanisms to operate tiny controls, they can be used despite being tedious. I use almost no legacy apps these days anyway.

    Don't even need 10-point touch guys, c'mon, c'mon...

    1. Waseem Alkurdi

      Re: What I HAVE to know is...

      This is what I would call the Surface Phone. I bet 10 $CURRENCY that Microsoft is building one, JUST LIKE the iPad when it was considered vaporware before it suddenly reappeared.

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