Xbox programmers to rewrite Media Center code? [update 2]

Riiight, they're going to rewrite 60% of the operating system that took 5 years to develop in 9 months. An unnsubstantiated rumor being printed as fact? Perhaps.

:-|

If this does set back the xbox in anyway..people will be pretty upset. Considering they're already hacking at the programmers for not updating the BC list.

Any bets on that's what the 360 back compat team has been doing?

I'm with Brad .

this looks like a sneaky way to tie in the "xbox" name with the windows brand to boost popularity of the [xbox name] brand. the same thing microsoft went to court for by bundling windows media player and internet explorer with windows 95.

they have 90% of the OS market, by putting the xbox team's name on the software or in the news, they are looking at [shady] distribution of the word "xbox" to 90% of the worlds lips.

i swear to god if they put a "powered by xbox" logo on the windows software...

go back to court micro$oft, do not pass go, do not collect $200

Wow, I can't believe you linked to that article. What a bunch of exaggerated BS.

First of all the title is completely misleading. They are only talking about the Media Center functionality which is a small part of Vista. I wouldn't be surprised if the 60% really only refers to even a subset of the Media Center functionality (i.e. such as the "extender" portions that the Xbox team would actually have experience with).

"...from the highly successful Xbox team to..."

I didn't know that you had to lose 5 billion dollars to be considered successful. Is it because they've won at losing?

Vista is probably more than 60% reused code to begin with, so to think they were rewriting over a decade worth of work in a year is completely absurd. The number is completely made up, probably only referring to a partial rewrite of Media Center, as MarxMarvelous37 alluded to. If even that. The whole article has the musky smell of BS around it.

So... now Vista's going to overheat and break?

Vista is an OS with about 60% bloat code.

"They are only talking about the Media Center functionality which is a small part of Vista."

... Yeah, only about 60% - I guess that's a small amount - garbage.

It's actually nice to hear they're bringing on members of the Xbox to work on the media center functionality. I think the 360's integration of all its functions works nicely. If they can bring some of that tightness to Vista, and strengthen the media capabilities/360 extension, that's a very positive thing.

screw vista, MS, with so much cash, could at least get good programmers working for them.

Apple spends some of the least R&D dollars in their industry, yet they have a world class OS along with all their other hardware offerings.

How can MS slack on the business of home operating systems, the one that put them on the map? seems like they are pouring resources into everything BUT vista.

Oh how ignorance brews at Joystiq once again. Unfortunate.

Nick

Personally, as an OSX fan and an owner of an Xbox360... this is bad news. I fear we won't see some of the improvements that the Xbox360 needs (downloading while playing games, media connections for XP, backwards compatability...)

On a professional level, the improved security and stability for Vista will go a long way in my tech/administration position at work.

Overall: 'I have a bad feeling about this'.

There's no way they're re-writing 60% of the Vista code. More plausible is they're re-writing 60% of a component that happens to be in Vista. And there's no way they pull from the Xbox team, unless that team was responsible for working on OSes in the first place, or works on common media features that the two share.

Anyway, that's my two cents

Complete bunk. Check AP and Reuters.

I don't agree with Scoble that anyone quoting this story should be FIRED (http://scobleizer.wordpress.com/2006/03/24/where-the-heck-is-scoble/), but I can confirm that this is speculation with no demonstrable basis in fact. There aren’t any Xbox developers moving over to the Windows Vista team. Windows Vista is on track for business availability in November 2006 and consumer availability in January 2007. Windows Vista is feature complete which means the code ‘writing’ process is in essence over. The next phase of development focuses on security, testing and fit/finish – not writing new code.

Glad to see the commenters, who maintain level heads about the story...

First the "successful Xbox team" has produced good software for the Xbox360. The Xbox dashboard...the Xbox360 guide...all software developed by the team. You could also add them working with the MCE team to get specific software to work on the 360 to use it as a media center extender.

And also note, that Robert Scoble has said this is 100% false.

http://scobleizer.wordpress.com/2006/03/24/rewrite-of-windows-vista-underway-hogwash/

Great, now we will have to stair and at the download screen in vista too instead of being able to do somthing else, then by contrast the 360 won't seem so bad....

"First the "successful Xbox team" has produced good software for the Xbox360. The Xbox dashboard...the Xbox360 guide...all software developed by the team. You could also add them working with the MCE team to get specific software to work on the 360 to use it as a media center extender."

Whaa?? There are people out there who code for free that make a better and more functional dashboard(cough XBMC cough) and the MCE portion of the 360 is a complete joke. When I think of the Media Center part of the 360 all I see is a crippled product designed that way to sell more MCE machines. And even when you have an MCE machine it is so limited in support that its worthless.. I've try to watch a few movies on it and gave up as has everyone I know that has a 360 w/ MCE. So PLEASE keep the people who were responsible for the 360 media portion off of Vista!!

Sounds like April Fools is starting early this year.

"Whaa?? There are people out there who code for free that make a better and more functional dashboard(cough XBMC cough) and the MCE portion of the 360 is a complete joke."

Not true. I never watch live TV any more. Record standard and HD TV on Media Center wich is extended to my home theater through the 360. Also plays all the music recorded on my Media Center. Works great and the interface is beautiful. I've even got my non-tech wife recording (too many) shows and using the 360 Harmony universal remote.

There's something important to remember about the 360 guide and XBMC. MS voluntary remove some features of the 360 guide to prevent piracy.

Also, XBMC takes what, 50 MB of space. MS had only 1.5 MB for the guide, OS functions, etc.

This story is so false it's ridiculous.

Guys, this is Cesar from the Xbox team. To those who said "this story is bogus," you're right on. Vista is feature complete, even. Check this link on our team blog for the full story: http://gamerscoreblog.com/team/archive/2006/03/24/533961.aspx

(yes, I do work for Xbox)