It's no secret that Microsoft wants to move past Vista already. When "Windows 7" or "Vista +1" details began to trickle out, it was around the same time Vista SP1 details began to materialize.

So what's to look forward to in Microsoft's attempt at righting the global domination ship? Well, not DX11. Allegedly, as NVIDIA threw a fit about DX10, Intel is throwing one about DX11. And for good reason, a huge chunk of PCs from the big floggers (Dell, HP, Gateway) include Intel integrated graphics. The Centrino brand is a hugely successful notebook platform, and the GMA X3100 is the GPU of that platform. It's no secret that the GMA X3100, and Intel's graphics chipsets in general, suck buttermilk in 3D performance. This is multiplied by the fact that DX10 3D performance also sucks said buttermilk and is being used to force Vista on unwilling consumers. This article alleges Intel would be too far behind by the time DX11 would come out, basically rendering the low-end world incompatible with the "full Windows 7 experience," whatever that may be. If it's anything like Windows Vista Home Basic (for poor people), it will probably be just as embraced, which is to say, not warmly.

Time will tell what else is to be stripped from the new OS, but at least DX11 won't be used to force the next OS's adoption. I say, the less bloat the better, but knowing Microsoft, that's a laugh. Hopefully the almost-inevitable bloat is something consumers actually want.

Hey OpenGL 3.0, where the hell are you?

[ Microsoft cuts Windows 7 features - already covered by TheInq ]