Windows System Assessment Tool: Difference between revisions

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Revision as of 14:38, 30 December 2020

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==History==

At the 2003 [[Game Developers Conference]] Dean Lester, Microsoft's General Manager of Windows Graphics and Gaming, stated in an interview with [[GameSpot]] that Microsoft intended to focus on improvements to the PC gaming experience as part of a new gaming initiative for the next version of Windows, [[Windows Vista]], then codenamed "Longhorn." Lester stated that as part of this initiative the operating system would include a [[Games for Windows#Games Explorer|games folder that would centralize settings pertinent to gamers]] and, among other features, [[Windows Display Driver Model|display driver streamlining]], [[Security and safety features new to Windows Vista#Parental controls|parental controls for games]] and the [[Games for Windows#Tray and Play|ability to start a Windows game directly from optical media]] during installation—in a manner similar to games designed for a [[video game console]]. Microsoft would also require a new method of displaying system requirements on retail packaging for Windows games with a rating system that would categorize games based on a numerical system.<ref name="GDC">{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsofts-big-pc-plans/1100-2912498/ |title=Microsoft's big PC plans |last=Parker |first=Sam |date=March 10, 2003 |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |work=[[GameSpot]] |accessdate=August 10, 2015}}</ref> In 2004, Lester expanded further on Microsoft's intentions by stating that the company would work with hardware manufacturers to create PCs for Windows Vista that used a "level system" to designate the performance and capabilities of a system's hardware and that [[Xbox 360]] peripherals would be fully compatible with the operating system.<ref name="LonghornXbox">{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-talks-longhorn-xna-and-xbox-2/1100-6108247/ |title=Microsoft talks Longhorn, XNA, and Xbox 2 |date=September 22, 2004 |author=[[GameSpot]] |author-link=GameSpot |accessdate=April 18, 2015}}</ref> The Windows Experience Index feature in Windows Vista relies on measurements taken with WinSAT to provide an accurate assessment of a system's capabilities—these capabilities are presented in the form of a rating, where a higher rating indicates better performance.

Preliminary design elements created for Microsoft by Robert Stein in 2004 suggest that WinSAT was intended to rate a user's hardware during the [[out-of-box experience]];<ref name="Stein">{{cite web |url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/rs3art/304021764/in/set-72157594393542938 |title=Aurora for OOBE |last=Stein |first=Robert |work=[[Flickr]] |date=November 22, 2006 |accessdate=April 18, 2015}}</ref> this is a design decision that would be retained for the operating system's [[release to manufacturing]].<ref name="WinSAT2006">{{cite web |url=http://download.microsoft.com/download/5/b/9/5b97017b-e28a-4bae-ba48-174cf47d23cd/cpa101_wh06.ppt |title=Windows Vista System Requirements and WinSAT |last=Russell |first=Richard |date=2006 |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |format=PPT |accessdate=April 18, 2015}}</ref>