Bring back the Sega Dreamcast? [Updated]

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buildhome » re: Bring back the Sega Dreamcast? [Updated] — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 02:50:34 GMT

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re: Bring back the Sega Dreamcast? [Updated]

lotsamystuff — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 13:46:00 GMT

Paul (and Maffrew): Prior to the Dreamcast, there was the Tandy VIS ("Video Information System") which actually used a precursor to Windows CE called "Microsoft Windows Embedded". I have one of the VIS systems, and it's actually not horrible; the worst part is the crappy wireless remote. It was marketed by Radio Shack and also rebranded, IIRC, through Memorex.

Some of the VIS discs I have would actually work under Windows 3.1, but most require the console. Windows CE came AFTER "Windows Embedded". According to Wikipedia, a version "1.1" of Windows Embedded was developed but never used.

So really, the VIS was the first "XBox", not the Dreamcast.

Paul, I agree with "Maffrew"...you should do a history of all this. In your spare time, of course! ;-)

Until then, here's some interesting reading:

en.wikipedia.org/.../Tandy_Video_Information_System

www.computercloset.org/TandyVIS.htm

And this tidbit from "TidBits", from August, 1992 (search the page for "Windows Does CDs":

www.tidbits.com/.../TidBITS-140.html

"The hardware comes from Tandy, and they call it the Video Information System, or VIS, and hope to sell it for about $700. The software, as usual, comes from Microsoft in the form of Modular Windows, which Microsoft optimized for use with a television as a display device. Microsoft obviously wants certain developers already working on Windows products to scale them down for use with Tandy's VIS, and since Modular Windows for VIS is based on Windows 3.1, developers shouldn't have too much trouble, assuming they have already mastered programming Windows, something which various programmers of my acquaintance have likened to eating okra (that ought to get both okra aficionados and Windows programmers, all in one sentence :-))."

Windows News » Blog Archive » re: Bring back the Sega Dreamcast? [Updated]

Windows News » Blog Archive » re: Bring back the Sega Dreamcast? [Updated] — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 02:41:35 GMT

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re: Bring back the Sega Dreamcast? [Updated]

Maffrew — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 07:59:04 GMT

Have to say, I bought a Dreamcast at launch (or, recieved one as a gift, cos I was 15) and it was a very good console with some great games, even at launch.

I was aware that the Dreamcast used some version of Windows CE, but assumed they just licensed it. As mentioned previously, Wikipedia (and yes, I realise it's not exactly reliable all the time), doesn't mention Microsoft at all.

So what's the skinny on this bit of Microsoft history, Paul?

re: Bring back the Sega Dreamcast? [Updated]

benjwah — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 05:21:29 GMT

I'm somewhat skeptical about this one. Nostalgia can make one believe things that aren't true. Sure, we look back now and say "What a wondrous system", but at the time we were saying "It's not good enough for me to purchase one".

And when he says that the networking capabilities of the Dreamcast had a far reaching impact, is he really suggesting that consoles would never have gotten the networking bug without Dreamcast? I'm pretty happy to say that absolutely nothing would be different.

It's like saying we wouldn't have porn without Hugh Heffner. We would. We'd have a whole lot, just like we do now.

What I'm really interested in is Paul saying that MS had a whole lot to do with the Dreamcast. I didn't know that and wikipedia doesn't mention it, where can I find out more? Anyone?