Information technology managers are beginning to determine how their future plans can accommodate Microsoft Corp."s next major upgrade of Windows, code named Longhorn, slated for release in 2006.
One question with major implications for agency upgrade plans is: What hardware will be able to handle Longhorn? Microsoft officials say they will answer that question in May, when they are scheduled to meet in Seattle with PC hardware manufacturers.
In the meantime, industry analysts are predicting that Longhorn will need every bit of the power and processing capacity of the average desktop computer in 2006. Some say that could mean a 5 GHz microprocessor, 2G of main memory, a PCI Express bus and a widescreen display. The desktop would also likely need a constant Internet connection.