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PC 99 System Design Guide, 0.5 Now Available for Review
Preview draft 0.5 of the PC 99 System Design Guide is now available for industry review. This guide is intended to advance the quality of PC hardware, firmware, and device drivers for products designed for 1999 production by encouraging PC hardware platform initiatives and technical capabilities resulting in improved user satisfaction and market segment growth. Your complete preview copy can be downloaded from Intel's PC 99 web site and feedback can be sent to PC99@intel.com or PC99@microsoft.com.
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What's Different for PC 99? See the list below that summarizes the key changes proposed for PC 99, in comparison to the requirements and recommendations defined in PC 98 System Design Guide.
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PC 98 System Design Guide, 1.0 Available for Viewing and Downloading
The PC 98 System Design Guide, 1.0 is available for viewing and downloading in Adobe* Acrobat* format from the Intel PC 98 site.
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Latest Updates to the PC 98 System Design Guide:
PC 98 System Design Guide Correction—Chapter 15, item #20, "Video input or capture device supports capture of NTSC/PAL picture quality": Video decoders must be capable of decoding 4:3 aspect-ratio, 720 x 480/720 x 576 resolution at 30/25 fps at 16 bpp. Decoding of YUV 4:2:2 data format is also required. PC 98 Technology
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The PC 98 System Design Guide describes and recommends how a range of PC platforms should be designed to enhance user experience and satisfaction. PC 98 covers mobile PCs, business and consumer PCs, entertainment PCs and workstations that will ship from mid-1998 through 1999. Hand-held devices running Windows* CE and servers are not included in the PC 98 document.
(For information on Server design, check out the new Hardware Design Guide for Windows NT* Server just announced by Intel and Microsoft.
The PC 98 System Design Guide is divided into four parts. Part 1 covers upcoming technologies that will be available in the 1998 and 1999 time frame. Part 2 contains a rigorous description of System Types—most of this part describes a Basic PC 98 from which a Business, Consumer, or SOHO (Small Office Home Office) desktop can be derived. In addition, two styles of Entertainment PCs, a two-foot viewing experience and a 10-foot viewing experience, are described. Mobile design considerations are covered in a separate chapter, as are Workstation design issues. Part 3 describes expansion bus options such as USB, IEEE 1394, PCI, SCSI, and other industry specifications. Part 4 details how add-in and add-on devices should be designed; many new technologies and specifications are introduced in this part.
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PC 98 describes the introduction of new technologies into PC designs that are becoming more tailored for specific uses in the business and consumer markets. These new technologies and platform designs are intended to increase the utility and ease of use of the PC for different kinds of tasks and offer more choices to businesses and consumers. The overall goal of PC 98 is to address the expanding uses and users of PC technology, and to enhance the user experience and satisfaction.
By writing this document together, Intel and Microsoft are ensuring that the enabling hardware and supporting software will be available at the same time. The lead-time for new hardware designs and for software device drivers is being overlapped to shorten the time to a working, available solution. This up-front cooperation and planning will result in a better user experience.
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Introducing multiple new technologies into the existing PC platform infrastructure could create numerous problems. By working together and with industry experts, Intel and Microsoft have identified a variety of solutions and are creating new industry specifications, or supporting existing industry specifications, to ease rapid and successful absorption of these new technologies. By driving open specifications, Intel can also encourage innovation throughout the multiple PC platform design choices.
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PC 98
Intel has been a behind-the-scenes contributor on previous versions of the design guides. Due to the many projects Intel has on-going to introduce new hardware technologies and increase ease-of-use and end-user satisfaction of PC hardware, Intel's involvement in the design guides has been growing. It was a natural fit to have Intel co-author the PC 98 System Design Guide. Intel and Microsoft have both worked with the industry since February 1997 to review and improve the PC 98 System Design Guide in order to reach a releasable version.
Version 1.0 of the PC 98 System Design Guide was released to the industry in September 1997 and is now available for download from Intel's web site and Microsoft's web site.
Real-time updates to the design guide will be posted in the "What's New" section at the top of this page every month.
PC 99
The second industry review draft of the proposed design guidelines for PC 99 has been published on the Intel and Microsoft Web sites. This guide is co-authored by Intel Corporation and Microsoft Corporation. As with previous draft design guidelines, OEMs and IHVs are strongly encouraged to review and comment on the proposed PC 99 guidelines, and the industry is also encouraged to contribute additional issues to be considered for inclusion in the guidelines.
PC 99 System Design Guide Draft and Review Process Deadlines:
| April 21 | PC 99 Design Review with co-authors by invitation for reviewers who have previously submitted comments. |
| May 15 | Version 0.9 draft posted on the PC 99 Web sites. |
| June 15 | Version 1.0 posted on the PC 99 Web sites. |
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Review drafts are provided as a set of changes and additions to the PC 98 System Design Guide. After review and incorporation of the requested changes, a final draft will be prepared for distribution on the Intel® Developers Web site and the Microsoft Hardware Development Web site. The complete design guide text will be published in book form in Q3 1998.
For up-to-date information about the PC 99 draft and review process:
Intel®'s PC 99 Web site
Microsoft Web site
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Download PC 98—If you are currently designing PCs or peripherals for shipment after June 1998 and throughout 1999, the PC 98 System Design Guide is a "must-have" reference. It contains definitive information on the evolution of the PC platform, together with essential information for developers. Visit Intel's PC 98 web site for your copy today.
Call to action for PC 99 System Design Guide draft:
If you want to be registered as a PC 99 reviewer, please send e-mail to pc99@intel.com. Include your name, title, company name, and phone and fax numbers. Please note that all mail received at this alias is shared among the co-authors at Intel and Microsoft.
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Intel's developer web site also contains detailed design information on all aspects of PC design.
Read an overview of three key technology implications of PC 98 in "PC 98: Keeping the PC Platform Balanced," by John Hyde, Intel's PC 98 Architect and System Design Guide Editor in Issue #2 of Platform Solutions .
Read an overview of PC 98 and Intel's role in "Leading the Way to PC 98," by Jim Pappas, Director of Platform Initiatives at Intel from Issue #1 of Platform Solutions.
See the other "Platforms" and "Technologies" pages of Platform Solutions for the latest news and information on PC technologies found in PC 98.
For information on server platform design, check out the new Hardware Design Guide for Windows NT Server announced by Intel and Microsoft.
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* Legal Information © 1998 Intel Corporation
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