Honestly, I'd have been much happier if I'd been told that the qualified person I needed would only be available during normal working hours, given a support ticket and a callback number. Then I could have spent a much shorter time talking to someone with a clue.

Moving to Dreamcast
It's always a challenge deciding what should and should not be covered in the magazine. WebTV is supposed to be moving to Windows CE, yet it's not there yet. So, do we cover it or not? Dreamcast is supposed to be based on Windows CE, yet many of the original games don't use our favorite OS. So do we cover Dreamcast or not?

In my editorial, the decision is relatively easy. I've got a useful story to tell about WebTV, so I'm writing about it. We wouldn't run a feature article on WebTV, though, until it's really a Windows CE product.

Likewise, I'm going to briefly touch on the Dreamcast because it's supposed to be a Windows CE-based device (OK, and because it's cool). However, we're learning that Windows CE is AWOL from many of the original games. NEWS.COM reports that "Of the 18 or so game titles slated for availability at the introduction of Dreamcast, none used the Windows CE operating system...Instead, all games so far use Sega's own software in order to program games for the Dreamcast."

Unlike most Windows CE-based devices, the OS apparently isn't resident on the Dreamcast. Instead, it loads off each GD-ROM (their proprietary format of a CD-ROM). So games don't have to be based on any given OS. And the original games aren't based on Windows CE.

I've read a few opinions that imply that because the original Dreamcast games don't run Windows CE, then Windows CE is a failure. Ignore these opinions. An OS isn't going to be a success or failure based on one product like this. Windows CE is a powerful, modular OS. It runs on all sorts of devices. It's got a long way to go to be a home run, but don't you go counting it out.

Enjoy this issue. I'll talk to you again next month. In the meantime, be sure to visit all the articles and check out our daily news summaries.

Mark Moeller is a 14 year veteran of Microsoft. After shipping the first version of the Auto PC he left Microsoft to found AutoPCWare, a company focused on helping manufacturers and software vendors build Auto PCs or products for the Auto PC. Mark was the design architect of the first version of the Auto PC and has a number of patents pending or awarded on the Auto PC. You can visit his Web site at http://www.autopcware.com, or email him at markmo@autopcware.com. To read more of Mark Moeller's work for Windows CE Power, visit http://www.zatz.com/authors/authorpages/markmoeller.html.