Microsoft to make PC upgrades easier

Microsoft will release specifications for a sealed box PC that will call for a Plug and Play subsystem that connects to the main system bus via the FireWire (IEEE 1394) interface. The systems will also feature two USB ports, an external FireWire port, and a power supply. In theory, 63 devices could be connected to such a PC. The goal is to make PCs more easily expandable and upgradeable, and to not require users to have to open the box. This initiative will also make the NetPC a reality.

The announcements and final release of the specifications are due in April, when Microsoft opens the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC) in San Francisco