Microsoft releases new Win32 drivers and hints at future hardware plans

Microsoft released new 32-bit drivers today for Digital Versatile Disk (DVD) devices, digital cameras, and gaming devices today that conform to the new Windows Driver Model (WDM). WDM drivers will work with both Windows 95 and Windows NT. The drivers will also be incorporated intothe next version of Windows (code-named Memphis) and Windows NT 5.0.Both operating systems are expected in 1998.

The new driver class also supports the IEEE 1394 "FireWire" serial bus, which allows up to 63 daisy-chained devices, and the Universal SerialBus (USB). Microsoft gave a preview of these drivers to the attendees at the WinHEC conference this week. Also announced: the addition of theHuman Interface Device (HID) class to Win32. HID includes support for keyboards, mice, joysticks and gamepads, and other input devices as wellas providing kernel-mode and user-mode access to the devices with Plugand Play support and power management. Additionally, Microsoft announcedoperating system support for still-image capture devices such as camerasand scanners