Technically speaking, Windows XP can run dx10 or dx11, Micrsoft just wants you to fork out $$$ to buy their newest operating systems they come out with every 2 years. When in reality, there is absolutely nothing wrong with Windows XP and many gamers like myself prefer XP because of how stable it is and it doesn't demand nearly as many system resources as the newer operating systems do.

DX10 was massive disappointment, but DX11 have some nice real benefits...

Why cling to DX9 then? Because the most widely used gaming systems are using it. It's like with every format, lot of inefficient technologies are used because of the scale of compatibility. That does not mean they are technologically superior.

The reason the game cannot support more than 4GBs of RAM is because the game is 32bit. All games that cannot support more than this are stuck on this point. How many games have you actually played that support 64bit? There are only a handful of actual 64bit games on PC anyway. Most notably, Half Life 2, STALKER: SoC, Crysis, and WoW games. Even then, the fact that Skyrim is 32bit, has nothing to do with DX10 or its ability to run great graphics. Many games (Battlefield 3, Dragon Age Origins for example) that have huge install sizes with very hi-res textures, are 32bit. Now, being stuck in DX9 is obvious to the fact that it is a 360 port to PC and that certainly has an effect..

Though I couldn't stand Dragon Age 2 (it was a horrible sequel is all), it is a console port to PC that supports DX11 and you can see the differences.

There's a mod already out there which makes water totally amazing, although it doesn't correct the ugly shorline graphics.

Totally untrue, it is much more difficult to pirate console games these days, with the DRM encoded into the hardware. The only way to do it is to mod the console hardware. But, if they go online, they get kicked off and lose their console accounts. PC games are hard-coded in software only, not to the PC hardware, pirates just create .exes that will bypass the protection made into the software. It is still a serious issue in PC gaming and I abhor it.

Indeed, considering the price of a PC game has barely increased in 20 years it's a shame people have to resort to piracy. I think if they try it and really like it they should in their conscience buy it.

They should have had 2 separate teams one for consoles and one for the pc. Elder scrolls was born a PC only game so it is very disappointing this day and age that the game uses antique DX and textures. Why tailor a 2011 game so it works on a 7+ year old system like the 360? Well we all know the answer to that, it's cutting corners and saving a few bucks.

Developers aren't sticking to DX9 because it's "better". DX11 has all the same features as DX9 with extras on top. Developers are sticking with the older version because the majority of the gaming market is running antiquated hardware on consoles. Do you honestly think that developers will continue to use DX9 if the next generation of consoles supports DX11?

you do understand that DirectX is, as an API, reverse compatible right ?
Skyrim not only uses DX9 on PCs but parts of 6, 7 and 8
just because a new API function is there doesn't mean a game has to use it.

as for DirectX on consoles only one console out of at least 3 in the next generation and a half will ever support DirectX anything and that's not even guaranteed to continue to exist mid-long term.

the xbox project makes a loss for MS. fact. the people who make real money out it are the big software publishers. MS shareholders hate it with a passion (because it constantly loses them money) and want the project scrapped and the company to concentrate on its core business ie making software and the only person who keeps it going is ballmer (the most hated CEO in the technology business) because he believes in Gates decades old monopolist "an MS box in every home" vision. when ballmer goes (when not if because the man is 55 and half a "modern" console generation would put in at 60 and he probably wants to retire alive and wealthy at some point) there is ever likelihood MS will get shareholder approved CEO and get out the loss making console business and concentrate on software and if you think such a thing can't happen it already did because that's exactly what happened to Sega and why there are no more Sega consoles (a situation as utterly unthinkable to "gamers" as what i'm suggesting to you now at one time)

what are u babbling about? why make a game for 2011 that only a few nerds can afford to enjoy ?, you pc nerds need to learn no matter what "hardcoe hardware you have" the consoles will always set the standard in graphic, so its pretty useless to constantly upgrade your epeen..

its hardly "a few nerds" that have PCs more advanced than PC hardware laid down into a console in 2003

im not complaining as it means my 3GHz core duo XP machine can run virtually every game that simultaneously comes out for the xbox 360 but the hard truth is this console generation has been twice as long as a normal one and its doing the advancement of gaming in general no favours at all.

games dont even run in native native 1080p on PS3 and 360 meaning your TV is probably more technically advanced than the console plugged into it.

Not entirely true. I know some people that do nothing but stay on line and they have modded consoles.

Some of the things a few people have said here are funny, if not ridiculous (that has nothing to do with your claim anyway). Anyway, you are so wrong on this, and here's why:

Three years ago (or more, IIRC) MS mass banned 1000s of 360 consoles from Live using stored account info with anewer system for detecting modded boxesand using pirated games (that's the main purpose for modding the hardware). To get on Live, even with the free Silver account, you have to create one, it uploads your hard coding, your account info, gamertag and 360 serial number to MS. This is stored in case your 360 goes down, and you need to recover your gamertag etc. Your achievements are even stored there. When someone now mods their hardware, every time they logon, the 360 phones homes to check the hardware. If it appears different, MS offers an update. If the person turns it down, they get disconnected. If they accept, it will fail because because the hardware will be difference than the update hash. The account will then be banned permanently as will the serial number to that unit. They can re-mod, create another account to go through the same thing all over again.

Now, if they want to play offline all of the time, they can and steal pirated games that will play with the modded hardware, but they won't get online. Either way, I really dislike people that do that.

If you are a so called "non nerd" with a crappy computer, then play on TF2 mode, problem solved. There isn't a "one size fits all" attitude when it comes to PC. Maybe for you console players...