Microsoft has officially confirmed the existence of a Windows XP Mode for the final version of Windows 7. Basically this means the new Windows 7 operating system will be able to run older applications specifically designed for Windows XP. This immediately solves any compatibility concerns surrounding an upgrade to Windows 7.
A post by Scott Woodgate on The Windows Blog Friday night verifies the existence of the Windows XP Mode and briefly explains that it will run in a Windows Virtual PC environment. However, more details can be found on Paul Thurrott’s Super Site for Windows.
In a recent post, Paull Thurrott sheds some light on this new Windows 7 feature. Windows XP Mode (XPM) will include a full Windows XP license (with Service Pack 3) as well as a Virtual PC-based virtual environment. This virtual environment will allow you to run applications inside a virtual version Windows XP, without having to run XP as a separate operating system. Windows XP applications and Windows 7 applications will be able to run side by side on a single desktop.
Screenshot of Windows 7 running Word 2007 and Windows XP Mode running Word 2003, side by side
This truly is a ground-breaking feature for Microsoft. No longer will there be legacy software issues when upgrading to a new version of Windows. Windows 7 will be almost 100% compatible with current software running on Windows XP. Technology like this will also allow Microsoft to develop future versions of Windows with completely new features, without having to worry about compatibility with software developed for previous versions.
The guys over at the Super Site for Windows have been using this new feature of Windows 7 for over a month now. However, they were forced to keep it a secret until Microsoft made its official announcement. What else Microsoft has in store for Windows 7? A lot is riding on their ability to move forward from Vista and create a widely praised new operating system, so you can bet they will be pulling out all the stops to make sure Windows 7 is the best version of Windows yet.
2803 Reviews
1 comment
nongbew50 says:
December 10, 2009 at 11:56 pm (UTC -7 )
thank youuuuuuuuuuuuu