For the computer non-geek; what does this mean?
It means Microsoft found a way to make you PC even slower.
Ignore the idiots. It just means that MS will be offering an environment to maintain legacy support through a full virtualized OS while going forward on a new platform that is cleaner, faster and more secure. While the concept is not new it is very nicely implemented and is one of the fastest VM’s I have used.
That windows 7 should be able to run nearly every app that runs under windows XP. This will be very useful for running those small apps that haven’t been updated in 10 years but are very important to the business in question.
The problem with this all is people are tring to install Vista on old, outdated machines. Its like trying to run the Indy 500 in a ‘65 VW. Just Wont Work. And yet, they complain. Buy a new machine (like me) and Vista is awesome. (Please no snipers). It just happens that way.
It means that “legacy” applications which need the various compatibility hacks and work-arounds that Windows has been carrying around for some time will run under this WinXP “guest” environment alongside Windows 7. Windows 7 will not support all applications that might have run under XP.
On the whole, this is good news for Windows - it means that Microsoft is finally breaking away from the past legacy application hacks in Windows 7, so they’ll be able to tighten up the speed, security and reliability of the new OS.
Now, if they’d only stop these gratuitous, sweeping changes to their UI...