Windows 7 gets virtual 'XP mode'

computerWorld ^ | Gregg Keizer

[Vince Ferrer]

April 25, 2009 (Computerworld) Microsoft Corp. will unveil an add-on to Windows 7 that lets users run applications designed for Windows XP in a virtual machine, the company confirmed Friday -- the first time Microsoft has relied on virtualization to provide backward compatibility.

[Vince Ferrer]

Microsoft's recent problems may be an omen of bad times in the software industry. The business model was centered around getting your core customers to keep upgrading their software every year, or every two years. This is much easier than winning new customers. But lately, this has broken down with Vista, with customers rebelling and deciding they already had enough functionality.

So to fix this problem, here comes Windows 7. Apparently Microsoft thinks this will be the best for both the customer and Microsoft. Microsoft will get the money from the upgrade, and the customers will have a pre-installed downgrade back to what they already had.

[ConservativeMind]

Microsoft is doing everything they can to make XP run slow and make “7” look as good as possible.

[Glenn]

The business model was centered around getting your core customers to keep upgrading their software every year, or every two years.

Windows 98 was released in 1998. Windows XP in 2001. Windows Vista in 2007. Hardly the business model you describe.

[Paladin2]

You need to include M$ Office in your timeline along with W98SE, ME, & W2k.

[aft_lizard]

Yawn.

So much FUD in one little comment it’s unbelievable. Repeat after me “I am a luddite”. Thanks.

[HangnJudge]

Gosh
Where have I heard this before

Oh yes,
Classic Mode, running in emulation under Mac System 10
Motorola x68 code running under emulation on PPC
and yes, Windows on any Mac

Apple got this one down a long time ago.

[bigbob]

Ctrl-Alt-Del

[aft_lizard]

Here is the real history.
Connectix creates Virtual PC for Mac
Connectix is Purchased by MS and released as freeware to anyone who wants it on their Windows PC
Apple decides to build their own Virtual Machine to allow OS9 to operate on OSX
Windows 7 provides complete integration between Virtual XP and Windows 7.
So yeah ol’ Apple sure was a real trailblazer there.lol.

[HangnJudge]

So yeah ol’ Apple sure was a real trailblazer there.lol.

Yes,
Silicon is Silicon
Bits and Logic are universal

It seems odd that Microsoft would trumpet a technology
that has already been implemented in a rigorous fashion
on entirely different OS’ And declare it a gamechanger instead of the clear admission of a profoundly flawed OS launch

[billakay]

Apple did this years ago when they introduced OS X. While they were by no means the first to do this type of virtualization, it allowed them to switch a new OS that was not even close to similar to the old, seriously outdated one, without the need to have the API compatible with EVERYTHING all the way back to God knows when. Before the switch to OS 9, Apple had a seriously outdated OS that had a lot of shortcomings, and no clear way to fix it. This emulation allowed them to switch to the new OS without alienating all of their customers who owned software made for the newer OS.

Fast forward to today with MS. One of the biggest problems with Windows is all the code that supports all the old APIs back to Windows 95. This mess of code is unwieldy and largely insecure. I've suggested for quite a while that one of the best things MS could do is dump most of all of the legacy junk in favor of a new, clean API and support older applications via a compatibility layer, just like Apple did. Maybe they are finally getting around to this realization.

[aft_lizard]

Last I looked MS didn’t write this article and if you would remove your head from your nether regions you would realize their implementation of it is novel, and this takes another weapon from the FUDpacker crowd, they cried about compatibility and losing legacy software and they also cried about Windows bloat and system gremlins well this helps to change that. Now your reaction is just what I expect from a liberal. Nothing is ever good enough, a company shouldn’t be proud of it’s offerings and they should sit their and give away their business to please the crybabies and freebie seekers. Jumping in on an OS topic makes you realize just how close some freepers are to being actual liberals.

[HangnJudge]

The article is a repackaging of a Microsoft Press Release

http://windowsteamblog.com/blogs/business/archive/2009/04/24/coming-soon-windows-xp-mode-and-windows-virtual-pc.aspx

[FreeManWhoCan]

I still miss DOS and Basic.

[HangnJudge]

I still miss DOS and Basic.

I cut my teeth on...
PAL-8 Assembler

And remember the Altair 8800
when it first came out

[HangnJudge]

And My First personal computer...
Timex Sinclair 1000
Introduced: July 1982
Price: US $99.95

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

they cried about compatibility and losing legacy software and they also cried about Windows bloat and system gremlins well this helps to change that.

Yup. No two ways about it; if you solve the "legacy" issue with virtualization, you can go to a clean slate and do things right in your new OS. You can even go to Unix and thereby make yourself as hard a target for hackers as Linux and OS X have shown themselves to be. That would put the "security by obscurity" theory of Linux/OS X to the ultimate test.

Trouble is that if you do that you place yourself on a level playing field with Linux and OS X, two other Unix-based or (in the case of OS X, actual Unix^TM) operating systems which can also virtualize Windows XP. You do that, and you then have to explain why Windows 7 is enough better than Linux to be worth its price - and make the case that Windows 7 is either better than (good luck with that), or comparable to and cheaper than, OS X.

If you are Microsoft you can probably sell Windows 7, with Win XP included, cheaper than Apple gets for OS X licenses, considering that Apple offers OS X licenses only for use on Apple-built computers.

[Paleo Conservative]

I wonder if it will allow me to import my sofware and other settings directly into the Windows7 virtual XP mode?

[The Breaded Fish]

“Microsoft is doing everything they can to make XP run slow and make “7” look as good as possible.”

I’ve been using 7 since the 7057 beta and it’s miles ahead of both Vista and XP. I just hope the final product remains as impressive.