Microsoft has announced that Windows 7 will have a feature that allows users to run their old Windows XP applications in Windows 7 with full compatibility. Called XP Mode, the technology is notable because it allows users to run XP applications in Windows 7 without rebooting. Essentially, Microsoft has found an elegant way to run a small virtual machine on a per-program basis; one of the requirements for the technology is a processor which can handle virtualization, which indicates that this is a full head-and-shoulders above the typically janky “compatibility mode” option.
This feature will allow many otherwise reluctant users to embrace their inner early adopter and buy Windows 7 upon launch. A large problem with Windows Vista was that XP’s long lifecycle had caused users to become attached to software that was not compatible within Vista, most notoriously in the drivers area (though it’s hard to imagine that even XP Mode will allow for a virtual machine that can recognize old drivers). Still, Microsoft has come up with what seems to be a very clever solution to a pretty nasty problem.
- story via WithinWindows
