Windows 7, Secret Feature revealed.... Paul Thurrott and Rafael Rivera have just unveiled a new feature of Windows 7 today that they have been forced to keep a lid on for quite some time. Introducing Windows XP Mode (XPM) for Windows 7!
Over a month ago, we were briefed about a secret Microsoft technology that we were told would be announced alongside the Windows 7 Release Candidate (RC) and would ship in final form simultaneously with the final version of Windows 7. This technology, dubbed Windows XP Mode (XPM, formerly Virtual Windows XP or Virtual XP, VXP), dramatically changes the compatibility story for Windows 7 and, we believe, has serious implications for Windows development going forward. Here's what's happening.
XPM is built on the next generation Microsoft Virtual PC 7 product line, which requires processor-based virtualization support (Intel and AMD) to be present and enabled on the underlying PC, much like Hyper-V, Microsoft's server-side virtualization platform. However, XPM is not Hyper-V for the client. It is instead a host-based virtualization solution like Virtual PC; the hardware assistance requirement suggests this will be the logical conclusion of this product line from a technological standpoint. That is, we fully expect future client versions of Windows to include a Hyper-V-based hypervisor.
XP Mode consists of the Virtual PC-based virtual environment and a fully licensed copy of Windows XP with Service Pack 3 (SP3). It will be made available, for free, to users of Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate editions via a download from the Microsoft web site. (That is, it will not be included in the box with Windows 7, but is considered an out-of-band update, like Windows Live Essentials.)
More news - HERE - http://community.winsupersite.com/blogs/paul/archive/2009/04/24/secret-no-more-revealing-virtual-windows-xp-for-windows-7.aspxScreenshots - HERE - http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/xp_mode_pre_shots.asp
But it wasn't better a Vista Virtual Machine?
Secret feature my balls. That's a marketing scheme to assuage the fears of people who were sucked into the initial Vista is crap phenomenon. (Whether Vista was crap initially is not the point here, but that so many people were displeased that they backgraded to XP and got community attention for doing it is.)
i think its a good idea
many of this people didn't licke Vista becouse their PC's didn't make it.., they thought that buying more ram or even uprgading the complete pc was idiotic, stating that "why should they buy a new pc just to run a new OS?" Even though, many people (must of them students) buy new pc or make big uprgades just to run a game., talk about nonsense
For the non-technicial of us here, could someone please break this down in English? What is exactly being talked about here? Does this say that when you upgrade to Win 7 you get a free virtual set up to download that will be Windows XP?
Makes you kinda wonder why it was XP and not Vista that was chosen. Hmmmm.
This is m$ admiting how big of a fail vista is... in my opinion windows vista is just another stain on the windows history, just like windows ME.
This is nothing more then a scam. You buy $$$$.$$ Windows 7 we'll give you Windows XP for free. Screw that.
No, since, from what I understand, anything that runs on Vista will also run on 7.
Note though, that this is only available for users with Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate editions. Likely most regular (non business) users will be using Home Basic or Premium (or whatever the equivalent is) and won't even be able to use this.
It would be nice to see Frogboy's take on this and hear his opinion on what effect this will have on developers or programmers, if any, or Stardock.
This is m$ admiting how big of a fail vista is... in my opinion windows vista is just another stain on the windows history, just like windows ME. Vista is nothing like ME, and it was a better OS than XP in my opinion. I've had no problems running Vista over the last two years.
Vista is nothing like ME, and it was a better OS than XP in my opinion. I've had no problems running Vista over the last two years.
Because Windows 7 can already do everything Vista can, why would they add a backwards compatibility mode for something that is already fully compatible?
Sort of like the Ultimate Extras and we all know how that turned out.
Actually i work with computers since windows 95~98 times... and to be honest im not sure if i did have as many unhappy customers with ME as i have been having with VISTA, as for myself im happy with my windows XP and will be that way untill windows 7 comes out. Just my opinion though... based on my work experience.
Microsoft must be catering to the fearful XP users who cannot seem to adapt to changes or new ideas.
Anthony R, or they just may be acknowledging that it is important to listen to the consumer or user base that is talking to them. Fearful XP users, what's that all about?
What a waste of time.
It is just more evidence of how overbloated the software is and how much of a failure Vista is. Microsoft profits are way down...interesting that they released this "secret" info now.
SUCKERS WE ARE!!!!!!!
It's time to start boycotting MS. They have used us as their testers for too long. No other industry works the way Microsoft does. It is not right. It is a scam that we as stupid frikkin people have fell for.
Some big whig at the hot dog factory got together with some big whig at the bun factory and decided to screw you.
There's a lot of unfounded hatred/fear/call-it-what-you-will towards Vista, but the bottom line is a huge number of businesses opted not to upgrade to XP because it just didn't offer them enough advantages to warrant the expense. It's not a matter of not being willing to adapt to changes/new ideas. It's a matter of cost/benefit ratio. There's no sense in switching just for the sake of switching. If XP is already doing what they want it to, and their apps are working with XP, why would they switch? With this XPM in 7, there should be fewer campaibility issues and it may well turn out to be worth it for many businesses.
I'm in the same boat. I still use XP. The reason I didn't switch to Vista had nothing to do with the FUD that was circulatng about it. It was all about the benefits. Vista just didn't offer enough of a benefit for me personally to warrant switching. Windows 7 likely will, because I'm planning on building a new rig in the fall and am going to go with a 64 bit OS at that time.
If this virtualization option works, it will remove one barrier to upgrading equipment (which does not now have XP as a native OS option) in the business environment and will help the PC industry overall. There are lots of essential business applications which have yet to be made Vista/W7 compatible. More to the point, there are many installed XP-only versions of applications that still meet all of the specific requirements of particular businesses, even though Vista-compatible versions may be available. Giving us a business OS upgrade that does not render unusable such existing fully useful and sufficient apps is a very positive step for MS.
Not forcing businesses to incur the cost of upgrading applications for the sole purpose of OS compatibility is a good thing. Maybe not for the application vendors, but certainly for end-users. If a particular application that brings real value to a business enterprise, or is a mission-critical component of a business, requires an OS upgrade, there is a valid business reason to upgrade the OS. But it doesn't work the other way round for the simple reason that it's not the OS 'doing the job' of the business. it's the apps. In the past, MS could brush off such objections and arrogantly force businesses into grudgingly accepting the 'cost of doing business.' The current economic environment doesn't permit that luxury and I'm glad MS has (apparently) recognized that fact. It's core business depends on PC sales and it is in its interest to make sure everything it does enhances demand, or at minimum doesn't inhibit it.
.02
Have you been paying attention to the economy? You can't point the finger at Vista for that.
I can and I did.
Seceret super uber mega W7 feature...
drum-roll...
wait for it...
another drum-roll...
IS...
XP MODE!
Great... Now developers can skip W7 compatibility, and stick to making 32-bit XP apps... Woohoo, let's create more ways to stop this crazy fad called "new technology".
I'm not gonna complain about it. I was planning on updating to 7 anyways.
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