Windows XP Comes Integrated into Windows 7
If you thought Microsoft was going to dump Windows XP completely, think again.
Windows 7 is approaching its official release date not too long from now, and this week Microsoft unveiled one of the "secret" technologies that will ship with Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise and Ultimate.
Called XP Mode or XPM for short, the new feature essentially virtualizes the legacy Windows XP operating environment within Windows 7. That is, users will be able to install all applications that were previously only fully working with Windows XP, on their Windows 7 desktop without having to resort to a dual-boot solution.
Indeed, Windows 7 comes with "compatibility mode" but XPM isn't the same. XPM is actually built on the same platform as Microsoft's Virtual PC 7 product. This isn't the same as running an XP environment through a hypervisor. It was previously believed that XPM would be a Hyper-V client for Windows 7, but it is not.
However, XPM will utilize virtualization technologies in recent processors from both AMD and Intel, such as Intel's VT.
Users will be able to install a Windows XP application, and launch it seamlessly on the same Windows 7 desktop, along side Windows 7 versions of the same application, without actually affecting the core operating system. This fact alone, allows Microsoft to continue to support Windows XP in a virtualized environment, thereby giving legacy support without actually building loads of legacy code into Windows 7. This not only improves Windows 7's stability and speed, but also security.
At this time, Microsoft is claiming that XPM provides near perfect Windows XP compatibility within Windows 7.
Microsoft will include a full license of Windows XP SP3 with every copy of Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise and Ultimate for use with XPM.
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This is a step towards what I, and others here, have wanted to see - remove compatibility bloat from the OS itself and support legacy apps and whatnot through a virtualised legacy OS.
Very interesting, I think it is just designed to encourage business users to migrate from XP to Windows 7, after the reluctance shown to adopt Vista. Microsoft obviously learnt from this. Still I like the idea behind it and hope it works well. I am a little dubious it will be perfect with all XP programs but we shall see.
Can anyone say "Classic"? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classic_(Mac_OS_X)
I can see Microsoft claiming this is some sort of miracle innovation.
Step in the right direction, i mean, come on, who said all my software had to become incompatible with me upgrading to a new OS?! Well that guy should be taken in the back and shot!
We're far from the old days of '95, '98 etc. Nowadays people have gotten used to and found their perfect software from the millions of applications etc. out there to get whatever task they do or need doing done. Why must they be effected simply by upgrading the OS? The OS was supposed to bring new things, features and ability including ease of use, speed, compatibility etc. to the table. Not restrict users abilities... not 1 step forward and 2 steps back.
I never understood the need for apps. to start becoming giants and taking all this HDD space and resources. Why are they bent on consuming all the extra processing power that comes along? I still have my P3 1GHZ and it has been perfect up until the virus scanners began to consume everything and make the machine crawl, to a point where it was ridiculous. I feel as though I was forced to upgrade just to be able to browse the internet and write emails.
There must be some sort of conspiracy by the hardware and the software community, where they plan to make apps. large and full of sh*t while still offering the same functions and ability ultimately consuming all of the resources forcing one to upgrade the hardware and so both sides benefit.
I reckon the virus scanners are in on it too. AVG has started to become larger and larger over the years. And Adobe is probably the biggest culprit. My other best app. cooledit was eaten by those morons and now it's slow as hell not to mention pdf reader.... what about nero?
Can't understand these lot, stop sending or requesting cheap coding from the retards in India, i know they're cheap and everything... but, the performance of the app. smells like in early morning at the loo!
Bye. John.
In addition to the XP mode, why can't they then ship with a Vista Mode and a Linux Mode too?