Microsoft Recognizes VM Operations for Windows and Applications

http://community.winsupersite.com/b...vealing-virtual-windows-xp-for-windows-7.aspx

I'm not sure if this really needs a separate thread or could go in the VM sticky, but I thought it's pretty important.

It's just been revealed that Windows 7 will have a Virtual Windows XP mode that will basically be running Windows XP in a VM and include integration features like Coherence in VMWare Fusion and Unity in Parallels Desktop. They are doing this to address the remaining software backwards compatibility issues in Windows 7. Of course, Microsoft being Microsoft with their product segmentation, is currently limiting access to Windows XP mode for Professional Edition users and higher, although it is commendable that they are offering it for free.

Why is this significant for Macs? I think this is very useful because future Window operating systems and applications will be written with the expectation that they will be running in VMs in future OS for compatibility. It wouldn't surprise me if Windows 7 (kernel 6.1) and Office 2010 are already being designed in a way so that they can run well in a VM for a future kernel 7.0 based Windows OS. These optimizations would of course benefit Mac users who still have to use Windows application or perhaps even play games. I'm sure it'll also be a compelling transition point to encourage switchers, especially if they are already familiar with virtualization from Windows 7.

 

Wow...that is absolutely awesome. One of the many good things I've heard about W7.

 

Yup, Once you have Operating system virtualization, the next step is virtualizing individual applications. Like your Browser state follows you from machine to machine.

 

This seems to be Windows' "Mac OS Classic" moment! Hopefully, doing this will make future versions of Windows even better!

 

You can already do that. It's just not integrated into the OS. Through you can modify the OS to make it integrated.

 

They really only need this feature in Pro and higher. I have not used anything that would not run in Vista or 7 that was built for XP. The exception would be Photoshop and a few other programs that do not follow the Windows specs. This is a huge step that MS is making with this. This feature will most likely get a lot of corporations and such to upgrade to 7.

Now if we can just get PC manufacturers to quit selling systems with bloat we might have something good here.

 

mac os x snow leopard+ W7=perfect!

 

Hmmm I thought it was for OLD applications, not new ones. It is meant for old applications that don't have support for Win 7. So I don't really get what your are saying. Why will Win 7 be designed for better use in VM's when that's not what they are planning on doing? It will be Win XP probably striped down and optimized and with out a desktop interface. You will just be able to run applications.

 

That's good news about the VM approach to provide XP compatibility.

Maybe I'll put W7 on my shopping list.

John

 

Cool!!Guess i'll also have to buy it too.

 

I think this is aimed more towards corporate entities who have tons of legacy software and what not. Now they can upgrade to Windows 7 but run some of their crufty stuff in the XP VM.

This is a big reason a lot of businesses didn't even touch Vista.

 

You're missing the concept behind Microsoft incorporating virtualization in Windows. One of the benefits of Windows has been their supreme focus on backwards compatibility. It helps the user base upgrade without having to worry about repurchasing or rewriting all their existing software. However, maintaining backwards compatibility is also a limitation because it limits the amount of changes that you can make to your operating system because when you do everyone is up at arms that their software no longer works, as was the case for Vista. This is mainly true for corporations who have a lot of custom designed software they've used over the years who's designers may no longer even be around to redesign things.

Apple's ability to release so many iterations of OS X so quickly, for better or worse, is because they aren't as focused on backwards compatibility. They of course want to maintain it as much as possible, like with Rosetta, but they recognize there have to be EOL deadlines that may come quicker than some people hope like with Classic and Carbon no longer getting new features.

The point of supporting virtualization natively in Windows is to address this backwards compatibility issue. Kernel 6.x operating systems like Windows Vista and 7 have a lot of low level changes compared to kernel 5.x operating systems like Windows 2000 and Windows XP, which causes application compatibility issues. Windows 7 is solving this by including a virtualized copy of Windows XP so applications expecting a kernel 5.x OS will get it even though Windows 7 is a kernel 6.x OS. Similarly, virtualization will allow Microsoft to make a lot more significant changes to their next kernel 7.x OS since they no longer need to worry as much about maintaining backwards compatibility. Instead, it's expected that a future kernel 7.x OS will include a kernel 6.x OS like Windows 7 and possibility Windows XP too in virtualization for backwards compatibility. As such, new OS and programs will be designed with the expectation that they will be virtualized in the future. This can only benefit people who are planning on virtualizing them now, whether they be Mac, Linux or Windows users.

The ability for the whole OS to be optimized for virtualization actually carries over from Windows Server 2008 R2, which shares the same kernel as Windows 7, since virtualization is increasingly being used to better utilize servers.

http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/xp_mode_pre_shots.asp

Supporting this is that Virtual Windows XP doesn't seem to be a stripped down, custom version of Windows XP produced after the fact without a desktop. From the screenshots it's supposed to be a full regular copy of Windows XP SP3 with a desktop and everything just like what you would run in VMWare Fusion or Parallels. There's just an integration mode that hides the desktop like Coherence or Unity.

 

Really. I gotta see it to believe it.