Windows 7 to Have an XP Compatibility Mode

Worried your software won't work on Windows 7 and planning to stick with Windows XP because of it? Microsoft wants to make sure that isn't an issue that stands in the way of Windows 7 adoption.

On Friday, XP Mode (XPM) was announced. This isn't just a mode that emulates Windows XP. XPM consists of a Virtual PC-based virtual environment and a fully licensed copy of Windows XP with Service Pack 3 (SP3).

Users of Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate will be able to download it from the Microsoft web site. As first published by the Windows Supersite blog,

XPM works much like today's Virtual PC products, but with one important exception: As with the enterprise-based MED-V (Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization) product, XPM does not require you to run the virtual environment as a separate Windows desktop. Instead, as you install applications inside the virtual XP environment, they are published to the host (Windows 7) OS as well. (With shortcuts placed in the Start Menu.) That way, users can run Windows XP-based applications (like IE 6) alongside Windows 7 applications under a single desktop.

This is a great idea, and a great move. However, some would wonder why it's restricted to Pro, Enterprise and Ultimate. Does that mean users of Home Premium have to pay for it, or does it mean XPM won't install at all?

Whatever it means, it's obvious why you target Pro, Enterprise and Ultimate. Microsoft wants the Enterprise to adopt 7. Corporations are the slowest to migrate to newer versions of applications. Thus, ensuresing that their software will be 100% compatible is the best way to convince them to move.

Prior to this announcement, Microsoft was saying that, at the very least, Windows Vista compatible software would run on 7. Now they can claim 100% compatibility all the way back to XP. Have to say, it's a great move on Microsoft's part.

Now if the recession would just get out of the way.