Will applications be Windows Vista ready in time?

2 May 2007

It seams I'm not the only one that finds applications don't work with Windows Vista, as purchasers of new PCs are still asking for Windows XP as an alternative to Vista.

As well as some things that I've already mentioned Windows Vista, Windows XP and Linux OS reviews, I've found more problems with Vista. Not only applications that won't run, but some that claim to work (though not officially supported), force Windows Vista into a compatibility mode by switching off the Aero interface. An example of this is Fireworks, part of the Adobe (formally Macromedia) Studio suite.

On my work PC I'm not even allowed to upgrade Internet Explorer to version 7 due to incompatibilities, let alone move to Windows Vista. Personally I think that is down to very poor application design, but it shows the sort of thing that happens with the design for a specific operating system and browser attitude.

Dell did announce that they were only going to supply new PCs with Windows XP, but have since done a U-turn to continue to provide Windows XP for those that have hit incompatibilities with Windows Vista. VNUNet News: Dell does U-turn on XP availability. The problem is that this is only a temporary thing. Microsoft still dictates the sale of Windows XP, which will not be available to manufacturers from early next year. Will all applications be ready by then? I don't know for sure but I suspect not.

It is Microsoft that has broken the compatibility and they should provide better support to both developers and the end user.

It's another example how closed source, licensed software forces you into the way they want you to operate. Fortunately this is not something that you are subject to with Open Source software where you will have the ability to either change the software yourself, or continue running with the older version. Another example of where Open Source is better and safer.