Microsoft is saying that Windows 7 is a major release that will build on the technologies already present in Vista.  As far as hardware requirements, Windows 7 will have similar or even slightly lower requirements than Vista.

The company is pleased with themselves over Vista saying,

"From a quality perspective, both Windows Vista SP1 and the ecosystem have delivered measurable progress in the six dimensions of quality we track — device compatibility, application compatibility, reliability, performance, battery life and security."

Chris Flores from the Windows Vista Team Blog said,

"One of our design goals for Windows 7 is that it will run on the recommended hardware we specified for Windows Vista and that the applications and devices that work with Windows Vista will be compatible with Windows 7."

Well, it’s better than nothing but rest assured that XP programs that don’t work on Vista now will most certainly not work in Windows 7.  It looks like we’re looking at a new generation of compatibility.  Some programs from previous versions of Windows didn’t work in Windows XP, a lot of programs didn’t work in Vista that were made for XP but at least programs for Vista will work in Windows 7.

Now, if it manages to get WinFS in there somewhere, I will truly be impressed.  Windows 7 should be released three years after the general availability of Vista or in other words, by January of 2010 but if Microsoft knows what’s good, it will make every effort to have a 2009 holiday release.

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Related:

Vista requires more memory than super computer version of Windows

Researcher slams Microsoft over Vista’s content protection features

Majority of PCs not equipped for Windows Vista upgrade, survey says

Businesses just say "no" to Vista

Vista aero glass, hot or not?

Entry was posted on Tuesday, May 27th, 2008 at 3:28 pm under Microsoft, Upgrading, Vista, windows 7.  Print This Post

Read more entries by Jonathan Schlaffer.