Redmond's attempts to make sure that Windows 7 worked better than Windows Vista with different software at launch appeared to have worked.

Microsoft is trumpeting statistics showing impressive numbers of applications that run without hiccup on Windows 7. When Vista launched it was so different from XP that few applications worked. Partly or entirely-non-running device drivers and apps were caused so many adopters to be miffed that Vista never really recovered.

Michael Cherry, an analyst with the independent firm, Directions on Microsoft, said he had not seen any corporations who said, 'Gee, because of application Y, we can't deploy Windows 7,'"

Talking to Computerworld Cherry gives Microsoft credit for "working hard -- very, very hard" to ensure that application and device compatibility wouldn't be an issue. Microsoft released its most up-to-date spreadsheet for IT professionals listing information about which applications are compatible with Windows 7 or not.

Of the more than 13,000 apps on the list, 82 per cent are compatible with Windows 7 today. That includes the 23 per cent that have been certified compatible under Microsoft's Windows 7 Logo program. Redmond claimed last month that more than 800,000 unique apps run on Windows 7. Of those, more than 9,000 apps and devices have been certified as compatible under the Windows 7 Logo program.