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.