winstep wrote:
In my opinion Microsoft really did it (badly) this time. There are two schools at Microsoft, the 'let's keep everything backwards compatible', which, in my opinion, is responsible for Windows being so successful, and the 'let's start from scratch' school. Apparently the later school is the top dog at Microsoft these days, as they are responsible for ugly monsters like DOT NET, where what they call Visual Basic is a totally different language from the Visual Basic versions up to 6.0, and now Vista.
The problem is that they changed things in such a way that a LOT of older software will simply NOT run properly on Vista, unless the developers are still around to update it. Not good, IMO.
In general I agree, I do think, from MS perspective, that some things they let devleopers know back in 2001, like not writing entries in some specific sections of the registry; this is manifest in the debacal surounding Quickbooks through 2006, but neither Quickbooks or Corel WP for that matter decided to deal with the guidelines and put entries in some areas of the registry they were told not to by the guidleines.
An example from Wordperfect is: a client installed WP version 9 in Vista and it ran fine. It really wasn't the version he needed so I uninstalled it and installed WP12 which is what he's used to (this client is real finacky about what he's used to). It installed and wouldn't run, not enough rights, etc. etc. Between 9 and 12 Corel included entries, in 12, that went against MS 2001 guidelines and wammo, will install but won't run.
Frankly there may have been other things unleashed with Vista that weren't in the guidelines back then that might have broken it anyway; however, where's the impetus for the SW developer to work harder to get something to work when, though the guidlines indicated not to, adding entries there would solve thier immedeate problem, possibly compatability with third party add ins, and the heck with later: Let the user buy another copy and we'll sell more software - so we can worry about it then and make more money when it happens.
I whole heartedly agree that MS has enormous issues with their SW development and their development tools, but; many developers in the past, Intuit and Corel being just 2 didn't help by just doing things their way, regardless of guidlines, in the interest of expediancy to get done what they wanted to get done.
I wouldn't have wanted to be the business owner that just bought a 10 user network version of Quickbooks last June (or so) and then about March of this year have to replace equipment including my notebook, and not be able to run QB without upgrading to QB v.2007 for Vista support.
I'd be sorely PO'd and considering a class action lawsuit against Intuit, which may actually have some legs.
Qb's only excuse would be they never said they were Windows XP "Certified" so sorry but cough up more money.
I was actually stuned to see the way Vista rolled out at the retailers. One night they closed with workstation inventory having WXP on it and the next morning opened with Vista and no XP to be found. The Military could take lessons doing deployment on that one.
cef100
(Rant => Off)