I was thinking if I should post this info knowing it’s an awful lot to read…. but it’s to important as the public availability of Windows 7 is just around the corner, so here we go:
Dates for the Windows 7 RC were announced last week. This blog posting is meant to be a one-stop introduction to next steps for the process of getting your application Windows 7-compatible and then lighting up your application with the new features in Windows 7 (PART II) Here is the real opportunity for your company to lead in your market.
The Microsoft Partner Program has a good list of Windows 7 resources of ISVs including white papers, lists of the editions and features, small business training kits.
For videos about the new Windows 7 features, see Windows 7 Beta videos. You'll find short sneak peeks of about 90 seconds about many of the new features.
Compatibility for Windows Client Applications
The first order of business is application compatibility. In general, if your Windows client application runs under Windows Vista, you're probably compatible. But to be safe, check out the Windows 7 Application Compatibility Guide. The Guide highlights changes that could affect your application. it also points out differences in performance, reliability, and usability, and provides links to detailed white papers and other developer guidance.
Next, test your application. We have training and labs in the Netherlands to help you test your application. For more information see MSDN InTrack: Windows 7 Application Compatibility and the labs will become available soon so keep an eye on our Intracks page : www.microsoft.nl/msdnintrack
Next certify your application as compatible. There are several steps, but once you you complete the steps, you can display the Compatible with Windows 7 logo. Unlike past application certification, Windows 7 logo is a self test. The test tools are currently in pre-release. You'll be able to do some early testing. Basically once you complete the test after the final version is released, you submit your results, and can display the logo. Completing the steps will also qualify your company for partner points in the Microsoft Partner Program. For more information, see Windows 7 Software Logo. Be sure to sign up for the newsletter to receive the invite, codes to activate the logo testing tools, and up-to-date information.
One final note: you'll want to do a clean install if you are running Windows XP or Windows 7 Beta. For more information, see Delivering a Quality Upgrade Experience.
Compatibility for Web Applications
The browser that ships on Windows 7 is Internet Explorer 8. And users of Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003 or Windows Server 2008 are getting notified through Automatic Update to update to Internet Explorer 8. So if you haven't done so already, be sure both your Web application and your customer-facing Web site are compatible with Internet Explorer 8.
As a short term measure, you can add a tag to your Web application at the page or site to render your site in IE8 as it does in IE7. For more information, see Introducing IE=EmulateIE7. That's a short term measure though. You'll want to update your Web pages from IE7 to IE8. The Internet Explorer team has pulled together a list of the major things to look for in your pages and how to update them at Site Compatibility and IE8.
Resources
For more information, see:
Participate in forums. The Windows Client Forums for software developers on MSDN allow you to connect with the community, ask for technical insight, and seek answers to your questions.
Get Windows 7 through Microsoft Connect, the program provides you access to Windows 7 builds, application testing labs and toolkits to commence your development efforts to help you build innovative solutions for your customers.
Again, don’t hesitate as Windows 7 is around the corner.
Mark