Nvidia: We're ready for Microsoft this time (no, really)
When chalking up what went wrong with Vista, incompatible hardware/software always makes it into the Top 10 lists. So it's understandable that the Windows team is doing everything in its power to make sure third parties are ready with drivers and products that will work with Window 7 right out of the gate.
Example: Nvidia. Nvidia was so late to the game in getting its graphics wares to work right with Vista that users almost launched a class-action suit against the graphics vendor. On May 7 -- just two days after the Release Candidate (not even the final RTM version) of Windows 7 was made available to the public for testing -- Nvidia issued a press release touting its Windows 7 readiness.
(Nvidia's not the only one, as TG Daily points out. Yesterday, it was AMD claiming it was first to market with Windows 7 drivers.)
Microsoft is doing a much better job this time around, at least so far, in letting users know what to expect, compatibility-wise, with Windows 7. Another example: This week's Windows Security Blog post explaining why some Windows 7 RC testers might be receiving incompatibility messages with their third-party security software. (Answer: Microsoft has changed the application-programming interface in the Action Center and some vendors have not yet updated their products.)
It's not one big, happy, transparent (or even translucent) Windows 7 ecosystem out there, however. One of my readers has been trying to get Adobe to share information about its Windows 7 support plans for Creative Suite family and other products, to no avail. (Windows XP Mode and MED-V are aimed at users of higher-end Windows 7 SKUs, not the lower-end ones. And not everyone is ready/willing to run their apps virtually.)
Are there any hardware or software makers -- or even Microsoft teams -- you'd like to hear more from, in terms of their Windows 7 support plans?