Hi, Actually, Microsoft goes to great lengths to ensure backward-compatibility, much more than many other tech companies. If Microsoft behaved like Apple, i can garuntee that you would not be able to run VB games on modern machines, because MS would have removed support from their OS as soon as they decided to stop supporting it.
Take the Windows API, for example. It's been around since 1985, and in order to ensure compatibility, MS just continued to add functionality and hacks. Because of this, the API has become extremely bloated with some redundant functions and annoying limitations. In Windows 8, they've created a whole new API, but are still supporting the old Windows API, despite the fact that it probably adds incredible bloat and increases the complexity of the OS. Because of this, I have to disagree with you that MS doesn't care about backward-compatibility. They have many, many faults, but that's not one of them. There comes a time when backward-compatibility must be broken to allow for improvement. We had to say goodbye to the DOS command prompt, Windows 9X and 16-bit software. We will probably be saying goodbye to VB support as well. Of course, if Windows 8 is the last to support VB, you'll still have lots of time to upgrade, as Microsoft supports its operating systems for quite a while. On 12/11/11, dark <d...@xgam.org> wrote: > Hi Alex. > > As I said I'm not annoyed that Microsoft update their os, they have to, > even if we don't like some of their decisions on interfaces etc. > > it just seems though that they don't give a dam about running older > programs, games or anything else, they just claime "newer = better" it seems > without actually considdering what people want their computers for, namely > to run programs. > > comador didn't do this with their os or machines, even with compltely new > hardware, going from amigar 500 to 1200. > > Even the big console developers are realizing that people like running their > old games, hence the wii virtual consoles, virtual arcade and other such > software versions of older games stil available on modern machines. > > Microsoft though just seem to expect everyone to update, buy their products > and cope, because newer is always better in their opinion. > > for myself, if i could be certain all my games and other applications would > work under windows 7, I'd be much less wary about updating. > > I just see this as a case of not listening to the customer and doing their > own dam thing and expecting everyone to cope simply because they are a big > fat company who just care about the prophit. > > Beware the grue! > > Dark. > > > --- > Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org > If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to > gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. > You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at > http://mail.audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. > All messages are archived and can be searched and read at > http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. > If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, > please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org. > --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://mail.audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org.