Windows 7 Compatible Logo Program

Microsoft has released a blog article that explains the new Windows 7 Compatible Logo program will mean for customers.  In order for a program to be considered as being Compatible with Windows 7, it must go through some hard testing.  The biggest thing that has changed this time with the Windows 7 Compatible Logo program from it’s older compatible programs is that there must be 64 bit certified as well!

Here a portion of what of what it is all about from Microsofts blog

For Windows 7, we’ve made a number of changes to the Logo criteria and the process for granting Logo status. Our goal is to make the “Compatible with Windows 7 Logo” about the customer and ensuring them the best experience possible with Windows. A few of the changes we made include:

• We focused on robust testing requirements to ensure optimal Windows 7 experience. Products that receive the Logo are checked for common issues to minimize the number of crashes, hangs, and reboots experienced by the user.
• To be granted the Logo, products are tested to work with all versions of Windows 7 including 64-bit. This is an important change since 64 bit systems are becoming more mainstream.
• We changed the testing process, reducing the amount of paperwork required and making it less expensive for our partners to achieve the logo.
• We reached out to partners earlier giving them more time to test their products for use with Windows 7

These changes have already been met with positive results from our partner community. For the last several months we have been running a program for partners called Ready.Set.7 designed to help them achieve the logo. There are already over 6000 products that have received the logo and many more are added every day.

With 64 bit becoming more mainstream that what it used to be, this new step that Microsoft has taken with it’s compatible program I think is a good one.  I believe Microsoft wants to get more application and hardware to take advantage of the 64 bit architecture.

What do you think? Will this new logo program give you more assurance that what you buy will work with Windows 7? Or are you skeptical of what Microsoft says?

Source: Microsofts blog