Professional Windows 7 Development Guide

Chapter 2. Developing a Windows 7 Strategy

WHAT'S IN THIS CHAPTER?

• Defining a strategy that makes the user feel comfortable with the update

• Deciding how and when to move to Windows 7 from another version of Windows

Moving an application from an older version of Windows to Windows 7 might seem an obvious thing to do. However, making the move without a plan probably won't work very well. You have to create a strategy for moving the application, or you'll face delays and unexpected tensions. The source of most of these delays and tensions will be the people who actually benefit the most from the move: the users who work with the application every day. Most users don't care anything about your application — they care only about getting their work done. Any time you change something, it means they must focus attention away from their work to your application, and most are going to be hostile about the disruption of their schedules.

Another consideration is whether you should even move your application to Windows 7. You may find that the application is impossible to move, or that the amount of coding required to make the move is prohibitive. In some cases, it might actually be easier to create a new application, rather than attempt to recreate an existing application to work in the Windows 7 environment. This is especially true if you plan to make some major changes, such as moving from the 32-bit to the 64-bit environment.

This chapter provides an overview of some issues you need to consider ...