Why microsoft builds new instead of fixing what they have

[blawlertoms]

Why is it Microsoft chooses to come out with something like Windows 8, when Windows 7 still doesn't do what it has been touted to do. e.g. XP Mode.

 

[ex_bubblehead]

The simple answer, $$$$$

 

[daship]

xp mode works fine on my machines. I guess you need to be smarter then the software sometimes.

 

[JDFan]

Because fixing the existing OS costs money while releasing a new OS makes Money !!

 

[blawlertoms]

xp mode works fine on my machines. I guess you need to be smarter then the software sometimes.

I have Windows 7 64-bit professional on a gigabyte GA-H77-DS3H motherboard with 4gb of RAM, a 500 gb hard drive, and add-in pci-express parallel card and hard drive card Diamond modem. XP professional is on the old hard drive but it is not part of what I am trying to access. Exerything works independently, nothing can be shared or used in XP Mode. I sold the computer new to a customer and he needs to use the XP Mode for his printer and scanner.
Your answer sounds like one that Bill Gates would give instead of fixing the problem.

 

[ktownmike]

You have not noticed a pattern, new OS every 3 to 4 years, Had to buy a new scanner when going from 98 to xp, had to buy a new scanner xp to 07, gave up buying scanners and go to walgreens. I hate, I mean really hate I can buy a fully functioning tablet pc like the fujitsu t4220 for 300 bucks with all the bells and whistes and have to spend 314 bucks for microsoft office, been doin it though, sure I know it is obsolete, but design by committee, not me

 

[edgeria]

Cash money. and to keep expanding their product. Even if they aren't bug proof.

 

[aicom]

Primarily because Microsoft, like any other corporation, is in the business of making money.

However there are other reasons too. If Microsoft just kept updating the same version of Windows, it would most definitely end up in a state where backward compatibility gets broken when it updates some APIs and fixes broken behavior which programs rely on. Microsoft is strict about ensuring that an OS update (not upgrade, but update) doesn't break existing programs. They've got an entire QA lab with tons of tests to verify this.

When Microsoft releases a new OS, it gives them a bit more room to break compatibility with programs that are written poorly and rely on broken OS behavior. In a sense, each release is a snapshot of the behavior of the APIs to ensure that updates don't break programs (except in rare cases). Microsoft still does do bug fixes to APIs in OS updates, but only if the behavior doesn't break other programs. Even so, Windows still does have known broken behavior of certain APIs to keep compatibility with some very commonly used old programs (Office 97 comes to mind), but those APIs have largely been deprecated in favor of non-broken APIs for new programs.

 

[blazorthon]

I have Windows 7 64-bit professional on a gigabyte GA-H77-DS3H motherboard with 4gb of RAM, a 500 gb hard drive, and add-in pci-express parallel card and hard drive card Diamond modem. XP professional is on the old hard drive but it is not part of what I am trying to access. Exerything works independently, nothing can be shared or used in XP Mode. I sold the computer new to a customer and he needs to use the XP Mode for his printer and scanner.
Your answer sounds like one that Bill Gates would give instead of fixing the problem.

Did you consider trying VirtualBox, VMWare, or Virtual PC? They're far better than XP mode.

 

[ss202sl]

It's called INNOVATION. if you really have to have xp run a virtual box with Xp.

 

[blawlertoms]

Best answer selected by blawlertoms.