Microsoft has released a beta version of the successor to the much-maligned Vista operating system. Reading some of the reviews in the tech magazines, I get the impression one should consider Windows 7 as Vista Reloaded or as the successor to the dependable Windows XP.

Either way Windows 7 is about as close to an apology as those burdened with Vista will get from Microsoft. Many individuals and businesses did not transit from Windows XP to Vista based on the poor operating performance of Vista.

As said before in many places, and by myself, Vista uses up too much of a computer's resources. It hearkens back to the days of multiple crashes and errors. Windows XP answered a lot of the Microsoft critics. Vista was a step backwards.

To make amends Microsoft has already extended the date it will continue to support Windows XP to April 2014. As another bonus, those stuck with Vista can try out the public beta of desktop virtualisation software for Vista. The software allows you to run applications that run on Windows XP and Windows 2000 on a Windows Vista platform. That concession will ease the pain for many Vista users such as myself, especially as I have Windows XP on my desktop, and Vista on my laptop.

The software, called MED-V, creates a virtual Windows XP or 2000 alongside of Windows Vista. MED-V is part of a suite of software Microsoft now includes in its Desktop Optimisation Pack, which is available at the company's online 'Connect' site http://connect.microsoft.com

You can use your Windows Live ID to sign in to Connect or enter by completing a registration.

MED-V is actually being released to convince corporate IT managers to switch over to Vista without first having to stress test the software they are currently running, or to go out and have to spend on updated versions.

"By delivering applications in a Virtual PC that runs a previous version of the OS (eg, Windows XP or Windows 2000), administrators can remove the barriers to OS upgrades, and deal with testing and migration of incompatible applications after the OS upgrade," Microsoft explains.

However I expect many will use MED-V to get back to a operating system that works. After the beta version undergoes further testing, Microsoft expects to release MED-V during the first half of this year.

The Microsoft Desktop Optimisation Pack (MDOP) is a suite of six products Microsoft sells as an add-on to corporate customers who also hold a software assurance license.

Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualisation is one of the six technologies in the Microsoft Desktop Optimisation Pack. The pack is designed to ease the transition to Vista. You can test out a beta version of Windows 7 by downloading it from microsoft.com. Be careful, you should know how to partition your computer so you can run Windows 7 alongside your current installation.

As an aside, commentators are linking Vista to a gain in market share by Apple. Windows' market share in November fell to below 90 percent for the first time in a long while, while Mac OS is now making a comeback to the 10 percent mark.

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The New York Times has highlighted two data exchange sites that should make some travellers very happy. The two sites, or rather services, allow you to syncronise data on one computer with that on another. By using them you will always have a current version of the file you are working on at home, available on your laptop, or at your work computer.

Both sites have free storage versions for the ordinary user who may not want to shell out for larger storage area for their files. Syncplicity offers 2GB of space free for use in syncronising two computers. If you get another friend to join you get an additional 1GB for a maximum of 3G of storage.

That seems to be enough for syncronising all your really important files, or the ones you are currently working on. If you want to add more computers or 50G of storage space then the service costs about $100 a year.

Dropbox offers a similar data management service that also works automatically to keep your data in sync. The service is a bit more secretive about its pricing than Syncplicity. However they do offer a free 2GB service to get you hooked. After that you pay. But the convenience for two, three computer households is the hook. Small businesses, especially those in the service sector, might find such services as a cheap way to back up their data, and keep everyone on a team in sync.

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