Application Compatibility and Internet Explorer 6

On the Microsoft web site, you can now download Release Candidate 1 for Internet Explorer 8. I am enjoying using the new version, but know that the IM&T Tools Project needs to remain focussed on the challenges you are facing today. One of these challenges is applications that require Internet Explorer 6 (IE6).

With the release of the beta for Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (MED-V), there is a new tool available to overcome application compatibility problems. MED-V is one of the six technologies in the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack. MED-V provides deployment, management and user experience capabilities for Virtual PC images in an NHS environment.

Incompatibility of applications with Internet Explorer 7 (and soon 8) has been a much discussed problem for NHS Trusts planning upgrades to Windows Vista. Testing and migrating applications can be time consuming, and meanwhile users are unable to take advantage of the new capabilities and enhancements offered by the new OS. By delivering applications in a Virtual PC that runs Windows XP and IE6, IM&T teams can remove the barriers to OS upgrades.

If you have an application that requires IE6, please get in touch. Whether it is a widely-deployed national application or a bespoke Trust-specific application, I would like to hear from you. The IM&T Tools Project team can help you to investigate whether MED-V is the solution to your application compatibility challenge.

--Neil