[note: gripe on]
 
I wish there were some standards for deciding and submitting software compatibility. Many times do I see software marked as green (compatible), when in fact people have to do a bit or a lot of tweaking to get it to run under Win2k. To me, that seems somewhat ridiculous. I propose the following criteria:
 
Green –
Program installs without a hitch and runs from the shortcut or launch menu provided. Too many times do I see an application marked as ‘green,’ when in fact people have to use other—albeit minor—methods to get it to work. Green means NO hassles.
 
Yellow –
- Program installs fine, but a minor tweak is required to get it going. Example: X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter does not launch from the LucasArts provided launch menu, but it launches from the actual .exe for the game. Against my better judgement, I’ll also include minor registry tweaks for qualifying an application as ‘yellow.’
- “Something” (usually music) does not work, but the application runs fine, and is usable. It sucks to see this marked as ‘green.’ Also, if the sound, as in sound essential to the application (game), does not work, then it’s RED, as in not compatible, or compatible enough, for the application to be used as it was intended. Getting a picture on the screen is not good enough to mark an application as compatible—the whole package has to work.
 
Red –
- Program does not install. (Duh!)
- Program can be made to work when dragging over stuff from your Win2k/9x dual-boot setup. If the program needs 9x things to work, then in my opinion it’s not compatible with Win2k.
- Just about anything else that makes you go outside the application to accomplish it—if the OS or the application don’t do these ‘things’ for you.