Certified for Windows 2000 Logo Program Finalized

As Windows 2000 hit store shelves, the final pieces of the logo program that qualifies applications to bear the label Certified for Windows 2000 were finally put in place. The final draft of the Server Application Specification for Windows 2000 was released by Microsoft only in December, and the testing company, VeriTest, began testing server applications for compliance on Jan. 31, 2000. Dramatically more demanding than previous Windows logo programs, this one aims to improve the reliability of Windows 2000 by running all candidate applications through a set of rigorous certification tests. To kick start the program, Microsoft and Rational Software are offering free certification test tools, and Microsoft is offering discounts on certification testing for members of the MSDN Independent Software Vendors (ISV) Program.

Why the Logo Program Exists

The impetus for more stringent application specifications and the tougher logo certification program is corporate customers’ insistence that Microsoft make its platforms more reliable and simpler to administer. Meeting those demands requires changes not only in Microsoft operating systems but also in ISV applications. While Microsoft has made numerous enhancements to Windows 2000 targeted at improving reliability and simplifying administration, much of the benefit promised by Windows 2000 will be lost unless ISVs can be coaxed to modify their applications accordingly. Microsoft hopes that the combination of rigorous application specifications and a stiff certification program will get the attention of most ISVs.