Application Help
When matching information determines that the user is about to run an incompatible application, Windows XP can either invoke a compatibility fix or generate a Help message in the user interface.
Application Help, the most severe of the compatibility technologies, is reserved for those situations where a fix may not be a viable (or available) solution for a compatibility problem. Its basic mechanism is simple: The operating system uses matching information in SysMain, which in turn determines what messages to draw from the AppHelp database to block the operation of applications with known compatibility problems and/or inform users about them.
More precisely, Application Help generates a localized message that is presented to the user when a problematic process is about to initiate. A dialog box appears containing a brief message about the problem, with the severity indicated by an icon. If the icon is a yellow triangle with an exclamation mark, then the application is not blocked, which means that the user will still be able to run the program.
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igure 1. Application Help message for a program incompatible with Windows XP.
If the icon is a red stop sign, as in Figure 1 above, then the application is blocked, which means that the user cannot run the program. Clicking the Details button enables the user to get more information. This additional information is displayed in the Windows XP Help and Support Center (see Figure 2 below), with the Help content coming from either Microsoft.com (if the computer is online), or a local HTML Help file (%Windir%\help\apps.chm).
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igure 2. Additional information on blocking problems is provided in the Help and Support Center.
Application Help is most commonly used to block low-level applications—such as antivirus and disk-access utilities—that were not written for or intended for use on Windows XP. By blocking the installation of these applications, this technology serves to avert serious problems that would compromise system integrity. This results in greater system stability and a more satisfying user experience.
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