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In, say, Windows Server 2008 -assuming the installation wasn't under the Server Core mode-, and in general, will applications made for the general purpose OS line (XP/Vista/7) run?

I mean programs like audio/video editors, videogames, IDEs...

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closed as not a real question by squillman, EEAA, Maxwell, MDMarra, Zoredache Sep 14 '11 at 15:44


Admittedly without exhausting the entire list of Windows applications ever written, I'm going to say "Yes". Plus, [enter obligatory "Windows Server is not a desktop OS" statement here]. –  squillman Sep 14 '11 at 15:28
@Closers, how could I improve my question? –  vemv Sep 14 '11 at 15:51
For one, your question is WAY too broad. Asking about ANY app that won't run is not answerable, there's no possible way to know that. If there were a list of specific apps you had in mind that might help, but even then it'd be borderline for this site. That might have gotten migrated to superuser.com –  squillman Sep 14 '11 at 15:55
Did you guys really think my question was "give me a complete list of non-compatible apps for Server"? Jesus. Reworded. –  vemv Sep 14 '11 at 16:09
There are a few apps that will refuse to install for licensing reasons (the vendor wants you to buy the more expensive server edition). Pretty much everything else should work just fine. –  Joel Coel Sep 14 '11 at 16:13

2 Answers 2

up vote 5 down vote accepted

It's the identical OS to Windows 7, the only thing you'll find is that the aero effects don't look quite as crisp, but it should handle everything else just fine. Bear in mind it can be used for terminal services, i.e. it can be used for user desktops, so 99.999% of productivity and other software that runs on windows 7 can run on server 2008, usually software that doesn't will be restricted only by the developer.

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Because Server 2008 is designed to run as a Terminal Server, nearly everything can if not everything. What few don't run out of the box generally start working once you install the Desktop Experience feature.

Where you'll run into problems is not with Windows directly, it'll be with 3rd party applications. Some applications will explicitly not run on Server 2008 because it hasn't been 'certified'. Others require specific drivers that are not tested against Server 2008 and may not install.

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Both answers are practically the same :) which is a good thing. I picked Alex's as the accepted one only because he has less rep points. –  vemv Sep 14 '11 at 19:08
