ChangeBase updates AOKLite migration testing tool for IE9

ChangeBase is readying an updated version of AOKLite, a free tool for pre-migration compatibility testing. Version 3.0 adds tests for IE9 compatibility, a key feature for organisations looking to move workers to Windows 7.

AOKLite 3.0 is set for release on 12 October, and is a free-to-download version of ChangeBase's full AOK suite which tests applications for compatibility with new platforms such as Windows 7, and applies fixes where possible.

ChangeBase added IE9 support to the full AOK this month, enhancing its effectiveness as a tool for the many organisations that have yet to begin a Windows 7 migration owing to the complex issues around application compatibility and how to test for it.

"For the corporate sector, this challenge is a monstrosity. How do you test hundreds or even thousands of apps to see whether they will run on Windows 7?" said Greg Lambert, co-founder and chief technical architect at ChangeBase.

According to Lambert, the single biggest issue holding up Windows 7 migration projects is browser compatibility.

While it is widely known that enterprise applications coded specifically for IE6 may not function with anything else, there are other subtle changes in areas such as security handling and parsing that may cause issues with web pages on newer versions of Microsoft's browser.

With AOKLite, companies can test up to 10 applications for free to get a feel for the software's capabilities.

This version also adds additional checks for Office 2007 and Office 2010 problems, which cover many situations where turnkey applications built around Microsoft's suite invoke a specific feature in an Office application.

"We can identify which piece of code won't work, and generate a report to tell you exactly why," said Lambert.

The full AOK suite examines desktop, server, web and virtualised applications for compatibility issues, and can take basic remedial steps where possible.

"Most changes turn out to be trivial, like case sensitivity in a function call, but if you imagine looking for that manually through thousands of lines of HTML for each app, it's a daunting task that we can automate," Lambert said.

Making AOKLite available as a free download is not just a generous gesture on behalf of ChangeBase; Lambert said that it provides valuable data to help the company keep its knowledge base of compatibility issues up to date.

"It's about getting exposure to as many web apps and web sites as possible, so we can spot as many issues as possible," he explained.

The full version of AOK is priced based on the number of applications tested, starting at £100 per application.

AOKLite can be downloaded from ChangeBase's web site.