Harvard students eager to try out Microsoft’s Windows 7 on University computers will have to wait until FAS IT approves the new operating system.

Microsoft released its most recent version of Windows, Windows 7, to the public last Thursday but the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Information Technology (FAS IT) will not install the system on its computers until its staff can deal with issues of compatibility.

“We have to establish a consistent environment for a lot of different types of software, which may not be compatible with the new system,” explained Noah S. Selsby ’94, Senior Client Technology Advisor for FAS IT, in an emailed statement. “FAS IT tends to be very conservative when upgrading our operating systems in our labs because of the wide variety of software that is needed for coursework.” Selsby added that in many cases, the software may not be compatible with new operating systems, which could destabilize the University’s operating environment.

But Selsby added that FAS IT is excited about the prospect of installing the new system.

“Our testers are quite enthusiastic about the new OS and see it as a major step forward from [Windows] Vista,” he wrote.

On its Web site, Microsoft advertises Windows 7’s increased speed and more convenient desktop management, as well as improvements to Windows Media Center and file sharing. Retail prices for Windows 7 upgrades start at $119.99.

Selsby also recommends that students not update their own computers with Windows 7 before FAS IT can issue a statement of support for the online system.

“As we did with Snow Leopard for Mac, we will be publishing a grid of known issues and software incompatibilities that students will find useful in making the decision as to whether they should upgrade,” Selsby wrote. “Students who purchase computers with Windows 7 pre-installed may not have much of a choice, so we will always do our best efforts to provide support should they encounter issues.”

Keito Uchiyama ’11, President of the Harvard Computer Society and a Crimson affiliate, who has been using a version of Windows 7 for a year, said he likes the experience. “It’s solid and looks good,” he said.

He added that he would not recommend that Harvard switch its computers over immediately because it uses so many clients. Uchiyama also mentioned that Ubuntu, a competing operating system, is due to release a new version today, which gives FAS IT another option. Harvard currently uses Ubuntu on several Science Center computers.