Microsoft is getting ready to start public testing of the next version of its moviemaking and photo-editing software, but the company confirmed this week that the products won't run on Windows XP.

The new versions are part of a series of changes coming to Windows Live in the "Wave 4" update to Microsoft's online services. In updating Windows Live Movie Maker, Windows Live Photo Gallery, and other downloadable Windows Live Essentials programs, Microsoft opted to take advantage of the improved graphics engine and other capabilities that have come into the operating system with Windows Vista and Windows 7. However, that meant sacrificing compatibility with the older operating system.

"We just decided that was the right choice," Microsoft Vice President Chris Jones said in an interview this week. Jones said existing versions of the programs will continue to be supported for XP users and online services like Hotmail and Windows Live Messenger will continue to run on Windows XP.

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