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6 versions of Windows 7
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B Gallagher
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Feb 4, 2009, 05:39 AM
 
http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/03/w...-has-come-to/2:
  • Windows 7 Starter (limited to three apps concurrently)
  • Windows 7 Home Basic (for emerging markets)
  • Windows 7 Home Premium (adds Aero, Touch, Media Center)
  • Windows 7 Professional (Remote Desktop host, Mobility Center, Presentation mode)
  • Windows 7 Enterprise (volume license only, boot from virtual drive, BitLocker)
  • Windows 7 Ultimate (limited availability, includes everything)
I think the limitation of three apps concurrently in Starter baffles me far more than keeping this many versions. Although here's hoping that only 3, Home Premium, Pro, and Ultimate will be seen in most retail locations.

Thoughts?
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OreoCookie
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Feb 4, 2009, 06:21 AM
 
At least they will make less versions of Windows 7 than there are of Windows Vista. Oh, wait, strike that

This means that most people will want to buy Ultimate. The omission of BitLocker on the Pro edition is a glaring omission (the Enterprise edition is not freely available in retail as far as I can tell). So if your company buys a laptop for you and wants you to encrypt all their trade secrets, you have to go for Ultimate -- which is also the version of choice for `computer enthusiasts.'
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Maflynn
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Feb 4, 2009, 08:37 AM
 
Not to defend m$ but many of these editions will not be available to the consumer, some will be over seas, i.e., win 7 starter. The enterprise flavor probably won't be available at staples/best buy either.

With that said, its ridiculous to have this many flavors, instead of providing the buyer with a clear product, it actually confuses them. Perhaps they want to use FUD to get them to buy the ultimate version and there by increase their bottom line.
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OreoCookie
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Feb 4, 2009, 08:42 AM
 
Why not make simply one flavor, two at most?
A lot of the security problems with XP stem from the fact that MS believed you don't need to enforce file permissions on the Home Edition!
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Maflynn
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Feb 4, 2009, 08:58 AM
 
Originally Posted by OreoCookie View Post
Why not make simply one flavor, two at most?
A lot of the security problems with XP stem from the fact that MS believed you don't need to enforce file permissions on the Home Edition!
Agreed, and that's why I like the simplicity of OSX even in the marketing department. One edition, less confusion and easy install. I can see the best buy salesman saying "if you really want the best os you need the ultimate, blah blah blah." to a hapless customer
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Feb 4, 2009, 10:07 AM
 
What they couldn't make 7 versions to match the name?

Not a big surprise.
     
jokell82
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Feb 4, 2009, 10:25 AM
 
From what I've read about this, the majority of consumers will only see two versions - Home Premium and Professional. Ultimate will really only be for the "geek" market and probably won't get much retail shelf space. Enterprise will not be available in retail. Starter won't even be available in the US.

I still think it's dumb - why can't Microsoft make a single version?

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Doofy
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Feb 4, 2009, 10:33 AM
 
Wait. Windows is now stable enough to run more than three apps concurrently?

When did that happen?
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Spheric Harlot
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Feb 4, 2009, 10:44 AM
 
Originally Posted by Maflynn View Post
Agreed, and that's why I like the simplicity of OSX even in the marketing department. One edition, less confusion and easy install.
TWO editions.

Mac OS X Server *does* count - but it's conveniently named to clarify why you, the customer, are probably not going to be interested.
     
64stang06
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Feb 4, 2009, 10:56 AM
 
The sad thing is, Microsoft is going to make all versions on one install disc like Vista, which of course opens the gates for piracy yet again.
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OreoCookie
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Feb 4, 2009, 10:57 AM
 
Well, there is also Windows 2008 server which comes in nine (!) editions. From a usability point of view, I can understand why you'd want to separate into a Desktop and Server edition, it's not really an artificial separation as in the case of Windows.
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Mac User #001
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Feb 4, 2009, 11:02 AM
 
Originally Posted by Doofy View Post
Wait. Windows is now stable enough to run more than three apps concurrently?

When did that happen?
It's a pretty big driving feature of Windows 7 - how could you miss it?
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Feb 4, 2009, 11:32 AM
 
     
Maflynn
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Feb 4, 2009, 11:32 AM
 
Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot View Post
TWO editions.

Mac OS X Server *does* count - but it's conveniently named to clarify why you, the customer, are probably not going to be interested.
We're talking about desktop OS and so its one edition. MS also has a number of server OSs so to compare apples to apples, OSX has one edition and windows has a gazillion.
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Feb 4, 2009, 02:17 PM
 
Wow. Starter and Home Basic don't even include Aero. That's pretty weak.
     
osiris
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Feb 4, 2009, 02:33 PM
 
"Windows 7 Ultimate (limited availability, includes everything)"

Limited? What, are they individually numbered by the Franklin Mint?
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Dakar V
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Feb 4, 2009, 02:39 PM
 
Limited availability for those with scruples, maybe.
     
osiris
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Feb 4, 2009, 02:42 PM
 
Surely you jest.
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Dakar V
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Feb 4, 2009, 02:43 PM
 
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osiris
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Feb 4, 2009, 03:00 PM
 
Sorry. Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit amphetamines
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Laminar
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Feb 4, 2009, 03:14 PM
 
I just want to wish you both good luck, we're all counting on you
     
Dakar V
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Feb 4, 2009, 03:16 PM
 
Where did you get that dress it's horrible, and those shoes...
     
osiris
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Feb 4, 2009, 03:19 PM
 
Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit sniffing glue.
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Laminar
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Feb 4, 2009, 03:20 PM
 
Leg 'er down 'n smack 'em yak 'em
     
Dakar V
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Feb 4, 2009, 03:24 PM
 
The white zone is for immediate loading and unloading of passengers only. There is no stopping in a red zone.
     
osiris
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Feb 4, 2009, 03:27 PM
 
The red zone is for immediate loading and unloading of passengers only. There is no stopping in a white zone.
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Laminar
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Feb 4, 2009, 03:45 PM
 
No, the white zone is for loading. Now, there is no stopping in a RED zone.
     
Dakar V
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Feb 4, 2009, 03:54 PM
 
Look Betty, don't start up with your white zone sh¡t again. There's just no stopping in a white zone.
     
osiris
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Feb 4, 2009, 04:00 PM
 
Oh really, Vernon? Why pretend, we both know perfectly well what this is about. You want me to have an abortion.
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Laminar
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Feb 4, 2009, 04:05 PM
 
It's really the only sensible thing to do, if its done safely. Therapeutically there's no danger involved.
     
Luca Rescigno
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Feb 4, 2009, 04:06 PM
 
Ultimate will probably continue to be a huge rip-off.

Starter might get bundled with some of the cheaper netbooks to cut costs and improve performance.

Sometimes I wonder, why doesn't MS just sell those features separately? Instead of having to buy a specific OS version to get a specific feature, they could just sell the barebones OS, maybe one or two bundles, and then sell things like BitLocker and those other software packages separately.

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Dakar V
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Feb 4, 2009, 04:10 PM
 
15 straight, not bad.
     
Laminar
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Feb 4, 2009, 04:10 PM
 
I think he meant to say "C-c-c-combo breaker!"
     
Laminar
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Feb 4, 2009, 04:10 PM
 
Do you know what it's like to fall in the mud and get kicked... in the head... with an iron boot? Of course you don't, no one does. It never happens. It's a dumb question... skip it.
     
Dakar V
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Feb 4, 2009, 04:18 PM
 
*hand on the shoulder* It's over.
     
osiris
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Feb 4, 2009, 04:19 PM
 
Next time we hijack a thread, I want it to stay hijacked, dag nab it.
Especially threads about Windows, and all those other bits of household infrastructure.
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Laminar
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Feb 4, 2009, 04:23 PM
 
Originally Posted by Dakar V View Post
*hand on the shoulder* It's over.
Jive ass dude don't got no brains anyhow! Hmmph!
     
osiris
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Feb 4, 2009, 04:27 PM
 
Laminar, it's okay. They'll be more.
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mduell
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Feb 4, 2009, 04:46 PM
 
Windows 7 Starter - Think of it like the iPhone version of OS X: only available to OEMs, three app limitation, I doubt you'll see it much in the first world outside of very low end netbooks (at iPod prices)
Windows 7 Home Basic - Only available in the third world, you'll never see/use it
Windows 7 Home Premium - "OS X + iLife", available retail
Windows 7 Professional - Everything you need for most small businesses, available retail
Windows 7 Enterprise/Ultimate - Every feature available, the same thing except for licensing (volume only and retail only, respectively); although Ultimate will be available retail, they won't really be pushing it because they don't think many customers need it.

You can upgrade from any version to any higher version at any time by inserting the media you have and buying a key online.
( Last edited by mduell; Feb 4, 2009 at 04:59 PM. )
     
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Feb 4, 2009, 05:21 PM
 
I just want to tell you both good luck, we're all counting on you.
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driven
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Feb 4, 2009, 05:45 PM
 
I was reading that 99% of the people will be served by Home Premium and Professional.

The other versions are just the extremes and are available for special cases.

So ... it seems that Microsoft is back to the XP format of "Home" and "Professional". I like. (Not as good as Win2k's "Professional" and "Server" but close. At least Home seems to be more useful than XP's version.
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Luca Rescigno
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Feb 4, 2009, 06:06 PM
 
Joey, do you like movies about gladiators?

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Spheric Harlot
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Feb 4, 2009, 06:20 PM
 
I just want to tell you both good luck, we're all counting on you.
     
Luca Rescigno
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Feb 4, 2009, 06:50 PM
 
Have you ever seen a grown man naked?

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Feb 4, 2009, 08:13 PM
 
Want to?
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- - e r i k - -
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Feb 4, 2009, 11:20 PM
 
Originally Posted by driven View Post
I was reading that 99% of the people will be served by Home Premium and Professional.

The other versions are just the extremes and are available for special cases.

So ... it seems that Microsoft is back to the XP format of "Home" and "Professional". I like. (Not as good as Win2k's "Professional" and "Server" but close. At least Home seems to be more useful than XP's version.
This seems to be the reasoning spouted by most Microsoft apologist, it still doesn't answer the key question here though: What's the f*cking point?

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olePigeon
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Feb 4, 2009, 11:48 PM
 
Originally Posted by - - e r i k - - View Post
This seems to be the reasoning spouted by most Microsoft apologist, it still doesn't answer the key question here though: What's the f*cking point?
Oh, that's easy. Money. You see, Microsoft only has to make one product: Windows 7. Now they could just sell it for $129 like Apple, but why when you have a monopoly? You can artificially cripple the software and sell that for $199. People can then pay $399 for the "Ultimate" version, which is really just the normal version with the artificial limitations removed.

When Microsoft inflates the price to $399, they can make the Volume License edition look like a good deal at $149 a copy. "Hey! We get the Ultimate version for $50 cheaper than the Home version! Look how much money we'll save!"
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olePigeon
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Feb 4, 2009, 11:50 PM
 
That is, of course, before the annual Client Access License fee that Microsoft charges every year for the sheer privilege of using absolutely any device on a Windows network. Every single smart phone, PDA, network printer, computer (Mac, PC, Linux, Apple II, 486), that uses Windows services will cost you $24 each, every single year.
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