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Windows 7: Six versions of Microsoft's operating system

Windows 7: According to media reports there will be six different versions of the forthcoming operating system.

Windows 7: Microsoft plans six versions [Source: view picture gallery]

It seems like Microsoft won't reduce the number of different versions for Windows 7. Mary Jo Foley, the always well informed blogger at ZDnet, says in her current Windows 7 article, that Microsoft will offer six different versions of Windows 7.

Windows 7: The versions
Accordingly the following versions of windows 7 will be introduced:
- Windows 7 Starter Edition (for emerging markets and netbooks)
- Windows 7 Home Basic (for emerging markets)
- Windows 7 Home Premium (Windows 7 with all Media Center feature)
- Windows 7 Professional (Business version for personal use)
- Windows 7 Enterprise (volume licensees)
- Windows 7 Ultimate (customers who need business feature)

Foley says that Microsoft wants to focus on the Home Premium and Professional since Bill Veghte, Senior Vice President of the Windows business, estimates that 80 percent of the customers will choose one of those two versions.

Windows 7: Versions in detail
- Windows 7 Starter Edition: Only three programs at the same time. Is said to be available pre-installed only and is restricted to certain hardware. Field of application: netbooks primarily
- Windows 7 Home Basic: No Aero, probably not for sale in North America, Europe usw. (emerging markets only)
- Windows 7 Home Premium: Successor of Vista Home Premium. Default version of Windows 7. Aero, Media Center, DVD playback and Multi-Touch included.
- Windows 7 Professional: Successor of Vista Business. All features of Home Premium (incl. Media Center). Add-ons: Access to Windows Domains,
Group guidelines, Remote Desktop, network backup, Encrypting file system.
- Windows 7 Ultimate/Enterprise: Ultimate is for the retail market and Enterprise of business customers. All features of the Professional Edition plus BitLocker, BitLocker to go, boot process from VHD.

Prices have not been revealed up to now.

Upgrades possible
According to ZDnet, windows XP owners can upgrade to 7 directly. For this you just have to buy a upgrade license, but you will still have to install Windows 7 from scratch. Upgrading within the Windows 7 family is also said to be possible. Within 5 to 10 minutes the upgrade from Home Premium to Professional is said to be completed by unlocking the appropriate features.

What do you think about Microsoft's decision to release multiple versions of Windows 7? Give your opinion in the comments.

More Windows 7 related articles:
• Windows 7 Beta: Download period extended
• Windows 7 Release Candidate in April?
• 30 days period of Windows 7 extended

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Author: Bayer, Link (Feb 04, 2009)

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ruyven_macaran

Re: Windows 7: Six versions of Microsoft's operating system

Super Moderator

04.02.2009 15:43

I don't even understand the idea behind Home vs. Business:
If I don't use business-features, then it won't do Microsoft any harm to add them to "home" for free - and vice versa for multimedia features in "business". "Home Basic" and "Home Premium" also seem a bit strange. I suppose (nearly) nobody will pay extra for Aero, if they can put there hands on a cheaper "Basic"-edition. This means the real difference is "different pricing in different markets" - and you can do this perfectly well without being forced to create additional versions.
This leaves us with only two Versions - Windows 7 full and Windows 7 Starter. And the later one might easily be relabeld to "Windows 7 demo" and being isued for free.
After all it is intendet to develop ("and in darkness bind them"

) markets, that are so poor, that they neither contribute anything noticable to microsofts income, nor sports computers, that could profit from Windows 7s quad-core-lots-of-ram optimization. On the other hand: People with more money (e.g. us) might be convinced to buy Windows 7 (instead of staying with XP/Vista/Linux/MacOS) if they can test it -> Demo.
And with a limit of 3 applications running (namely antivirus, firewall, instand messaging, hardwaremonitor, overclockingtool, musicplayer, peer-to-pe - wait a minute: whats about an actual game oder program?), there is no reasonable risk, that people will just proceed with the demo instead of buying the full version.

in short:
make it "Windows 7", put a demo online. And include 32&64Bit Edition in both. Thats it.
Probably several more people would have bought Vista - but they were busy deciding between a dozen versions till Windows 7 appeared on the horizon.

pcghx_Kristoffer

Windows 7: Six versions of Microsoft's operating s...

Administrator

04.02.2009 14:24

Well since the Starter Edition and the Home Basic are intended for emerging markets only and Enterprise for the business, it could be that they won't be available in the average web shop or retail store. So all in all the normal customer will stick to Home Premium, Professional and Ultimate anyway. But nevertheless there are a lot of possibilities to get confused and mix up the different editions when ordering or buying one.

Zidane	Re: Windows 7: Six versions of Microsoft's operati...
Member 04.02.2009 14:07	Why can't it just be Home Premium, Business and Ultimate? That way people won't get confused... sigh I'll go for Home Premium then...
Member 04.02.2009 14:07

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