Microsoft SKUs Windows 7 clarity

Holy Sh!t

WHY>>> WHY>>> WHY cannot Micro$oft come up with something that would be easy... let's say 3 versions...just like XP.. Home version with all that media center stuff and bells and whistles for home users. Pro version that would include bitlocker / domain connectivity and all Home stuff for power users and corporate version without any extra multimedia stuff..

oh.. but that would be too easy.. i guess

Decisions, Decisions

This is getting so hard what with six choices of what not to buy.

Undeveloped?

The implied bigotry in MS's definition of "developed" is interesting. Maybe the execs don't get out much? In the "undeveloped" countries I've been in most people are running current kit. In fact, most of the young kids had more recent kit than I was running. Maybe they meant people outside those 'developed" countries are too unsophisticated to handle the real windows! Poor undeveloped bastards - one can only hope they get sophisticated real soon so MS can sell them the grown up stuff.

Mmmm'kay

I'll stick with Ubuntu then.

Thank you Vista. I haven't looked back!

Nooooooh!

There should be only one version like NT & Windows 2000.

I support many small businesses and they usually buy their computers from retailers who sell only XP/Vista Home & Premium.

This just creates a mess for everyone.

The reason I suspect BitLocker is restricted from all versions is because they think users (without an IT dept.) will end up locking themselves out.

Please MS there needs to be only one version.

Windows versioning

... It's recondite, but at least it's expensive.

Why not one base package...

...and sell "upgrade" packages to add the features needed for the other functions? That way EVERYBODY gets the Home Basic/Starter edition, and OEMs and other folks can add away to their heart's (and wallet's) content.

Oh, wait. That's too much like a Linux "distro". Wouldn't want THAT to blemish Window's clear, easy to follow functionality ladder. Like Vista Home: you're offered the opportunity to "upgrade" your "experience" via the internet - IF your ISP doesn't cut off the 5GB download half-way through...

Nothing to see here, folks. Move along.

Looks like it's...

..Marketing Twonks: 6 ~ Common sense: 0

Three versions

Windows basic

Media edition (OSX)

Ultimate (Linux)

I know, I'm leaving alread...

Re: Successor vs Service Pack

@ John O'Hare

Well, first of all, you could call every new Ubuntu or Fedora a "service pack", since it always uses the older version as a basis. But here, nobody has a problem with calling it a successor.

And even if Windows 7 is really only a "service pack", then it is still understandable that MS won't call it that way, because Vista's reputation is already as low as it can get. No wonder that they'll use a new name for it.

Maybe people want to call it a service pack because of its shorter development time. But if they'd need another 5 years to develop it, only to justify it being a really new release, people would be unsatified as well.

DRM?

Has everyone forgotten about the DRM "broadcast flag" that cripples video files recorded through Windows Media Center? No one has even mentioned this in the new version of Windows.

I had Vista preinstalled on 5 of my new computers and I promptly reformatted everything and installed XP instead. Then after Vista SP1 I gave it a spin, and everything seemed to be running smoothly and stable.

I actually started to enjoy using Vista until I started recording TV shows on Media Center, and then discovered I can't even watch them on another computer in the bedroom. It was then I really truly HATED Vista!

I mean, the largest computer software maker on the planet is suddenly deciding that my computer is a television VCR and automatically assumes that I'm going to burn TV shows and movies on to DVD and start selling them to black markets in China? F*CKING NOT! Maybe I just want to watch it on another computer, or maybe I want to save it for another time after, but none of that matters because even if I reformat everything, I can't watch everything that I recorded.

Vista SUCKS in these terms. But has anyone found out if this DRM bullshit is on Windows 7? Why doesn't microsoft just put a disclaimer when playing the video back for the first time saying "Windows 7 is computer software, and not a TV or VCR. Keep in mind that this program has a Broadcast Flag with limitations on how you may view/use this recording. Do you wish to honour the legal limitations, or do you wish to continue knowing that you are violating the broadcast flag limitations? YES OR NO" and then just strip the DRM crap from it if you say "no", but GIVE consumers the choice about what they wish to do with something that they obtained legally.

Seriously....!

full function experiencce?

"In the consumer space, customers outside of developing technology markets will get Premium edition, which Microsoft described as a "full function PC experience and visually rich environment.""

I get that with Ubuntu and KDE

oh sorry, I'm not getting "Full Function", I don't have to suffer the wonders of DRM'd WIndows only media... but I wouldn't want that crap anyway...

Maybe by self-competition

they want to avoid being seen as a monopoly?

Or they want to have as many versions of W-7 as there are linux distros? In this way, windows users can experience the same futile arguments as so often heard between openSUSE, Fedora, Debian, Ubuntu and other fanboys

(I have debian at work and openSUSE at home so I can take two sides in those debates ;-) )

Still No Family Pack?

So the advanced home users are screwed over again, and family's are still expected to pay stupid amounts to upgrade all their pc's, which they wont do and just download a pirated copy.

Any news on if we'll get screwed over on the 32/64 bit issue again? Or will they at least make sure each of these sku's just has the one combined disk?

Europe?

I take it there will be an additional 6 versions in Europe without IE8?

Or is it still cheaper for them to pay a daily fine?

Developing markets don't want crippled software.

How do Microsoft sell to their share holders this idea that "developing markets" want a crippled edition of Windows WHICH THEY HAVE TO PAY FOR over a pirated version of their flaghship OS?

I wouldn't buy it, and i'm a civilised Westerner.

I knew there had to be a catch.

The beta actually seems to work well, so they needed to do something stupid.

I think 3 versions. Basic (Just OS and essential tools, no crippling of no. of apps running)

Home (+ mulimedia, browser etc all chosen at install)

Professional (everything but all optional)

Feature lockout - why?

Why is this lockout even required? I can understand things like bitlocker and Aero Glass not being on by default for less grunty systems, but who knows any home user with, say, XP Pro, who has been trying to twiddle with Domain setup etc?

Utterly, utterly pointless segregation clearly only there to up the margin on the top versions, and yet again small businesses who buy from domestic retailers will be screwed over when they buy five machines from PC World, install Windows Small Business Server on one of them, and realise that they need to spend another £1000 just to connect to a domain because Windows Home Edition won't let you even contemplate talking to one.

Money grabbing, arrogant bastards MS are, but I guess those of us in the support world are going to have to deal with this [and charge, natch, so shouldn't complain...] for another five years. Like we have the last five with XP.

Steven 'Yes, I know you only bought the machine three months ago, but you need to spend another £100 on a proper Windows license for this to work' R

XP Versions

Firgawdsake!!!

Can anyone actually remember how many versions of XP were released? Here's a reminder:

Starter

Home

Professional

Tablet PC Edition

Media Center Edition

Volume License

Home-N

Professional-N

Professional 64-bit

How many of you had trouble picking one of them?

Calm the hysteria - we only need to think about the editions that will actually be available to the average user. This leaves Premium and Professional. Ultimate is a stupidity tax, Starter/Basic versions will be on 3rd world PCs and netbooks (same difference), leaving Enterprise for those that *really* need it. Seriously, this will not impact us in any way, shape or form.

Paris, 'cause even she can figure this out.

This sucks!

They need only 3 versions:

- Netbook for hardware-limited budget devices (because promoting an OS that has a 16 GB diskspace requirement for SSD based devices is complete nonsense).

- Home (with mediacenter).

- Professional (with enterrpise management tools)

And these should be the only differences between versions. Anything else will just confuse customers. Any limited version will only make windows look bad compared to Ubuntu and OSX.

Starter Edition...

...why do i feel as though they should be calling it "Fisher Price Edition?".

Surly it would be simple enough that during installation you could detect a netbook and just install appropriate drivers for it?

I would debate the need for even having two editions. The group policy stuff should be there by default, if you don't know what it for then you won't use it. Which is as good as not paying for a service you don't use.

Sell bitlocker as an add-on if you must.

Paris, coz she isn't this confusing.

meh!

"a very small set of customers who want what everything that Windows 7 has to offer"

Since most MS customers would much rather have a limited feature set (for their extra $$), using more hardware than ever, loaded with crippleware and slower than the last version.

Who needs Windows?

Buy the game machine of your choice, and who needs Windows?

Maybe the corporates with bespoke software, but I still see lots of stuff with DOS-style box-drawing (and I suspect a Borland compiler somewhere in the history). WINE runs on my Netbook, so a corporate IT department ought to be able to sort it out.

And this Asus Eee I have seems to appeal to people who see it, even with the ill-supported Xandros Linux.

There's no reason Windows can't be as esoteric as the Apple Mac, lurking in specialised roles of the sort which kept Apple alive.

Well, I can dream.

3 APPS AT ONCE??!?!

Oh yeah, i'm sure that'll really steer the indians and chinese away from pirate copies of XP and Linux.

Jesus fuckin christ, that company is going DOWN.

Will they ever learn?

Just when you think that Vista has been such a failure that any sane MS employee must have woken up and smelt the coffee, they go and prove us wrong. Wasn't Vista supposed to be the last monolithic OS, with subsequent releases being 'modular'? Surely a modular approach would leave a single edition, with optional installable components to suit? Why the hell would anyone bother with this sh*t?

The cost of a Mac gets more a more justifiable each day.

tomany versions hum

it seems microsoft hasnt gotten the message about how many versions of windows they make whats it gonna take an atom bomb heh. seriously microsoft stop making to many damn versions its most annoying its just to get more money out of us poor people struggling as it is without you making loads of confusion and fuss.