The starter is available to third world countries, Home Basic is for anyone, I have it running on a Core Duo, 1gb RAM machine (runs like a dog). It's basically Vista without the see through. The XP home equivalent of Vista.
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Windows 7 is still going to have 6+ retail versions...
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The starter is available to third world countries, Home Basic is for anyone, I have it running on a Core Duo, 1gb RAM machine (runs like a dog). It's basically Vista without the see through. The XP home equivalent of Vista.
Is that a good or bad comparison? I have a dog that is very fast... but I used to have a dog that could hardly walk...
What a bunch of whiners. Vista is fine, runs far better than XP, and there are only 3 real options there as well - Home Premium, Business and Ultimate. The others were for the Windows whiners who want to run the systems on computers that Steve Jobs would've made you throw away years ago. You're showing your bias instead of tech knowledge.
The only real mistake was Ultimate which didn't quite fulfill the dream with the Ultimate Extras.
Windows 7 continues the transfiguration of Windows into a componentized system which is applauded.
And who buys an OS to upgrade? Only geeks. Normal Windows users just get it with the next machine. I build all my computers so I get the OEM price.
The only real mistake was Ultimate which didn't quite fulfill the dream with the Ultimate Extras.
Windows 7 continues the transfiguration of Windows into a componentized system which is applauded.
And who buys an OS to upgrade? Only geeks. Normal Windows users just get it with the next machine. I build all my computers so I get the OEM price.
As others have already touched on, to the vast majority of consumers nothing beyond Home Premium will ever exist.
Business will buy the business version, dorks will buy the Professional/Ultimate version.
It's an easy point to jump on and bitch and whine about, in reality it makes no difference.
Business will buy the business version, dorks will buy the Professional/Ultimate version.
It's an easy point to jump on and bitch and whine about, in reality it makes no difference.
I think this is not accurate. Vista Home Premium has Media Center. It's actually its best feature
Everyone knows this is MS trying a money grab and/or getting a cheap tool to bargain with in big corporate deals... there's probably 20 different ways to make their product lineup look better and simpler.
As has been pointed out already, the two main versions will be Home Premium and Professional, for the simple reason that it allows Microsoft to sell Home Premium at a lower 'consumer friendly' price, and Professional at a massively inflated 'Business acceptable' price.
If they did the same as Apple and only had one version, they would end up finding that they'd have to price it towards the price they want businesses to pay since that's their primary customer, home users would find that price unacceptably high and pirate it as a result. This way, they can sell it cheaper to home users, expensive to businesses and everyone's happy.
If they did the same as Apple and only had one version, they would end up finding that they'd have to price it towards the price they want businesses to pay since that's their primary customer, home users would find that price unacceptably high and pirate it as a result. This way, they can sell it cheaper to home users, expensive to businesses and everyone's happy.
I sugest you read the article.
Home Basic will only be sold in emerging markets (aka 3rd world countries.)
I have an idea, stop the version crap and just release one all-rounded OS. Seriously, I buy the Professional version every time I get a Windows computer.
I know what Vista Home Basic is. However, Windows 7 Home Basic is not going to have wide availability like Vista Home Basic. It's only going to be available in developing markets. That's a change from the Vista model.
I think this is not accurate. Vista Home Premium has Media Center. It's actually its best feature
Did I say Media Center wasn't included in Windows 7 Home Premium? No. It's actually one of Windows 7 Home Premium's prominent features.
However, Remote Desktop is NOT available in Windows 7 Home Premium. Vista Business did NOT include Media Center. I was simply pointing out that Windows 7 Professional (the replacement for Business) will NOW include both Media Center AND Remote Desktop. That's another change from the Vista model.
Eh, as long as they keep it more simple than the Vista options (not complex for me but it confused a lot I knew) then I am fine with it
I just hope their regular version for home users has what it needs to have and it WORKS smoother than Vista
I just hope their regular version for home users has what it needs to have and it WORKS smoother than Vista
What surprises me is how much Microsoft is asking people to pay for Windows Home Premium - the most popular version. $259?
Microsoft should compete - Windows Home Premium, $129!
Windows Starter Edition should be sold for the price of postage - that would be competition for those using Linux I guess.
I only have 1 Windows PC left at home (iMac FTW) and for it I will get Windows 7 from work, legal educational version $8.
Microsoft should compete - Windows Home Premium, $129!
Windows Starter Edition should be sold for the price of postage - that would be competition for those using Linux I guess.
I only have 1 Windows PC left at home (iMac FTW) and for it I will get Windows 7 from work, legal educational version $8.
I can't believe they're doing this again - it really makes no sense.
Most people that buy Win7 will probably adopt to buy the cheapest system they can in an effort to save money and then be sorely disappointed when the OS isn't smoothly supported by sufficiently beefy hardware - and the result will be they get frustrated with the OS system itself.
Do I pick from one of the 5 version available? Which one do I buy? Will it do what I want? What if I want to do music, video & web browsing? Will it run smoothly on my computer with only 1GB of RAM?
I agree... You have 6 versions of Windows, 5 for most of us, at 5 different price points. OSX starts at $129 and you get it all regardless. Not to sound like a fanboy, but I think Apple's strategy is superior in this case.
Most people that buy Win7 will probably adopt to buy the cheapest system they can in an effort to save money and then be sorely disappointed when the OS isn't smoothly supported by sufficiently beefy hardware - and the result will be they get frustrated with the OS system itself.
Do I pick from one of the 5 version available? Which one do I buy? Will it do what I want? What if I want to do music, video & web browsing? Will it run smoothly on my computer with only 1GB of RAM?
I agree... You have 6 versions of Windows, 5 for most of us, at 5 different price points. OSX starts at $129 and you get it all regardless. Not to sound like a fanboy, but I think Apple's strategy is superior in this case.
What surprises me is how much Microsoft is asking people to pay for Windows Home Premium - the most popular version. $259?
Microsoft should compete - Windows Home Premium, $129!
Windows Starter Edition should be sold for the price of postage - that would be competition for those using Linux I guess.
I only have 1 Windows PC left at home (iMac FTW) and for it I will get Windows 7 from work, legal educational version $8.
Please remember you need to look at the upgrade edition cost not full retail cost. The upgrade edition cost is the best comparison to the apple OSX cost.
i understand that some of these will never be on retail shelves. the problem is that there will be different versions on the shelf. there should only be one.
It's not really comparable, as OS X is only contractually installable on a Macintosh, which already has at least one other previous software licence tied to it, that was included durring the intial purchase of the machine, in this way any version of OS X is an upgrade. It's pretty clear that this is the intent of Apple judging on their legal response in the past in defending their EULA, Pystar is a recient example. Because Apple does not sell hardware without an OS installed, and because Apple limits OS X to being used only on Apple hardware, technically any version of OS X you may buy in a store is an upgrade.
The retail version of Windows, which includes support from Microsoft, is installable on any computer hardware that meets the physical requirements, including those that have never had a licence attached to it prior, and is a complete licence by itself. When you buy a retail version of Windows you're getting the licence to use it on fresh hardware as a new install and a new licence, AND the techincal support from Microsoft. To my knowledge Apple does not support the purchase of or install of OS X as software, they only support the computer, and the support costs are included in the computer.
Finally, the OEM version of Microsoft software (that is the software only, without support) is much more reasonable in cost. OEM Vista Home Premium for example is $99, $30 less than the upgrade cost for OS X, and includes a full licence for use on a "fresh" computer.
To most people (myself included) the crap support that Microsoft sells as part of the Vista retail package isn't worth the extra price premium. When I build a new computer, I buy the OEM version off Newegg.
And I am very glad to hear that MS will only be marketing two versions of the OS this go around. It would be nice for them to condense it down into one version for the general consumer. I understand the OEM, Enterprise, and 3rd-world versions, however.
Microsoft doesn't jam an outrageously overpriced computer down your throat to use the operating system, so there is that difference.
And the $129 is your upgrade license, your first license was built in to the outrageously overpriced computer you bought. Sorry whatever imaginary difference there is in software cost pales in comparison to the hardware cost.
-Black Belt
Careful there, that's debatable at best, flamebait at worst.
Let's not go there, it's a red herring.