|
Windows 7 to come in 5 varieties
|
|
The following comments relate to this news article:
article published on 3 February, 2009
Although they have been criticized for offering Windows Vista in far too many versions, Microsoft has confirmed that the upcoming Windows 7 will come in five different versions, with the company "focusing" on two.
The different versions of Windows 7 will be, Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate. The company did note that "Home Basic" would only be sold in emerging ... [ read the full article ]
Please read the original article before posting your comments.
|
|
Shinraboy
Member
|
3. February 2009 @ 15:48 |
Link to this message
|
I mean it's not BAD but really...a starter version? Save the money and release a theme for the XP instead. Personally I don't care if they come out with a thousand versions so long as they get it right. ^_^
|
|
Advertisement
|
|
|
|
Senior Member
|
3. February 2009 @ 16:16 |
Link to this message
|
|
The cheapest version >> does it have any possible actual use? I mean, I have more programs running in the task bar than that. I do find the upgrade key idea is much better than the current vista upgrade system.
|
|
Javan39
Suspended permanently
|
3. February 2009 @ 16:26 |
Link to this message
|
|
three programs running at one time? That is a waste but I guess the most common user probably only reads email and listens to music.
|
|
SProdigy
Senior Member
5 product reviews
|
3. February 2009 @ 16:35 |
Link to this message
|
I've been using Windows 7 in beta and really like it, so much that I've been installing it on multiple machines to see what it runs on and how it runs. (In the forums here, I have posted that I had it running on an old Sony Vaio with 512mb of memory and 1ghz processor.)
Anyhow, this is crap news. I really hate all of the "differences" that MS is trying to sell us on. I was hoping that the "Ultimate" in name on the beta was only a holdover from Vista. And really, Vista Ultimate users get what, Dreamscape and Texas Hold'em for the "ultimate" downloads? I'll pass on that.
As for Starter, I see it as a stripped down OS for Netbooks, just like the squeezed versions of XP showing up on those systems now. Small footprint, limited use. You get way you pay for, no big deal.
Now, Home Basic and Home Premium: what a farce. Vista and XP had little difference between Home and Professional. I see it says Basic, which is the Aero-less version for Vista, will be a limited release too, but I'm kind of ticked at MS.
The whole idea behind XP was to merge to one OS, relinquishing the legacy paths from 95/98/ME and the NT versions. Instead of moving toward this trend, the trend has gotten worse and more confusing. XP had Home, Pro and Media Center Edition. MCE was an OEM only system, but was Pro without Domain support. Home was missing a few other components of Pro, and neither Home/Pro had Media Center. Why not one version to rule them all?
Of course, Vista had Home Basic, Home Premium, Business and Ultimate. So does "Business" become "Professional" again in salesman terms? I just wish MS would stop smoking crack and come out with 2 skus at best: Consumer and Enterprise. Or maybe just ONE sku. That's all that's needed. Is the added "domain support" worth the extra money that's on the price tag?
|
|
tripplite
Suspended due to non-functional email address
|
3. February 2009 @ 16:35 |
Link to this message
|
|
windows cat? windows dog? windows goldfish? windows dead goldfish? windows normal dead goldfish?
only FIVE optionz...common i expected more...like at least more then i can count.....enough to confuse me maybe?....pffft i heard Microsoft was a "challenging" company for consumers but this is tooo easy...they should put the operating systems behind doors and THEN let me choose, now that's a sale!
from what i understand there all the same, just different products piled into them or certain utilities or user capabilities added or removed, nothing bad with vista variations, i think they just packaged it wrong by making the option available to everyone, just confusing lol....
|
AfterDawn Addict
1 product review
|
3. February 2009 @ 16:44 |
Link to this message
|
|
Windows 7 is pretty great in my opinion. Few bugs here and there, but looking forward to it.
|
AfterDawn Addict
23 product reviews
|
3. February 2009 @ 16:59 |
Link to this message
|
Quote:
I just wish MS would stop smoking crack and come out with 2 skus at best: Consumer and Enterprise. Or maybe just ONE sku. That's all that's needed.
Amen.
|
AfterDawn Addict
23 product reviews
|
3. February 2009 @ 17:06 |
Link to this message
|
Quote:
Quote:
I just wish MS would stop smoking crack and come out with 2 skus at best: Consumer and Enterprise. Or maybe just ONE sku. That's all that's needed.
Amen.
With my personal use, I saw a slight difference in XP Home and Pro and no difference in Pro and MCE except for the Media Center add on. Basically MCE was the best, fully featured OS.
|
Senior Member
3 product reviews
|
3. February 2009 @ 17:43 |
Link to this message
|
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
I just wish MS would stop smoking crack and come out with 2 skus at best: Consumer and Enterprise. Or maybe just ONE sku. That's all that's needed.
Amen.
With my personal use, I saw a slight difference in XP Home and Pro and no difference in Pro and MCE except for the Media Center add on. Basically MCE was the best, fully featured OS.
Agreed 2 or even 1 is just fine this 5 sku thing is just a giant bs money grab, all they're doing is watering down their product so they can make the real product cost a fortune and make it look like it's a decent price. Xp will likely be my last windows, I'm tired of their crap.
|
|
Seclusive
Suspended due to non-functional email address
|
3. February 2009 @ 17:51 |
Link to this message
|
Been testing it on a Virtual PC. I have been insanely satisfied thus far. Much prefer it over Vista already. I'm only allocating 1GB of my RAM to use it, and it runs so smooth. I had to upgrade from 1GB on Vista to 2GB to get it to work smoothly without lag, not to mention upgrade my CPU, but Windows 7 is so much different.
It's got a unique style to it, and it's very intuitive, yet the bulk of Vista is gone. The new controls are great, too. It automatically picks up all devices connected to your network, including gaming consoles and other PC's. You can also sign on to another networked PC by using a password given to you during installation. It's basically direct connecting OS's because if another user has Windows 7, you can share your systems files to them directly like an FTP. It also comes with it's own TVersity-like video program to relay video streams directly to your media devices.
Also, minimizing apps is totally different, and much easier. Instead of those long bars on your taskbar when you minimize something, you're just minimizing the program in to it's icon, for example, if you're using AIM, you get the little yellow guy in a tiny box, and by hovering over it you can open certain tabs, such as IM's, or you can sign off. Same thing goes for all programs.
I've also tested "Windows 7 recommended security programs". Well, just the new Kapersky, but I have to say I am well impressed by it. Much better than before. Also, Microsoft has discontinued its amazing security suite OneCare Live, which is sad, but happily, they are basing a new protection app based on the same features specifically for Windows 7 called Moro. They also suggest a new Norton and another companies Windows 7 software, but forgot the name to it, and haven't tested them yet.
By the way, say good-bye to those annoying security pop-ups we get in Vista every 5 seconds! It'll alert you in the form of a taskbar icon instead.
So far, I haven't found too much that isn't supported, though currently, AOL 9.1 is not supported. Neither is Live OneCare. For gaming, MAME32 and Project64 are beaten as well(Vista started, 7 just finished them off). I'm still installing new apps as I come to them to see what works or not.
There's a new Windows Paint! Finally, eh? It's basically got the same features with a few smaller add-ons, but with a great new design.
There's a vast amount of customization when it comes to viewing your desktop and it's properties if you're in to the whole aesthetic thing with your OS AKA making it look pretty. Custom color taskbars, easier display consoles with better customization, such as focusing on all text at a certain percentage besides the default 100%. I found it comfortable at 116% personally.
Also, anyone who wishes to have a touchscreen compliant monitor and actually use it with their OS can! Windows 7 has touchscreen compatibility built right in to it! All you have to do is enable it in options and buy a touchscreen monitor, so if you're big in to graphic design and such, this is fantastic! More options for Photoshop drawing besides the Tablet, which still doesn't give you the real hand-drawn feel when you create something.
This is only after one day of testing it, but I have to say... if you're an XP user looking for a good new OS by Microsoft and are not satisfied with Vista, shoot on over to Windows 7 when it's released. It most likely will be worth it by the time it's out.
|
|
bomber991
Member
|
3. February 2009 @ 17:56 |
Link to this message
|
|
Yeah they just do this 5 versions crap so they can say "Windows 7... starting at $49.99!!!"
|
|
SProdigy
Senior Member
5 product reviews
|
3. February 2009 @ 18:05 |
Link to this message
|
|
|
Senior Member
|
3. February 2009 @ 18:06 |
Link to this message
|
OMG 5 Versions aimed at different user groups... The world is ending because there are so many different versions of Windows its so hard to choose.
Please, how many flavors of Linux are there out there. Yeah you only get two flavors of MacOS but that is because MacOS only works on Macs. I swear the versions and their naming schemes are not that complicated but many make it out like MS is trying to confuse the consumer. They break down their OS to give people more of a choice on what features you want to pay for or have included in your OS because a bunch of whiners cried that MS was forcing their applications on them and yet you still whine.
|
|
kubapolak
Junior Member
|
3. February 2009 @ 18:07 |
Link to this message
|
|
Did anybody hear of any hints as to when will Windows 7 be a available for sale?
|
Member
12 product reviews
|
3. February 2009 @ 18:07 |
Link to this message
|
Quote:
"Windows 7, despite its many versions, will actually come as a single piece of code, or image. That means all the features will come loaded onto a Windows 7 PC, ready to be unlocked with an upgrade product key."
Or more like a hack.
|
Senior Member
|
3. February 2009 @ 18:09 |
Link to this message
|
Originally posted by kubapolak:
Did anybody hear of any hints as to when will Windows 7 be a available for sale?
This is not confirmed but I was told that I could expect my copy of Win7 sometime this fall but as early as September they say. I got this from our Microsoft regional rep.
|
Senior Member
|
3. February 2009 @ 20:14 |
Link to this message
|
This is all fine and dandy, until you are a software developer trying to not only develop for five different versions but perform technical support.
It's already a nightmare in Vista, this will be crazy.
"What? You mean your program doesn't work on my Windows 7??? But I paid a whole $49.99 for this STARTER version it had damn well better work"!!!
Insanity at its finest.
|
Senior Member
|
3. February 2009 @ 20:36 |
Link to this message
|
Originally posted by ThePastor:
This is all fine and dandy, until you are a software developer trying to not only develop for five different versions but perform technical support.
It's already a nightmare in Vista, this will be crazy.
"What? You mean your program doesn't work on my Windows 7??? But I paid a whole $49.99 for this STARTER version it had damn well better work"!!!
Insanity at its finest.
I haven't run into any applications that work with Vista that will not work with all editions. Its all the same code the differences being the features.
|
|
DSWarrior
Junior Member
|
3. February 2009 @ 21:28 |
Link to this message
|
Why pay for a cheap limited OS (W7 Starter)?...If you want something cheap go for Linux...After all they've improved a lot and most distros don't have actual "limitations" like Windows 7 Started will...
The OS looks promising but if they don't stop playing monopoly with computer market they'll end up losing everything. They already started losing market share in the Internet Browser category, let alone Web searches...and Apple is slowly crawling up the market share stairs while Microsoft keeps stumbling down...
Linux on the other hand might not be as user friendly as Windows, but it's just personal taste.
|
|
SProdigy
Senior Member
5 product reviews
|
3. February 2009 @ 22:12 |
Link to this message
|
Quote:
I haven't run into any applications that work with Vista that will not work with all editions. Its all the same code the differences being the features.
That's how it's "supposed" to work, but it completely skipped my mind that there will be 32 and 64 bit versions of this software too, so maybe 10 skus???
|
Senior Member
|
3. February 2009 @ 22:18 |
Link to this message
|
Quote:
Quote:
I haven't run into any applications that work with Vista that will not work with all editions. Its all the same code the differences being the features.
That's how it's "supposed" to work, but it completely skipped my mind that there will be 32 and 64 bit versions of this software too, so maybe 10 skus???
Well aside from Drivers and maybe software like Antivirus you should be able to run your 32bit apps on 64bit Win7 with out a hitch. I ran into a couple apps that were a bit fussy with Vista64, but with an update patch from the developer or a relatively easy work around all my 32bit apps seem to work very well. I find it hard to blame MS for any 32bit apps that do not run on the 64bit OS. Vista has been out for over 2 years and if by now the application developers have not fixed them to run in a 64bit OS then they are to blame. They had plenty of time including the beta and even as far as XP 64 to realize that 64bit is going mainstream. In fact I think Win7 will be the last MS OS that will come in 32bit only.
|
Junior Member
|
3. February 2009 @ 22:19 |
Link to this message
|
|
Doesn't matter how many difference editions M$ try to confuse the consumers, the only edition I care about is the Piratebay Edition.
|
Senior Member
|
3. February 2009 @ 22:23 |
Link to this message
|
Originally posted by CJ007:
Doesn't matter how many difference editions M$ try to confuse the consumers, the only edition I care about is the Piratebay Edition.
Seriously dude. Advocating piracy? Are you a student in High School or College? I am pretty sure that they will offer the OS dirt cheap to students as they have in the past. I work in education and got Vista Ultimate for $75. Can't beat that.
|
Senior Member
5 product reviews
|
4. February 2009 @ 05:09 |
Link to this message
|
Originally posted by bomber991:
Yeah they just do this 5 versions crap so they can say "Windows 7... starting at $49.99!!!"
yeah, i mean what's the point really? Does anybody remember the days when we only had to worry about just 1 version and 1 version only? Saved alot of headaches and confusion about what to buy, IMO.
|
|
Advertisement
|
|
|
AfterDawn Addict
4 product reviews
|
4. February 2009 @ 05:36 |
Link to this message
|
Quote:
Originally posted by bomber991:
Yeah they just do this 5 versions crap so they can say "Windows 7... starting at $49.99!!!"
yeah, i mean what's the point really? Does anybody remember the days when we only had to worry about just 1 version and 1 version only? Saved alot of headaches and confusion about what to buy, IMO.
That one version was 300-400$
They should offer 2 basic versions(Starter highly limited under 50$,Home basic with mobile option for under 100) and 2 premium versions(Home premium under 200, Home ultimate under 250) and 2 business versions one normal+mobile and one server based for twice as much.
I would buy a stable and solid windose OS for under 100 but the way they have it now even if I buy a PC I can't keep my windose because they wont let you "install" it.... so ya know MS..and big box PCs...screw you I don't need your cheap hardware in custom rigs I can not easily repair nor do I need your throw away OSs.
|
