Windows 7 Windows 7 SKUs Announced

[Kyle]

Link Removed

Remember that screenshot we saw of all those different Windows 7 versions (pictured above)? Well guess what? It's worse than you could have possibly imagined. The following will be the actual new SKUs for the OS:

Windows 7 Starter
An option for "lower-cost" laptops or "price-sensitive" consumers, with limitations: the Aero UI theme is not included and the system is limited to running only three applications simultaneously. This will be available pre-installed on computers through system integrators or computer manufacturers.

Windows 7 Home Basic
Windows 7 Home Basic will only be available in "emerging markets", similar to Windows Vista Starter, which was only available in countries such as Brazil, People's Republic of China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Thailand — mainly to combat unauthorized copies. It was not available in the United States, Canada, Europe, Israel, Australia or New Zealand. Windows 7 Home Basic can run an unlimited number of applications, but some Aero options are excluded, along with most new features.

Windows 7 Home Premium
This edition contains additional features aimed at the home market segment, such as Windows Media Center, Windows Aero and touch-screen controls. Microsoft recommends this operating system for "most customers".

Windows 7 Professional
Windows 7 Professional is aimed at the "small business" market and "customers who want additional features". It includes all the features of Windows 7 Home Premium and additional features such as Remote Desktop host, location aware printing, and Presentation Mode, along with the ability to join a Windows Server domain.

Windows 7 Enterprise
This edition targets the enterprise segment of the market: it comprises a superset of Windows 7 Professional. Additional features include support for Multilingual User Interface (MUI) packages, BitLocker Drive Encryption, and UNIX application-support. Not available through retail or OEM channels, this edition will be distributed through Microsoft Software Assurance (SA). As a result it includes several SA-only benefits, including a license allowing the running of multiple virtual machines, access to Virtual PC Express, and activation via Volume License Key.

Windows 7 Ultimate
Windows 7 Ultimate combines all the features of the other editions, including Enterprise, but unlike that edition will be available to home users on an individual license basis.

This information has been confirmed by Microsoft... who never listens to us. At least most consumers will only see Home Premium and Professional options at retail, which is more akin to the XP options of yore, and means WMC will be "baseline" for most PCs.

Wow, that's about 2 versions too many. We could do without the starter and home basic, you know those aren't really Windows 7 (Hell, they're barely even Windows.)

 

[djwayne]

Thanks for this information, I was looking for this...now I know for sure what I want...Home Premium.

 

[ilovewindows7]

sounds like professional is the way to go for me, ive always had good luck with pro im pretty software savvy so i prefer a lean and fast OS

 

[jimbo45]

I think most people will want to have Remote Desktop without necessarily paying for the Professional version -- I'd give up WMC (Media Centre) at a shot and take RDP instead.

I'm sure someone will find a "Hack" to get RDP to work. -- Depends again on Price differential. If it really is "Like XP Home and XP PRO" then I don't see a huge market for the business / ultimate versions -- after all in a typical office most people actually have quite modest computing requirements - (excluding Media Pros, Engineering designers etc).

Still we are still certainly over 9 months away from a Launch so the info in the OP is by no means "Gospel".
Interesting to see what the pricing will bring out.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[Radenight]

Windows 7 Business it is for my main PC , though I'll more than likely end up getting a copy of Ultimate too just have the best of the best so to speak..

 

[iroken22]

i always go for the full package so that if i need feature then all i have to do is install them.

 

[Kylethedarkn]

Yeah its gonna be ultimate for me.

 

[NuForce]

So despite the negative feedback regarding all of the SKU's, Microsoft in it's infinite Mojave wisdom has decided to practically clone the Vista SKU's and dump them into Windows 7. IMO... They should have 1 SKU... Windows 7.



Windows Vista:
Starter 2007
Home Basic
Home Premium
Business
Enterprise
Ultimate

Windows 7:
Starter
Home Basic
Home Premium
Professional
Enterprise
Ultimate

 

[djwayne]

hmmmm...I don't see a 32 bit/64 bit option........what's up with that ??

 

[Kyle]

Well, Home Premium and above will come in 64-Bit, and starter and Basic will be 32-Bit only. At least, that's how they did it with Vista.

 

[djwayne]

Hmmm, I have a 32 bit version of Vista Home Premium. How that happen ??

 

[JohnCiber]

mmm which is the diference between Windows 7 Professional and Ultimate?

 

[Theo]

news

Nice to know but too many versions.I'll keep it simple.

 

[Kyle]

Hmmm, I have a 32 bit version of Vista Home Premium. How that happen ??

I meant that Home Premium and above come in 32 AND 64 Bit.

 

[djwayne]

So that's even more versions..... that's cool with me as everybody wants something different.

I'm downloading the 64 bit version of W7 right now... as I want to give it a spin with my sound card and Adobe Audition 3 program.

Who knows, maybe I will go for the 64 bit version.....

I've a got a few months to play with it, we'll see.




.

 

[xNIAx1]

Ultimate woot woot

 

[Radio Wales]

I would be satisfied with Home Premium - except - I need/want Remote Desktop. Virtual Machine and Bitlocker.
Oh, So I guess I'll need Ultimate then? So why are they not planning to sell it to me then? Did I miss the logic to that?