Six Variants of Windows 7 Revealed

[Marcus Yam]

Late last month we reported that there would be five different versions of Windows 7 shipping. It turns out that the information wasn’t entirely complete -- instead, we will be seeing six different variations of the OS.

Six Variants of Windows 7 Revealed : Read more

 

[Tekkamanraiden]

Gee why not just add one more for a full 7 versions?

 

[p05esto]

I don't like this at all, MS should just have ONE version with options on install for what tools and features you would like. Frankly, I want the version with the least bloatware and crap software that's not critical to the OS install. I have 3rd party programs that I will install as needed for DVD burning or whatever, just give me a lean, fast OS that takes few resources. Right now I run Vista Home Basic 64bit on 6GB RAM and I LOVE it (on Core i7 CPU). I don't miss Aero interface at all and am glad not to have the bloat. MS could take it a step further, let us choose what to install!

 

[A Stoner]

Microsoft just cannot learn from the past it seems. All the usefull things, like being able to set up a home network are going to be in the most expensive version where if people want it they have to buy many copies. I can certainly start seeing people start to migrate more and more towards Apple and unix based if Microsoft continues to try to milk more money from it's software than it is worth. They should have three versions. Third World Crap, First World Home, Top of the Line Business. I paid for craptastic Vista Ultimate and it sits on shelf garnering dust and I will do everything in my power not to pay that kind of price again for another of MS's craptastic adventure modules. It would be somewhat different if the home basic was like $99 and ultimate was $150, but instead it is more like basic $199 with ultimate more than double that. My wife had Ubuntu installed in her mini 9, it looked pretty good, who knows, maybe I can go that route...
Research reveals...
Windows Vista US Pricing and Launch Date Revealed! January 30th, 2007.
Edition Regular Price Add License Upgrade Price Add License
Ultimate $399.00 $359.00 $259.00 $233.00
Business $299.00 $269.00 $199.95 $179.00
Home Premium $239.00 $215.00 $159.00 $143.00
Home Basic $199.00 $179.00 $99.95 $89.95

If I remember correctly I paid around $359 each for my 2 copies of Vista Ultimate, the ones on the shelf collecting dust as I reinstalled Windows XP. That will be the last time Microsoft stiffs me with a crappy buggy overpriced operating system.

 

[jrnyfan]

"According to CNet, each install of Windows 7 will contain the complete feature set, with only an upgraded key required to unlock a higher version."

Does M$ ever learn? What was the main drawback with Vista? THE INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF BLOAT. So what does M$ do? Give us an OS with every possible version installed on it but only a portion will be available to you therefore guaranteeing BLOAT.

*face palm* I really need to learn -nix, this is getting ridiculous.

 

[GoodBytes]

The layout is the same (better actually than Vista) as in Vista... but we will actually see less, here is why:

For Vista you have:
- Vista Starter edition for emerging market
- Vista Home Basic
- Vista Home Premium
- Vista Business
- Vista Enterprise
- Vista Ultimate

If Windows 7 Home Basic is for emerging markets... that mean sWindows starter edition will still be for emerging markets.

Meaning that in stores you will see:
- Win7 Home Premium
- Win7 Professional
- Win7 Ultimate

3 versions and not 4!
And the problem with Vista is that Business edition you had features like DVD codec (32 and 64-bit), Media Center, and more removed, in placed for advance system features. BUT, based on this article teh Professional edition will be build on top of Home Premium, so it will be like XP Professional over XP Home, meaning we still have Media Center and all that stuff.

So in reality, you have 2 versions to select, Home Premium or Professional.

2 versions! So don't complain!

 

[jsloan]

6 flavors, oh joy.

$250 to upgrade from vista ultimate to windows 7 ultimate, ah @%*#! hint 4 letter word, starts with f and ends with k and has an a and a c in it.

 

[jsloan]

ok it does not have an a in it, but i dont wan't to get kicked out, so you'll have to guess the correct letter to use instead of the a. ok i'll give you'all a guess, it's not an a nor an e nor an i

 

[GoodBytes]

[citation][nom]p05esto[/nom]I don't like this at all, MS should just have ONE version with options on install for what tools and features you would like. [/citation]
Then windows will be super expensive as it will be the ultimate edition.


[citation]Frankly, I want the version with the least bloatware and crap software that's not critical to the OS install.[/citation]
Oh omg! What will you do! You will lose 200MB on your 2 Tera-Byte HDD with 16GB of RAM system.... Big deal! Beside it won't make the system any faster, nor slower. You lose when you do this. Vista Ultimate is just as fast as on the same system as with Vista Basic. So your bloatware excuse is invalid. Also, if you were not a Mac or Linux fanboy, you would know that Windows 7 will comes with less applications, and will be downloadable... Microsoft calls it Microsoft Live software package.


[citation]Right now I run Vista Home Basic 64bit on 6GB RAM and I LOVE it (on Core i7 CPU). I don't miss Aero interface at all and am glad not to have the bloat. [/citation]

You are miss-informed. Actually you are slowing down your system. See Aero doesn't use your CPU to draw like every Windows. It uses your GPU instead. Meaning lower CPU usage, meaning longer battery life on a laptop (with a proper video card), and gives you more performance for your applications. How about in games, you ask? Well Aero unloads itself entirely when you play any full screen games old or new, so it is no issue at all.

@[name]A Stone[/name] Dude, don't lie. You never used Vista or Windows 7 ever in your life. Everything you said is a lie. You can get OEM packages of Windows to save. They come in packs of 3 or even 5, I think.

 

[Flameout]

Follow the 3 L's

Long Live Linux!

 

[jsloan]

[citation][nom]Flameout[/nom]Follow the 3 L'sLong Live Linux![/citation]

yeap, i might even get myself a mac, when hell freezes over or when windows 7 costs me $.10 , i just don't see myself paying more money. vista was like it for me. i'm still running on xp and have 2 vista licenses collecting dust. i've installed them then i uninstalled them, and now they want $250 more, no way. i got windows 7 beta, that is enough for me to stay with xp. after vista ordeal they should have gone back to drawing board, they could have had something that would be worth my hard earned money by now, instead, it's Windows Me all over again and now Windows Me 2 because their stock prices going down because they don't have something new that people want, like i or anyone want Windows Vista, like the plague.

 

[Flameout]

[citation][nom]jsloan[/nom]yeap, i might even get myself a mac, when hell freezes over or when windows 7 costs me $.10 , i just don't see myself paying more money. vista was like it for me. i'm still running on xp and have 2 vista licenses collecting dust. i've installed them then i uninstalled them, and now they want $250 more, no way. i got windows 7 beta, that is enough for me to stay with xp. after vista ordeal they should have gone back to drawing board, they could have had something that would be worth my hard earned money by now, instead, it's Windows Me all over again and now Windows Me 2 because their stock prices going down because they don't have something new that people want, like i or anyone want Windows Vista, like the plague.[/citation]
Not even mac man. Dual boot your XP with a linux distribution. Ubuntu is good for beginners. You can even install the different desktop environments such as Xfce (found in Xubuntu) and KDE (Kubuntu) on top of regular ubuntu and choose either before you log in. Or similarly, you can just get Window Managers (like themes) to have your desktop look all nice and pretty

 

[jsloan]

i'm staying w/ xp because of the games. vista / windows 7 bring down my fps. plus performance is across the board better w/ xp over vista/windows 7

 

[Guest]

the starteredition seems like it could be aimed towards mini netbooks.
If they can also reduce the visual appearance somewhat it'd be nice!

I wonder how it will function after installing some drivers, virusscanner and firewall that are running in the background; and watching flash-based websites. That's like already 3 programs in one.
I generally run my pc with minimum settings; Anti-virus, firewall, Bittorrent client, Firefox with about 6 windows opened at least, and some windows like explorer, maybe a notepad and calculator, or MS word.
Altogether is about 6 to 7 programs.

 

[Guest]

[citation][nom]jsloan[/nom]i'm staying w/ xp because of the games. vista / windows 7 bring down my fps. plus performance is across the board better w/ xp over vista/windows 7[/citation]
I read that Windows 7 will actually improve gameplay, through rasterization even on older graphics cards.
Whatever that means I don't know,but can only suspect that whatever free threads the CPU or GPU has will be filled to improve performance (kind of like a hybrid between Hardware 3D acceleration, and software acceleration.

So Win7 has more potential than XP.
Vista is only good for DX10 or up games.

 

[tntom]

Wow! Too tempting for code crackers. Coming up with ways to open up the full feature set in Win 7. Others will be looking for ways to create a "Min 7" that doesn't have all the bloatware force fed to your PC. The are totally thinking only of the basic consumer and forgetting about the enthusiast.

 

[ravenware]

Is it going to be 6 variants or 12 variants? There was no mention of 64-bit systems.

 

[bachok83]

I have been trying out Windows 7 for a week now. I wanted to try it out to make a decision whether i should migrate to Mac permanently or wait for Win 7.

At first i almost completely disagree with most of the reviews that i read. Means, i "almost" hate Win 7 and "almost" would not care about it.

The reason i hate Windows Vista so much is that Microsoft CANNOT make the control panel ANY MORE complicated that it is right now. Windows 7 is not any better.

However, generally (with the same hardware) Windows 7 (even in beta form) performs much better than Windows XP, in terms of file launching, copy & paste, etc. Launching video files are like opening text file in Windows XP, smooth and fast.

I look forward to another successful Windows franchise.

 

[Flameout]

[citation][nom]tntom[/nom]Wow! Too tempting for code crackers. Coming up with ways to open up the full feature set in Win 7. Others will be looking for ways to create a "Min 7" that doesn't have all the bloatware force fed to your PC. The are totally thinking only of the basic consumer and forgetting about the enthusiast.[/citation]
I was thinking that exact same thing. Although if they have that same validation tool it would screw it up. Just stay offline

 

[mikeynavy1976]

Ridiculous. I spent all the money on Windows Ultimate and the only extras that came out were like Texas Holdem and the stupid Dreamscapes that I won't even install.

 

[bachok83]

[citation][nom]mikeynavy1976[/nom]Ridiculous. I spent all the money on Windows Ultimate and the only extras that came out were like Texas Holdem and the stupid Dreamscapes that I won't even install.[/citation]

You cannot blame Microsoft for that. They ripped you off, but at least they give you a training game to win back your money in Vegas....NOT !

 

[seatrotter]

I wouldn't be surprised if the management were caught giving the "finger" everytime they hear or read people calling for fewer edition. They are operating a business and so would take every chance to extract ever larger amounts of money and/or charge over and over. It didn't have to be that way, but they chose to be that way. What can you (shhh... don't answer ). Hey, at least they didn't ask for a bailout.

 

[baov]

Windows Me too LOL

 

[afrobacon]

Anything that doesn't make the OS run fast, secure, and look pretty is a waste of resources. 3rd party software is usually better then any of the crapware M$ has available.

P.S. I say look pretty because I hate looking at a boring screen.

 

[amdgamer666]

[citation][nom]ravenware[/nom]Is it going to be 6 variants or 12 variants? There was no mention of 64-bit systems.[/citation]

Windows 7 is supposed to be all 64-bit, which is about damn time as it's essentially Microsoft's fault that 32-bit is still even in existance.