Windows 7 Starter Edition - Is It Really That Bad?

[Marcus Yam]

Windows 7 Starter Edition's three-app limit is real, but is it really that bad?

Windows 7 Starter Edition - Is It Really That Bad? : Read more

 

[Guest]

I don't see why they are ASSUMING that ONLY NETBOOK USERS WILL INSTALL THE STARTER EDITION. Also, why restrict the number of programs? Redmond sure is trying hard to loose market share using very poor logic and reasoning skills.

 

[alvine]

i think hackers will find a way around this
just my opinion

 

[mtyermom]

I could also see this coming standard on ultra low cost desktops, but I doubt MS wants it there.

 

[08nwsula]

This is kind of like Vista's User Account Control. Both had good intentions, but really were not what people needed. Just like UAC, I think this new concept wont last very long.

 

[tenor77]

It's bad if this includes start up programs that most users neglect to manage.

 

[Guest]

I use my netbook daily.

At a minimum, I have my email client (Evolution), a web brower (Firefox) and an IM program open (pidgin). With Win7 I'd be at the limit right there, so say I get an email with a .doc file: I'd have to close either my IM program or web broswer to view it??? Edit an image in Gimp? Complete garbage. Makes me even more glad I switched to Linux long ago.

The only way the usage he describes would be typical is if people had no other choice but starter edition. Of course MS knows this, and is hoping these duped people are daft enough to pay for an upgrade to an OS that is actually usable.

 

[Guest]

if AV does not count as a program, I'd agree. Set Azureus in msconfig bootup programs, and perhaps it's not counted as a program.
On my mini notebook I generally have anti virus/firewall/popupblocker, firefox upto 12 tabs, eeectl (to boost processor speed and wifi range), mousepad drivers, sometimes a movie with wmp.
I'd never run wmp together with office on my mininotebook. the screen is too small and I just can't do 2 things at the same time. MSN Messenger alikes, I no longer use. If AV and perhaps explorer / internet explorer windows are not counted in the 3 programs it is plenty sufficient I'd think; although on my eeepc, if I would run eeectl, mousepad driver (synaptics pointing device) and GMAbooster I can no longer do anything else with it...

 

[LordConrad]

I would never notice it. I am very one-track minded and I never have more than one or two windows open at a time anyway, on my desktop or my laptop. I never understood how people can get work done with so much crap open at once.

 

[mrfisthand]

It's fine, IF it's cheap and doesn't take up much space. Anyone who's dealt with XP on a SSD netbook knows what I mean here.

 

[Guest]

What are the differences between the Starter edition and the one just next to it? Is it only the 3 apps limitation? if so, The price difference will go with it: You can pay less and get a limitation.

Just like XP, Hackers will find a way to turn a starter edition into a Ultimate edition.

 

[AndrewMD]

Unfortunately the major of the negative feedback that is on this post for this product is unrealistic being that most posters will not run this version of Windows 7 anyway! Do I think this is a bad idea? NO. Microsoft needs to preserve the OS and the performace of the netbook and lower powered computers that are still on the market and that will be continued to be produced.

Three application limit is enough when you put it in prospective of a system running at least 1gb memory, under 1.6ghz single core, and a slower RPM HDD...

Also, when compared to an iPhone for example which allows only 1 program at a time then why the complaints. Is it because Microsoft did not glamourize the other features? Or make it sound ground breaking enough? If Apple were to produce an iPhone based netbook are you going to complain then when only one application can run?

Give me a break.... Go buy ultimate if you want NO LIMITATIONS!

 

[terr281]

If, as this article suggests, "Windows" Apps are not counted in the 3 application limit, then this edition of Win7 would work fine for most Office workers as well.

How many office workers actually "use," as part of their job, more than the following at any given time:

1. Email (Outlook)
2. One Office Application (Word)
3. Internet Explorer... (Most workers use IE for personal work at "work"...not work.)
4. Windows Explorer (Not counted)
5. Antivirus (Not counted)
6. Wifi Program (Not counted)
7. Adobe Acrobat, another Office Application, etc.

As AndrewMD suggests, for the computers this OS will be installed on...3 is a good enough number. If 4 would have been chosen, then this edition could be installed on almost ALL business oriented laptops. (And, MS doesn't want that...)

This is just like the silly difference in XP Home and XP Pro. (Pro can't join a domain.) If Home could have joined a domain, then businesses wouldn't have used Pro since almost everything is managed via Group Policy via Active Directory.

 

[dman3k]

why not have a 7 app limit?

 

[tamick88]

"running multiple Microsoft Office or OpenOffice aps, playing music in iTunes or Windows Media Player, and using third-party IM programs, I would probably be incredibly frustrated with the limitations of Starter Edition.”
Seriously, other than people who have tons of money to burn, who wouldn't do these common everyday tasks on a netbook they purchased? Is it so far-fetched that they should be able to do a few of these things at the same time especially since netbooks are starting to get decently fast?

 

[deltatux]

Well, just on system boot up, my system already runs more than 3 ... so Starter Edition is already completely useless to me.

 

[akoegle]

Where'd the Duke Nukem page go!?!?!?!!?

 

[rembo666]

If I had a netbook, I think the 3 app limit would be enough--the things are so slow I wouldn't dare running more than one or two things at the same time.

However, I don't have a netbook. What I have is a CarPC with an Atom motherboard. Windows 7 Starter Edition would be perfect, because I only run maximum of 3 applications at the same time: the CarPC Front End, Internet Explorer, and the GPS program (which is a part of most CarPC front ends, but not in my case). Starter Edition would save money, while saving the time of stripping down a "Full Fat" version of the OS. Perfect for this embedded application!

 

[bourgeoisdude]

[citation][nom]alvine[/nom]i think hackers will find a way around this just my opinion[/citation]

Yes, but why? Why not just download an illegal version of Windows 7 Ultimate with all the functionality instead of bothering with "fixing" the version with crippled functionality?

 

[cadder]

99% of the time it would not be a problem for me on any of my computers- work, home or laptop.

 

[Guest]

This why they need to release Windows ME for netbooks. This way you get full functionaily plus a lite OS environment. This seems like a perfect solution to me.

 

[Guest]

If people wants to pay less they need to live with limitations.
The bad point with the "Starter" versions is the hardware limits, not the 3 apps limit.

I need Windows only for gaming and because that i will use only one app most of the time.
If i can run Win7 Starter in my (almost decent) machine without problems i will think about buy it, if i can't i will wait until my favorite games run on LINUX and don't buy neither Windows or the game. (The game i will buy, when it runs on LINUX of course)

I think Windows is too expensive to me because i don't need the majority of features it have (and it don't have the majority of features that i need), for this reason i never think about buy the most expensive versions, but with "Starter" costing much less i'm inclined to invest in then.

 

[Guest]

Disappointing - I was planning on getting a netbook for doing work on the go. That would be Firefox + Web Browser + a Messenging program. That then stops me from loading anything else up - no music, no email, no ability to view images in Picture Viewer, no Acrobat Reader...

 

[Dave_69]

Not to worry, peeps, the hacke... I mean, "programmers" in Malaysia will figure out a way to hack... I mean, "go around" this.

 

[Windaria]

If it comes pre-loaded with starter edition instead of xp or vista, great, it reduced the cost. Unfortunately you can't buy them with no OS, so money still goes to fund a company when I won't use their software anyway after wiping and installing Linux, but at least it's a step in the right direction.

Next? For mail-order systems, such as are shipped by Dell, no OS SHOULD be an option, while reducing $50-250 from the cost, depending what the system normally ships with anyway...