MS Vista Versions Leaked [Archive]

aricher

Feb 23, 2006, 02:52 PM

Jovian9

Feb 23, 2006, 03:57 PM

Wow...do you really need that many versions of an operating system? So the most basic version will do what:
1. start up and tell you to buy a better version that will actually run on your computer
2. emulate the blue screen of death to remind you of other Microsoft OS's
3. be used strictly as a virus/trojan/malware gatherer when connected to the internet
or
4. not be compatible with any software or hardware you have previously

....or maybe all of the above.

Sounds confusing to me.

zelmo

Feb 23, 2006, 04:00 PM

Pretty sneakysmart of MS to do this, actually. They've learned from Apple that the key is to put many competing models on the market that span a price range separated by only a few dollars, causing the consumer to start at the bottom and sell themselves up the line to the most expensive edition out there.

Anyone who's ever gone to buy a Shuffle and walked out with a 60GB iPod knows exactly what I'm talking about.

nbs2

Feb 23, 2006, 04:10 PM

I'm ashamed to say this, but I have had this strange fascination with the whole Vista/Longhorn mess and have been following it from the Thurrott page. Plus, I find him helpful in protecting my little sister and her PC from the trojans and worms and virusses that are out there. Anyhow, I remember reading about the multi-edition releases a while ago (I just went to check, but got lazy when I found his review of this from 3 days ago).

I think is it a bit smarter for them to do this - if you know what you need, you get it. If you don't - you'll probably end up getting everything or at least more than you need. For the manus, this works well too - they can install a cheaper verison and leave it to the consumer to make the upgrade or install the ultimate version and charge a good bundle more. B

esides, the n only exists so that MS can ship a WMP-free version out. Although, I would think it better to just make it an easy uninstall as I don't see anyting wrong with shipping a MP with you machine. I'd rather have iTunes shipped with it, but not that big a deal....eh

IJ Reilly

Feb 23, 2006, 04:22 PM

emaja

Feb 24, 2006, 12:17 AM

What, no "Windows Vista Extreme?"

kretzy

Feb 24, 2006, 12:21 AM

I wonder if all 8 will be released in a special box set edition. :D

grapes911

Feb 24, 2006, 12:25 AM

Pretty sneakysmart of MS to do this, actually. They've learned from Apple that the key is to put many competing models on the market that span a price range separated by only a few dollars, causing the consumer to start at the bottom and sell themselves up the line to the most expensive edition out there.
I have to agree. As a consumer, it is much nicer to only have 2 or 3 versions. As a company, it can't cost too much more in R&D between versions. Without doing a study, I'd say they will make extra money this way. Not a bad business move by MS.

treblah

Feb 24, 2006, 01:00 AM

I wonder if all 8 will be released in a special box set edition. :D

I could be wrong but I think I've read all the Vista DVDs will include all versions from Home to Ultimate and you will be able to buy upgrade keys online from MS to update the OS in the future.

Or am I smoking crack? ;)

WildCowboy

Feb 24, 2006, 01:03 AM

I wonder if all 8 will be released in a special box set edition. :D

I'm looking forward to the "Making Of" bonus features...

kretzy

Feb 24, 2006, 01:03 AM

I could be wrong but I think I've read all the Vista DVDs will include all versions from Home to Ultimate and you will be able to buy upgrade keys online from MS to update the OS in the future.

Or am I smoking crack? ;)

I was just joking. I have no idea if this is the case or not. :o

Mechcozmo

Feb 24, 2006, 01:54 AM

GFLPraxis

Feb 24, 2006, 02:12 AM

" The versions include Windows Starter 2007, Windows Vista Business, Windows Vista Enterprise, Windows Vista Home Basic, Windows Vista Home Premium, and Windows Vista Ultimate...

In addition, there will be “N” versions of Windows Vista Home Basic and Windows Vista Home."

Geez! On top of that, there will be retail and OEM versions of each! That's ridiculous.

You might consider the retail and OEM difference negligible, but it's very important. A friend of mine had a laptop with a worm infection that basicly corrupted every executable on the drive. She had lost the restore disks long ago. I went to reinstall Windows with my retail copy of Windows XP Pro and her CD key, but it didn't work. I had to track down an OEM copy of Windows XP Pro someone else had and use that with her CD key to reinstall. The OEM and retail versions have different keys, which is a very big difference when reinstalling the OS since Microsoft requires you to activate.

redAPPLE

Feb 24, 2006, 02:52 AM

I'm looking forward to the "Making Of" bonus features...

i heard they are including this really cool development timeline. when they added features and bugs. and when they removed features. the real story behind the name change longhorn to vista.

i can't wait!

Chundles

Feb 24, 2006, 03:13 AM

I have to agree. As a consumer, it is much nicer to only have 2 or 3 versions. As a company, it can't cost too much more in R&D between versions. Without doing a study, I'd say they will make extra money this way. Not a bad business move by MS.

I like only having one version. Much easier to decide which one to buy.

dubbz

Feb 24, 2006, 03:40 AM

What, no "Windows Vista Extreme?"

Heh...

Can't believe that they're actually going to call it "Ultimate".

ezekielrage_99

Feb 24, 2006, 08:05 AM

ummm....... go vista......

I really wonder how many people out there are REALLY holding off on this release becasue the intial reports on Vista don't really show Vista in a good light.

The irony is with all 8 version out they will ALL suffer from the same problems...

But putting the Ultimate infront of anything makes it sounds cool.

Ultimate Fighting
Ultimate Mortal Kombat
Ultimate Fighting again
Ultimate Vista....... nope doesn't work

srobert

Feb 24, 2006, 03:09 PM

Well. It looks a lot like the same strategy they used to market the XBox 360. Only more confusing.

A) Make a full featured regular version
B) Strip down some features
C) Brand the stripped down version as the regular version
D) Rebrand the original full-featured version as "Extreme, ultimate, etc…"
E) Overcharge for the original version without forgetting to mention it's "Ultimate"
F) Brag about your low "starting-at" price of the stripped down version

With so many versions floating around, they'll be able to make a few extra bucks out of the people who have to switch version because their needs have changed.

As for the name "Ultimate" is sounds so comic book like ^_^. i.e.: Ultimate Avengers, Uncanny X-Men, Amazing Spiderman, Incredible Hulk, Extreme X-Men, Fantastic Four, Astonishing X-Men, etc… Maybe they can use these for their different Windows flavours.

jdechko

Feb 24, 2006, 04:43 PM

I'm looking forward to the "Making Of" bonus features...

Including a five-year making of documentary.

I agree that it doesn't make sense. It'll just confuse the consumer even more. I thought there were too many versions of XP and there are only two of them. When I first started taking intereste in the Mac, I was looking at the OS thinking, ok, so I'll have to upgrade that to the Pro version. But, no, there's only one version. I think that's awesome, just another reason why I love Apple.

zelmo

Feb 24, 2006, 05:43 PM

Right, and that's why Apple sells eight different versions of OSX.

Hmmm. Didn't really think I needed to add the sarcasm smilies to my post.:eek:

Timepass

Feb 24, 2006, 06:19 PM

Oops:

http://www.redherring.com/Article.aspx?a=15835&hed=Vista+Versions+Leaked

Wow - nothing like releasing EIGHT versions of the same operating system. Makes me wonder how much is stripped out of the low-cost versions:

" The versions include Windows Starter 2007, Windows Vista Business, Windows Vista Enterprise, Windows Vista Home Basic, Windows Vista Home Premium, and Windows Vista Ultimate...

In addition, there will be “N” versions of Windows Vista Home Basic and Windows Vista Home."

well of that list some of them are understandble why they have the versions
Starter edition will not be sold in most of the world. It is ment to be sold like in china and other countries like that and it heavily crippled
Enterprise editions of any software are only really ment for corpate set up and for huge networks. Basicly it does not require the activation that the other ones will require.
Buniness come on it clear who that is set up for. Many of the extras only ment for buniness computers.

Now the home basic, premium and Ultimate are another story.

Mind you Enterpise and Starter should not be held agaist them. Starter was never ment and never will be sold in the westernize world. Only really in 3rd world countries.

N versions are only there because of Eurpean laws no other reason so that should not be held agaist them.

Slightly old news... can't believe Microsoft is going to go through with this. Plus, what about 32 and 64 bit versions of Vista? Does that make 16 total, or will they have the 32 and 64 versions on the same disk?

They already stated that the 32 bit and the 64 bit will be on the same disk and when you intall the OS you are given the choice of which one to install.

(choice will only be there if your computer can run the 64 bit one)

~Shard~

Feb 24, 2006, 06:26 PM

I wonder if all 8 will be released in a special box set edition. :D

I'm waiting for Windows Vista 360. :D No, nothing to do with the XBox, just version 360 - it'll only take a couple months for it to be released I'm sure...

Mechcozmo

Feb 24, 2006, 07:39 PM

i heard they are including this really cool development timeline. when they added features and bugs. and when they removed features. the real story behind the name change longhorn to vista.

i can't wait!

Longhorn was the codename... Vista is the actual name. Tiger was the codename for 10.4 but they just never came up with a new name for it; the codename and the shipping name are the same.

Including a five-year making of documentary.

I agree that it doesn't make sense. It'll just confuse the consumer even more. I thought there were too many versions of XP and there are only two of them. When I first started taking intereste in the Mac, I was looking at the OS thinking, ok, so I'll have to upgrade that to the Pro version. But, no, there's only one version. I think that's awesome, just another reason why I love Apple.

There are a lot of versions of XP.
Tablet Edition
Media Center Edition (Count the various years if you want to)
Professional
Home
OEM-Pro
OEM-Home
64-bit Pro

N versions are only there because of Eurpean laws no other reason so that should not be held agaist them.
I argue they should.
Microsoft could easily remove the offending components, or make them optional items. They could even be installed by default, so long as it would be possible to remove them at a later time. But as it is, I have to disable MSN Messenger on EVERY COMPUTER I COME IN CONTACT WITH. (Well, the Windows ones that is) Microsoft could allow it to be removed, but they think it is better to leave it, forced into the operating system, and make special versions for the countries that take offense to it.

They already stated that the 32 bit and the 64 bit will be on the same disk and when you intall the OS you are given the choice of which one to install.

(choice will only be there if your computer can run the 64 bit one)

That's good news. I'd hate for there to be confusion among that, too. Although it does mean that there are separate versions... could lead to issues installing it on their own, but hopefully it won't be that bad.

Timepass

Feb 24, 2006, 07:58 PM

I argue they should.
Microsoft could easily remove the offending components, or make them optional items. They could even be installed by default, so long as it would be possible to remove them at a later time. But as it is, I have to disable MSN Messenger on EVERY COMPUTER I COME IN CONTACT WITH. (Well, the Windows ones that is) Microsoft could allow it to be removed, but they think it is better to leave it, forced into the operating system, and make special versions for the countries that take offense to it.

Oh I dont disagree with you on the fact that it would be nice but I dont think it should count agaist them for verson count since they are force to do it that way.
And it not like Quicktime and iTunes did not try to take full control over all my media files on my computer. iTunes I didnt mind so much. Quicktime I hated it and having to go though all the trouble to undo it. I hate Quicktime for anything but the web.

As for OEMs I dont really veiw them as a stand alone verson. A lot of stuff out there is OEM (mostly in hardware) Apple is just different.

As for Home, Pro and so on that another story.

As for Vista I think I am counting 6 real verson. (Enterprise and starter dont really count since they are not going to be out for the general public to buy)

IJ Reilly

Feb 24, 2006, 09:15 PM

Hmmm. Didn't really think I needed to add the sarcasm smilies to my post.:eek:

For my money, you were at least one smiley short of obvious sarcasm. ;)

Mechcozmo

Feb 25, 2006, 03:55 AM

Oh I dont disagree with you on the fact that it would be nice but I dont think it should count agaist them for verson count since they are force to do it that way.
And it not like Quicktime and iTunes did not try to take full control over all my media files on my computer. iTunes I didnt mind so much. Quicktime I hated it and having to go though all the trouble to undo it. I hate Quicktime for anything but the web.

You can fix that quite easily. Download VLC. Get Info on a movie file. Change the "Open With..." box to read "VLC" and choose the button under it ("Change All"). Magic! QuickTime fixed! You'll just have to do that for the various movie containers, but eventually you'll have fixed them all. There even may be a preference in VLC to do that...
Linkety (http://www.videolan.org) to VLC.

Timepass

Feb 25, 2006, 11:18 AM

You can fix that quite easily. Download VLC. Get Info on a movie file. Change the "Open With..." box to read "VLC" and choose the button under it ("Change All"). Magic! QuickTime fixed! You'll just have to do that for the various movie containers, but eventually you'll have fixed them all. There even may be a preference in VLC to do that...
Linkety (http://www.videolan.org) to VLC.
oh I know but it a pain in the rear to put up with and something I shouldnt have to do.

Mechcozmo

Feb 27, 2006, 02:37 AM

oh I know but it a pain in the rear to put up with and something I shouldnt have to do.

Could you elaborate? You have an easy workaround... you have a different situation than on Windows... you don't have that big of an issue to deal with...

Timepass

Feb 27, 2006, 02:45 AM

Could you elaborate? You have an easy workaround... you have a different situation than on Windows... you don't have that big of an issue to deal with...

Oh it an easy way to work around. it just bother some to take care of it since you are talking about 5+ different file formats Quicktime will take control over (and that just cover vidoe formates. Does not count many of the non video files). Mostly it because I dont find them all until I want to open that file and I see a Quicktime icon instead of the icon to the program I want to use normally either WMP Classic (not really made by microsoft but it the common name for it) or WMP on the XP box.
It just takes a me right clicking, then saying choose program, then clicking always use this program.

It mostly just a bothersome task I rather not have to do. Also Quick times not the only program that does that. In fact most programs do it and dont give me the opition while installing to pick and choose the file types I want to give it control over. Quicktime one of the worse, not the worse I have seen so far. That would be ATI media player stuff. WMP is one of the better programs out there for choosing during the install and so far I think winamp is the best and the easiest to do at any time.

But like you said you have to do it for each file type and that just extra work to have to do. Something I would rather control while installing

grabberslasher

Feb 27, 2006, 04:18 AM

Slightly old news... can't believe Microsoft is going to go through with this. Plus, what about 32 and 64 bit versions of Vista? Does that make 16 total, or will they have the 32 and 64 versions on the same disk?

Actually at the moment you have all 8 versions on the single DVD and depending on what serial code you put in it will install different versions. You pay for the license.

bigandy

Feb 27, 2006, 02:04 PM

I'm looking forward to the "Making Of" bonus features...

i'm thinking that it may be titled the same as the online blog for Clerks II..

"A Disaster in the Making"..

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D ;)

Timepass

Feb 27, 2006, 03:09 PM

Ok M$ now has stated the finally list of verson of Vista.

There will be 4 verson (and in Eurp the 2 N's plus the other 4) on store shelves
Home Basic
Home Premium
Bussiness Edition
Ultimate

Enterprise is being release ONLY to companies with who have PCs covered by Microsoft Software Assurance or a Microsoft Enterprise Agreement.

There is an Enterprise verson of XP out there as well (basicly it XP pro with changes for IT stuff and IT installing).

Now OSX has Client and Sever. They dont have a need for Enterprise because no one really has access to huge networks. But closes OSX is one of the releases that have unlimited licsences of the OS.

Right now you have family pack. and unlimited (unlimited I dont believe you can buy off the store shelves. That more like enterprise edition)

Enterprise is just a term used to cover huge networks. For example there is enterprise verson of Office. My XP computer runs off the enterprise verson of Symantic corp I got though my school. Enterprise is for large networks only and most major software has enterprise versons. Biggest diffences is it will lack activation and have a little more IT side access to it.

Starter is not even carriing the vista name. It for countries where pirating is rampade to give them a cheap alternative. At least M$ is trying help get pirating under control. They cannt really bring down the price of the software that low with out people every where else in the world crying out in flames. It would be like 3rd counties getting tiger legelly for 5 bucks while you in have to pay 100 bucks for it. But then again because of how OSX and Macs are tied together I dont think those people even can afford to get a mac. Dirt cheap computers are sold to them at a huge loss at well to help them getting better.

Some it all up 4 verson of Vista are coming out.

here is the press release from M$
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2006/feb06/02-26WinVistaProductsPR.mspx

Stella

Feb 27, 2006, 04:07 PM

This is quite retarded - and this has been since confirmed, of course.

Can you say, "Customer Confusion"?

Oops:

http://www.redherring.com/Article.aspx?a=15835&hed=Vista+Versions+Leaked

Wow - nothing like releasing EIGHT versions of the same operating system. Makes me wonder how much is stripped out of the low-cost versions:

" The versions include Windows Starter 2007, Windows Vista Business, Windows Vista Enterprise, Windows Vista Home Basic, Windows Vista Home Premium, and Windows Vista Ultimate...

In addition, there will be “N” versions of Windows Vista Home Basic and Windows Vista Home."

disconap

Feb 27, 2006, 05:14 PM

Just saw some screen shots; it's like they're not even TRYING to mask their theft of features from Mac OS anymore:

http://crystalxp.zerackiel.net/_resources/vista1b.jpg

Project

Feb 27, 2006, 05:21 PM

^ Is that definitely the original Vista theme? It looks like a skin. Stardock or something.

Project

Feb 27, 2006, 05:25 PM

I think the big thing I have garnered from this is that Home Basic wont have the full Vista inteface... Aero Glass or whatever it is called. I personally find that astonishing.

disconap

Feb 27, 2006, 05:34 PM

^ Is that definitely the original Vista theme? It looks like a skin. Stardock or something.

Don't know for sure, it was passed on from a friend. *shrugs*

Timepass

Feb 27, 2006, 05:35 PM

I think the big thing I have garnered from this is that Home Basic wont have the full Vista inteface... Aero Glass or whatever it is called. I personally find that astonishing.

agreed that is the largest shocker for me.
As for others not so much. Because it following a lot of the office formate.

Home Premium looks a lot like XP media edition to me.
Ultimate is a lot like XP pro to me.

The idea of gearing and opitmizing the OS for there different uses I think it a good idea. Just how they are marketing it the thing I dont like.
The idea is good in theroy and if done right could be really good. How M$ is doing it not good.

jhu

Feb 27, 2006, 10:57 PM

i don't know what you guys are complaining about. right now, microsoft already sells more than 8 versions of windows (the list doesn't include oem or non-x86 versions):

* xp starter
* xp home
* xp home n
* xp media center
* xp pro
* xp pro n
* xp pro x64
* xp tablet
* xp embedded (automtive, point of sale)
* media center
* server 2003 (small business server, web edition, standard, enterprise, datacenter, compute cluster, and storage server)
* windows ce
* windows mobile

are consumers confused now? of course not, because right now they usually either have the choice of xp home or xp pro. with vista, there's practically just one more choice: ultimate.

kntgsp

Feb 28, 2006, 05:01 AM

That's so rediculously complicated. As if there weren't enough problems with OS compatibilities. 7 or 8 different versions of the same OS? Jeez. That's just idiotic.

macOSX-tastic

Feb 28, 2006, 06:40 AM

bigandy

Feb 28, 2006, 07:35 AM

i don't know what you guys are complaining about. right now, microsoft already sells more than 8 versions of windows (the list doesn't include oem or non-x86 versions):

umm, yes, your list does include non-x86 versions...

* xp embedded (automtive, point of sale)
* windows ce
* windows mobile

jhu

Feb 28, 2006, 08:16 AM

umm, yes, your list does include non-x86 versions...
oops!

jhu

Feb 28, 2006, 08:17 AM

what my windows loving friends dont seem to realise is that OS X only needs 1 version......they asked whether i had the pro version or the home version of "oh, ess ex" grrrr.....

8 versions? confuzing as hell i think.

S

like i said, ms already sells more than 8 versions. also there are two verions of os x: standard and server.

Timepass

Feb 28, 2006, 08:46 AM

like i said, ms already sells more than 8 versions. also there are two verions of os x: standard and server.

btw you double listed one of them
XP media cetner and Media center are the same OS.

Reason you make be thinking 2 is because you have heard it talk about using both terms.
Also btw OS X is also sold OEM just you cannt buy it because apple is the OEM. When you buy an Mac from apple the OS is OEM. Just the only diffences is OEM verson gets include on MS for point of sale because there are more OEM builders for M$ based system than in Apple. It cuts down on the raw cost of the OS by quite a bit.

Also windows 2k3 server and XP are not the same OS. They are entirerly different OS and should not be listed together.

Thomas Veil

Feb 28, 2006, 10:01 AM

I wonder if all 8 will be released in a special box set edition. :DI'm looking forward to the "Making Of" bonus features...This is Microsoft we're talking about, remember. Don't expect DVDs. It'll probably be released on VHS. :D

Timepass

Feb 28, 2006, 04:14 PM

One thing people need to rememeber minus in Eurp law that force the N versons. There will only be 4 verson of Vista on store shelves for people buy.

Only 4 version can be bought online.

Enterprise and starter you will not be able to buy in a store or though Online.

So the basic fact is there are really only 4 verson. Max of 6 if you want to count N (which I dont count as another box since it forced on them).

Now I still say 4 is to many for confusing customers. I would rather there be at most 2 on store shelves.