Windows 7 is still going to have 6+ retail versions...

[mrgreen4242]

Can't believe they didn't learn their lesson from Vista. I can see having a "home" and "pro" version like XP, maybe, but this 5, 6, or more versions is getting a bit ridiculous, imo. Sure, they are trying to target a larger market than Apple, and they don't make any money on hardware sales (that is, hardware sales which have an OS tied to them) but I'm betting that there's not any/many features in Windows 7 that 10.5/10.6 won't have and OS X will likely fit in, pricewise, the low-to-middle end of the Windows spectrum.

I think it's even worse when you consider what OEMs are going to end up paying (likely 1/3 to 1/2 of what customers are asked to pay).

http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-10155193-75.html

[patrick0brien]

<passes out in surprise>

[GSMiller]

I really don't understand a difference between the different versions, other than price. Vista Ultimate is no more compelling to me than Home Premium, and yet it costs, what? Twice as much?

The person who came up with the different "versions" strategy needs fired.

[zap2]

I really don't understand a difference between the different versions, other than price. Vista Ultimate is no more compelling to me than Home Premium, and yet it costs, what? Twice as much?

The person who came up with the different "versions" strategy needs fired.

Well I guess that depends on your needs/wants.....from a consumer stand point, one price point is nice, but I like the extra the high end ones offer.


I say, one price point, let the user pick his install(and a suggest install for your average user)

[Chaszmyr]

They may have new popularity thanks to the Xbox division, and Windows 7 may be a big improvement over Vista, but Microsoft is still Microsoft.

[plinden]

Well, to be fair, you can immediately forget about the Starter version (it allows only three concurrent apps), the Home Basic version will be available in developing markets only, and Enterprise is for enterprises.

So that leaves only three versions you have to choose between.

[rdowns]

Note to Microsoft.

Marketing 101.

KISS.

[chewietobbacca]

It seems like a lot, but Starter is basically meant for OEMS and developing markets (as is Home Basic) so you have Home Premium, Professional (replaces Business) and Ultimate (but supposedly its a limited thing anyways). Looks like Pro covers it all

[Stridder44]

No, they're going to have 2.


TWO.


Starter and Home Basic will never be sold in the US (only developing countries). Home Premium and Professional are all you'll ever see.

And MAYBE Ultimate, but only on Newegg.

[rdowns]

No, they're going to have 2.


TWO.


Starter and Home Basic will never be sold in the US (only developing countries). Home Premium and Professional are all you'll ever see.

And MAYBE Ultimate, but only on Newegg.


Here's what the article says. Emphasis mine.


Although the software maker will offer at least six distinct versions of the new operating system, Microsoft said to expect almost all PCs sold in the U.S. to come with either the Home Premium or Professional editions of the operating system.

"We're going to focus on two versions," Microsoft Senior Vice President Bill Veghte said in an interview, noting that those two versions will likely account for 80 percent of Windows 7 sales.

Still, versions of Windows 7 will include: Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate. Unlike with Vista, however, the Home Basic version will be sold only in emerging markets.

[Rodimus Prime]

Well, to be fair, you can immediately forget about the Starter version (it allows only three concurrent apps), the Home Basic version will be available in developing markets only, and Enterprise is for enterprises.

So that leaves only three versions you have to choose between.

yeah I was going to post something like that.

Just people here just want to bash microsoft. No matter what the truth of the matter is.

The title of this tread is completely wrong any how no matter how you cut it. there are only 5 retail version of Windows 7 no matter how you cut it. Enterprise editions is not sold retail.

Simple truth to every consumer on these boards there will be 3 versons windows 7.

Home Premium.
Business
Ultimate.

Now if you break it down farther.
Home covers most of us. It has the media editions stuff and lets the computer bet the entertainment center.

Bussiness lacks the media part of it but very business focus understandable there no need for the media center PC part

Ultimate has everything of both.

[SpaceMagic]

This is so stupid. Microsoft - please listen - you could have done so well with Windows 7. Just don't be stupid and confuse consumers.

Windows 7 - Home
Windows 7 - Business

That's all. Easy. Make the Home at a reasonable price. And offer Higher Edu and Non profit orgs heavy discounts. It will fly.

[Rodimus Prime]

This is so stupid. Microsoft - please listen - you could have done so well with Windows 7. Just don't be stupid and confuse consumers.

Windows 7 - Home
Windows 7 - Business

That's all. Easy. Make the Home at a reasonable price. And offer Higher Edu and Non profit orgs heavy discounts. It will fly.

Please remember there really are only 3 versons of windows 7 to be sold.

Home,
Business
Ultimate.

The other 3 are not for retail for the general public.

[boyreinvented]

OK. If they are only going to push two versions, why not only make two?

Why make 7+?

Meh, leave them to it. They royally ******** up Vista. As this is Vista 2.0 it's only fair they make some mistakes all over again.

I also hope once a few million people have Vista 2.0 installed, Apple go after them for royalties on that dock of theirs, is it theirs? hmmm.

[iObama]

OK. If they are only going to push two versions, why not only make two?

Why make 7+?

Meh, leave them to it. They royally ******** up Vista. As this is Vista 2.0 it's only fair they make some mistakes all over again.

I also hope once a few million people have Vista 2.0 installed, Apple go after them for royalties on that dock of theirs, is it theirs? hmmm.

Actually, Microsoft should go after Apple for stealing their "quick launch" toolbar. If you would actually pay attention, you would see that the new taskbar is the exact same thing as quick launch with bigger icons.

Stop being such an Apple apologist.

[NT1440]

I dont see why any company would want to clutter their lineup when they could just do ONE version.

[XnavxeMiyyep]

I dont see why any company would want to clutter their lineup when they could just do ONE version.

It's a built-in haggling system. It's always in your best interest, as a salesman, to haggle for sales you wouldn't have otherwise gotten.

Everyone simply buys the best one they can afford, and now more markets are covered!

[JNB]

Regardless, it's still two, three, or six too many, no matter how your parse it. An OS should have a single (desktop) version, letting the user determine their own specific need for feature sets. Locked differentiation is just a marketing ploy, and an incredibly obtuse one at that. It costs more money in production, packaging, and distribution that it's worth, honestly.

And I was hoping that MS was finally smelling the coffee. I so wanted Win7 to be a straightforward, clean OS, as XP is showing its age. Thundering clods, the lot of 'em. Well, Ballmer, anyway. I swear, that man needs to be shown the door before he brings the entire company down from his arrogant stupidity.

[Rodimus Prime]

Regardless, it's still two, three, or six too many, no matter how your parse it. An OS should have a single (desktop) version, letting the user determine their own specific need for feature sets. Locked differentiation is just a marketing ploy, and an incredibly obtuse one at that. It costs more money in production, packaging, and distribution that it's worth, honestly.

And I was hoping that MS was finally smelling the coffee. I so wanted Win7 to be a straightforward, clean OS, as XP is showing its age. Thundering clods, the lot of 'em. Well, Ballmer, anyway. I swear, that man needs to be shown the door before he brings the entire company down from his arrogant stupidity.


I could argue MS should have at least 2 and at most 3 edition of the OS.


Windows 7 Ultimate

and enterprise. Enterprise is just the name for corporate edition. a lot of big software has the box and then one for well server distribution. '

The one the people can buy I can understand selling in OEM, upgrade and retial.

Remember apple only sells upgrade edition.

The third one I could see argue them selling is starter edition but that is not sold to the general public any how so would not confuse the shelves with it.

[twoodcc]

wow. some people never learn

[tdevers]

I was hoping they would pull through with 7. I'll keep my MacBook thank you very much!

[queshy]

MS should have one version: Windows 7. It should be equivalent to windows 7 ultimate and should be $129. Who else does that? Oh yeah...

[sharp65]

Starter, Home Premium, Ultimate. Is it really that hard? The exaggerations here is crazy. Did the threadstarter even read the article he linked to?

[jaw04005]

There are only two mainstream versions:

Windows 7 Home Premium - (Widespread retail availability)
Windows 7 Professional -(Super set of Premium, widespread retail availability)

Unless you need "Domain join, Remote Desktop host, advanced backup, EFS and Offline Folders", you don't need Professional. Additionally, you no longer have to buy Ultimate if you want Remote Desktop and Windows Media Center. You just need to buy Professional as it's just a super set of Premium.

Mainstream consumers will never see these versions:
Windows 7 Starter - (Developing nations only, no retail availability)
Windows 7 Home Basic - (Developing nations only, no retail availability)
Windows 7 Enterprise - (Volume licensing only, no retail availability)
Windows 7 Ultimate - (Super set of Professional, Limited retail availability, marketing limited)

Microsoft's Windows 7 marketing directive specifically tells partners not to market Ultimate to home users. Unless you need "Branche Cache, MUI language packs and boot from VHD", you don't need Ultimate.

[talkingfuture]

Its funny how Microsoft are so successful that they can afford to ignore the bleeding obvious and plow on when all the world can see how to fix something like this. It makes you wonder if they even considered the Home/Business option or not.

[nick9191]

Well, to be fair, you can immediately forget about the Starter version (it allows only three concurrent apps), the Home Basic version will be available in developing markets only, and Enterprise is for enterprises.

So that leaves only three versions you have to choose between.

There are only two mainstream versions:

Windows 7 Home Premium - (Widespread retail availability)
Windows 7 Professional -(Super set of Premium, widespread retail availability)

Unless you need "Domain join, Remote Desktop host, advanced backup, EFS and Offline Folders", you don't need Professional. Additionally, you no longer have to buy Ultimate if you want Remote Desktop and Windows Media Center. You just need to buy Professional as it's just a super set of Premium.

Mainstream consumers will never see these versions:
Windows 7 Starter - (Developing nations only, no retail availability)
Windows 7 Home Basic - (Developing nations only, no retail availability)
Windows 7 Enterprise - (Volume licensing only, no retail availability)
Windows 7 Ultimate - (Super set of Professional, Limited retail availability, marketing limited)

Microsoft's Windows 7 marketing directive specifically tells partners not to market Ultimate to home users. Unless you need "Branche Cache, MUI language packs and boot from VHD", you don't need Ultimate.


The starter is available to third world countries, Home Basic is for anyone, I have it running on a Core Duo, 1gb RAM machine (runs like a dog). It's basically Vista without the see through. The XP home equivalent of Vista.

[hacksaw-C87]

Home Basic is for anyone, I have it running on a Core Duo, 1gb RAM machine (runs like a dog). It's basically Vista without the see through. The XP home equivalent of Vista.

Is that a good or bad comparison? I have a dog that is very fast... but I used to have a dog that could hardly walk...

[Black Belt]

What a bunch of whiners. Vista is fine, runs far better than XP, and there are only 3 real options there as well - Home Premium, Business and Ultimate. The others were for the Windows whiners who want to run the systems on computers that Steve Jobs would've made you throw away years ago. You're showing your bias instead of tech knowledge.

The only real mistake was Ultimate which didn't quite fulfill the dream with the Ultimate Extras.

Windows 7 continues the transfiguration of Windows into a componentized system which is applauded.

And who buys an OS to upgrade? Only geeks. Normal Windows users just get it with the next machine. I build all my computers so I get the OEM price.

[edesignuk]

As others have already touched on, to the vast majority of consumers nothing beyond Home Premium will ever exist.

Business will buy the business version, dorks will buy the Professional/Ultimate version.

It's an easy point to jump on and bitch and whine about, in reality it makes no difference.

[Sesshi]

You forgot dork businesses. Unless there's no choice we always get Ultimate.

[Black Belt]

I resemble that remark! Doh!

[nplima]

There are only two mainstream versions:
[...]Additionally, you no longer have to buy Ultimate if you want Remote Desktop and Windows Media Center. You just need to buy Professional as it's just a super set of Premium.

I think this is not accurate. Vista Home Premium has Media Center. It's actually its best feature :)

Everyone knows this is MS trying a money grab and/or getting a cheap tool to bargain with in big corporate deals... there's probably 20 different ways to make their product lineup look better and simpler.

[Black Belt]

Everyone knows this is MS trying a money grab

Oh the irony of seeing this on an Apple fan site. :rolleyes:

[NATO]

As has been pointed out already, the two main versions will be Home Premium and Professional, for the simple reason that it allows Microsoft to sell Home Premium at a lower 'consumer friendly' price, and Professional at a massively inflated 'Business acceptable' price.

If they did the same as Apple and only had one version, they would end up finding that they'd have to price it towards the price they want businesses to pay since that's their primary customer, home users would find that price unacceptably high and pirate it as a result. This way, they can sell it cheaper to home users, expensive to businesses and everyone's happy.

[Rodimus Prime]

The starter is available to third world countries, Home Basic is for anyone, I have it running on a Core Duo, 1gb RAM machine (runs like a dog). It's basically Vista without the see through. The XP home equivalent of Vista.

I sugest you read the article.

Home Basic will only be sold in emerging markets (aka 3rd world countries.)

[benthewraith]

I have an idea, stop the version crap and just release one all-rounded OS. Seriously, I buy the Professional version every time I get a Windows computer.

[jaw04005]

The starter is available to third world countries, Home Basic is for anyone, I have it running on a Core Duo, 1gb RAM machine (runs like a dog). It's basically Vista without the see through. The XP home equivalent of Vista.

I know what Vista Home Basic is. However, Windows 7 Home Basic is not going to have wide availability like Vista Home Basic. It's only going to be available in developing markets. That's a change from the Vista model.

I think this is not accurate. Vista Home Premium has Media Center. It's actually its best feature :)

Did I say Media Center wasn't included in Windows 7 Home Premium? No. It's actually one of Windows 7 Home Premium's prominent features.

However, Remote Desktop is NOT available in Windows 7 Home Premium. Vista Business did NOT include Media Center. I was simply pointing out that Windows 7 Professional (the replacement for Business) will NOW include both Media Center AND Remote Desktop. That's another change from the Vista model.

[DiamondMac]

Eh, as long as they keep it more simple than the Vista options (not complex for me but it confused a lot I knew) then I am fine with it

I just hope their regular version for home users has what it needs to have and it WORKS smoother than Vista

[sushi]

Note to Microsoft.

Marketing 101.

KISS.
Well put.

One version, allow customizable install if needed.

[Mackan]

Everyone knows this is MS trying a money grab

Most companies try... Especially Apple.

[Denholm]

What surprises me is how much Microsoft is asking people to pay for Windows Home Premium - the most popular version. $259?

Microsoft should compete - Windows Home Premium, $129!
Windows Starter Edition should be sold for the price of postage - that would be competition for those using Linux I guess.

I only have 1 Windows PC left at home (iMac FTW) and for it I will get Windows 7 from work, legal educational version $8. :cool:

[chagla]

wow, choosing a version from 2 or 3 is THAT difficult?
brain bankrupcy!

[Melrose]

I can't believe they're doing this again - it really makes no sense.

Most people that buy Win7 will probably adopt to buy the cheapest system they can in an effort to save money and then be sorely disappointed when the OS isn't smoothly supported by sufficiently beefy hardware - and the result will be they get frustrated with the OS system itself.

Do I pick from one of the 5 version available? Which one do I buy? Will it do what I want? What if I want to do music, video &amp; web browsing? Will it run smoothly on my computer with only 1GB of RAM?

What surprises me is how much Microsoft is asking people to pay for Windows Home Premium - the most popular version. $259?

Microsoft should compete - Windows Home Premium, $129!
Windows Starter Edition should be sold for the price of postage - that would be competition for those using Linux I guess.

I agree... You have 6 versions of Windows, 5 for most of us, at 5 different price points. OSX starts at $129 and you get it all regardless. Not to sound like a fanboy, but I think Apple's strategy is superior in this case.

[Rodimus Prime]

What surprises me is how much Microsoft is asking people to pay for Windows Home Premium - the most popular version. $259?

Microsoft should compete - Windows Home Premium, $129!
Windows Starter Edition should be sold for the price of postage - that would be competition for those using Linux I guess.

I only have 1 Windows PC left at home (iMac FTW) and for it I will get Windows 7 from work, legal educational version $8. :cool:

Please remember you need to look at the upgrade edition cost not full retail cost. The upgrade edition cost is the best comparison to the apple OSX cost.

[PlaceofDis]

i understand that some of these will never be on retail shelves. the problem is that there will be different versions on the shelf. there should only be one.

[FX120]

OSX starts at $129 and you get it all regardless. Not to sound like a fanboy, but I think Apple's strategy is superior in this case.

It's not really comparable, as OS X is only contractually installable on a Macintosh, which already has at least one other previous software licence tied to it, that was included durring the intial purchase of the machine, in this way any version of OS X is an upgrade. It's pretty clear that this is the intent of Apple judging on their legal response in the past in defending their EULA, Pystar is a recient example. Because Apple does not sell hardware without an OS installed, and because Apple limits OS X to being used only on Apple hardware, technically any version of OS X you may buy in a store is an upgrade.

The retail version of Windows, which includes support from Microsoft, is installable on any computer hardware that meets the physical requirements, including those that have never had a licence attached to it prior, and is a complete licence by itself. When you buy a retail version of Windows you're getting the licence to use it on fresh hardware as a new install and a new licence, AND the techincal support from Microsoft. To my knowledge Apple does not support the purchase of or install of OS X as software, they only support the computer, and the support costs are included in the computer.

Finally, the OEM version of Microsoft software (that is the software only, without support) is much more reasonable in cost. OEM Vista Home Premium for example is $99, $30 less than the upgrade cost for OS X, and includes a full licence for use on a "fresh" computer.

To most people (myself included) the crap support that Microsoft sells as part of the Vista retail package isn't worth the extra price premium. When I build a new computer, I buy the OEM version off Newegg.

And I am very glad to hear that MS will only be marketing two versions of the OS this go around. It would be nice for them to condense it down into one version for the general consumer. I understand the OEM, Enterprise, and 3rd-world versions, however.

[Black Belt]

What surprises me is how much Microsoft is asking people to pay for Windows Home Premium - the most popular version. $259?

Microsoft should compete - Windows Home Premium, $129!

Microsoft doesn't jam an outrageously overpriced computer down your throat to use the operating system, so there is that difference.

And the $129 is your upgrade license, your first license was built in to the outrageously overpriced computer you bought. Sorry whatever imaginary difference there is in software cost pales in comparison to the hardware cost.

[patrick0brien]

...outrageously overpriced computer...

-Black Belt

Careful there, that's debatable at best, flamebait at worst.

Let's not go there, it's a red herring.

[Black Belt]

What do you think the whole thread has been, what a joke.

[patrick0brien]

Last I checked, the fact there are 6+ versions of Windows 7.

[boyreinvented]

What do you think the whole thread has been, what a joke.

Try making your point on a Windows forum then. You can't complain about negativity towards M$ when you are a signed up member of a Mac forum?!

[Rodimus Prime]

Last I checked, the fact there are 6+ versions of Windows 7.

Where the hell are you getting 6 from. Read the article

It listed 6.

3 of which will not be sold on store shelves and only 2 of which that will be marketed.

[Melrose]

What do you think the whole thread has been, what a joke.

This whole thread has been a discussion of M$ producing 6 versions of Windows 7, not making erroneous, blanket statements about OSX.

[patrick0brien]

Where the hell are you getting 6 from.

-Rodimus Prime

The thread title.

However, you are correct, there are only 3 versions we should care about.

I feel it would be better if Microsoft would learn how to better label their products (e.g. "Emerging Markets"). Therefore, conversations like this wouldn't be necessary.