Multiple Windows 7 versions coming? Say it ain't so!
By Joshua Topolsky 
posted January 25th 2009 12:49PM
posted January 25th 2009 12:49PM
[Thanks, Pete]
posted January 25th 2009 12:49PM
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Options are good.
If theyre going to offer Vista Ultimate, they need to make it worthwhile. I bought a copy of Vista ultimate and have Home Premium on my laptop and dont even know what's different about them to warrant the expense of Vista Ultimate.
For all that extra cost and all those broken promises about exclusive content, a vista to windows 7 upgrade should be cheap (or free, ideally.... fat chance I know) for ultimate owners
Please God No!
I can't believe that a lot of people seemed to have ignored Mike's comment on page 5 with the quote:
"Product keys made available for the Windows 7 Beta program are for the Windows 7 Beta Ultimate edition which is the only real beta edition being made available. Please install Windows 7 Beta Ultimate edition and use the Ultimate edition with the product key provided. The SKUs you are seeing in the checked build are legacy SKUs of the Windows Vista SKU plan, and do not represent the Windows 7 SKU plan. We recommend and encourage you to focus testing and development on the Ultimate edition only. "
ie It's no indication of what is actually going to be sold.
Hell, even if there was the same options, if you're actually going to buy windows on it's own, you'll have the intelligence to install it on an existing machine (or at least I hope so) so I can assume you'll be switched on enough to look at a comparison chart and pick one you want.
If you're buying new hardware, it's likely you'll have a choice between Home Premium and Ultimate (or Business and Ultimate depending on what you're buying). That's 2 choices. If you don't need the networking/advanced features of Ultimate or haven't heard of Remote Desktop (90% of the general public) then buy the cheaper one. It's not difficult, especially as Ultimate is usually offered as an upgrade with Premium being the default.
What is the problem? Apologies for being blunt but most of these complaints are just daft.
If you're complaining about missing features in some versions then you clearly want the one with them all in, I'd say that was an easy choice. You don't even know how much it costs yet so you can't even complain it's overpriced.
Thanks Phil! I should also note: If you saw this dialog box when you installed Windows 7 Beta, you installed the checked build.
The checked build is UNOPTIMIZED and is designed for device driver development. It runs significantly slower than the regular version, and is typically made available only to MSDN folks. I used to work for MSDN, so I know all of this (no, I didn't lose my job last week :)).
If you saw this dialog box, your version of Windows 7 Beta runs much slower than everyone else's version, and unless you're doing driver development, you're just shooting yourself in the foot.
Here's where it says that officially: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms792442.aspx
You're welcome! = )
Micro$oft wants Windows to be the equivalent of Baskin Robbins in Operating Systems. 31 different flavours but these all leave a bland taste in your mouth.
Confession time: I have Visa, I don't know if it's basic or ultimate or what the heck it is. Nor do I know the difference between any of them. Nor does any normal human being care. Have a basic version with everything you need and then have an Ultimate version with all the things PC savvy people want.
It's all about market segmentation and maximising profits. I don't know why anyone is surprised at this or thinks that MS shouldn't do it. Think about how many different versions of each model of car there are.
Does no one from MS even read the blogs or hear all the screaming about this practice? Christ are they stupid. Seriously they better offer a deep discount for us who invested money into Vista, I am not about to go out and blow $150 each on 3 copies of home premium just over a year since I upgrade to Vista.
The picture's not a fake. I got that dialog when I installed the beta not too long ago.
Just look under sources folder from Windows 7 Beta, and you'll see files named
install_Windows 7 HOMEBASIC.cfg
install_Windows 7 BUSINESS.cfg
install_Windows 7 HOMEPREMIUM.cfg
install_Windows 7 ULTIMATE.cfg
Even when you open it with vLite, it greets you and asks which version you want to install. You cant install them though, Build 7000 is restricted to Ultimate-only.
- Weed-san
I need Windows 7 Ultimate + 1 Indian Microsoft built guide,possible small one who'll not eat to much.
The beta I downloaded, did say "Ultimate" So I guess there's some truth to this....?
They will always have multiple editions going forward.. there is more potential revenue from home users and certainly they extract a lot more dollars now out of corporations. As long as the business model works the multi versions will remain..
Dear Microsoft,
I would be glad to do marketing services for your Windows 7 release, as you apparently fired anyone knowledgeable in the economic crunch. First hint: your seventh release shouldn't have an equal number of versions. You're welcome.
Darren
Hey MS, This is a great way to get more customers to get a Mac. You are idiots! just 2 versions would be great. Don't be dorkS!
Instead of the current design, they should just name the version for the type of computer it will be for so have it as follows:
Windows 7: Netbook version
Windows 7: Laptop/Old Hardware version
Windows 7: New Hardware Optimized version
Windows 7: Super Duper version
That is a much better idea.
I think it's best they cancel the Home Basic and starter editions, I don't mind the other 3...
x86? Please tell me that they are not going to release 90% of copies as 32bit unless you really beg for 64bit! When was the last time you ran Vista on a 32bit CPU? I am will to guess never since any 32bit CPU wouldn't have the grunt to run it. Why is the windows community so reluctant to move on? How anyone runs vista and does anything useful with less than 4Gig of RAM is beyond me.
As for the versions why not let users choose the features they want? Install a basic base operating system with no "extras" (including IE) and make the "Add/Remove Programs" (aka "Programs and Features") easier to use so you can add what you want? Maybe that way we wouldn't need supercomputers just to run the damn thing.
Seriously MS..........
I miss the old really really blurred lowest ranked-ness. Maybe Paul should just get auto white-out.
agreed, there shud be home, business and premium
I am really stoked about Win7, but just about everybody saw this crap coming.
having too much versions is one of the reasons that Vista fails!
It simply increases the cost of picking a Vista because you know that your Vista is not premium unless you get an ultimate while the ultimate version costs more than a computer in Fry's.
If MS wants to sell their Vista as expensive as Adobe's comparing to Photoimpact, Vista is for professional then, not for me.
I find it amazing that Balmer hasn't fired the incompetent marketing executive that let this happen with the original Vista launch. You would have thought they would have learned their lesson with the fiasco Vista has created.
I am shocked Ballmer hasn't step in on this, and set the poor souls straight. Ballmer is smart than that.
You didn't see this coming when the first windows 7 beta said "Ulitmate" on it? Hmmm let's see... the public beta is the Ultimate version. And MS just extended the beta download so nobody has to "miss out." They want as many people to get used to using Windows 7 Ultimate as possible, so when time comes to buy the full version, people will want to buy the Ultimate version. It's crack dealer tactics, much like the 10 day WOW trial.
I'm guessing that they are fake, seeing as the gui is just like vista, and the version names are just like vista.
Both Starter and Home Basic (or should mixed one verison) should be free for all systems, so you can have free choice download free linux or buy Home Premium, Business, Ultimate or OSX or else whatsoever you needed, that should be nice for everone. That making a lot sense to me, don't you?
I'd rather like 2 versions like Windows XP - Home and Professional. Much easier because you won't have to waste time having to pick 1 of so many versions of an operating system. Operating system choosing has never been harder when it came to using Vista. I SAY NO TO MULTIPLE VERSIONS OF WINDOWS 7!!!!