Microsoft has finally announced the SKUs of their upcoming OS, Windows 7. The line-up didn’t come as a surprise but it sure does tell us MS learned from their mistakes with Vista.
The full ranges is as follows but Microsoft (via PressPass) will focus most of their attention tow just 2 of these:
- Windows 7 Starter Edition (for emerging market and netbook users)
- Windows 7 Home Basic (for emerging market customers only)
- Windows 7 Home Premium (the main “Media Center” equivalent)
- Windows 7 Professional (the business SKU for home users and non-enterprise licensees)
- Windows 7 Enterprise (for volume licensees)
- Windows 7 Ultimate (for consumers who want/need business features)
MS will put their marketing money on 2 versions — Windows 7 Home Premium for consumers, and Windows 7 Professional for businesses {via ZDNet}. The various SKUs (stock keeping units) represents the varied demands of Microsoft’s 1 billion plus customers worldwide — and of course, that includes the pricing. Check here if you’re interested to learn what each flavor have (or don’t have). I take particular interest with the Starter Edition and its artificial restriction of running just 3 simultaneous programs.
Microsoft has not announced the final pricing yet but I reckon they won’t be far from the XP/Vista prices.
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It is really confusing to have so many types of licensees or version or whatever. It is good then that MS will focus on just 2. also interesting is they have a version for netbooks and emerging markets, is the Phil. considered emerging market ?
Finally, an MS OS that adjusts to if not reflects the power of the unit running it. Netbook Mania is looking up.
Yebah!
Thanks for the update!
i’ll just wait for amit aghara (of project-os.org) to modd windows 7 and pull out the crap out.. =)
Hi!
Still looks a lot of SKUs to me. Hopefully the jump from Home Premium to Ultimate won’t matter much unlike in Vista in where you would miss a lot if you do not go Ultimate.
-Jed
hmmm… how much would it cost me if i will buy
Windows 7 Ultimate Home Starter Professional Enterprise Edition CD?
Whatever their differences / flavors… sounds like bloated OS to me
according to neowin, there are only 3 Major Flavors: Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional and Windows Ultimate/Enterprise. The other 3 you mention will not be available in the US as a stand alone.
Secondly, windows XP users can upgrade to Windows 7 at a lower price but you will need to reinstall windows, sounds good to me.
looks like a nice upgrade, but i’m not biting unless the next laptop/netbook i buy comes bundled with it.
The lower price, the better.
Why is it that Microsoft has created another OS? We haven’t fully explore and mastered xp or vista yet.
Then here comes another OS. Thanks for the info yuga, I’m still staying in XP. cheers!
I’m pretty curious about windows 7 — I’m anticipating Microsoft has learned… I am happy with my Mac but will consider a win 7 netbook for my wife… What do you think?
“Why is it that Microsoft has created another OS? We haven’t fully explore and mastered xp or vista yet.”
I’ll grant Vista, but XP’s been around for over 8 years. What else is there to explore?
i really dont care about all these new operating systems developed by microsoft.. as time passes by, the more bloated the OS gets.
even if windows 7 isnt more bloated unlike vista, i still wont bother trying it out..
i personally believe in the power of linux. all it needs is publicity and support from hardware manufacturers, game developers, and the like…