Official Windows 7 SKUs revealed: six editions

So, I get the Home Premium and the netbook version for my netbook. I don't see a problem with this. If I needed Ultimate, I could get that. I hate paying for features I have absolutely no use for.

darkassain said:

windows starter will not be available to any OEM but only to emerging markets just like vista starter+ netbooks
Basic on the other hand will be worldwide...

Are you sure about that?

Engadget said:

Windows 7 Starter is for emerging markets mostly, but also for some netbooks as an option. It's pretty gimpy, and only runs three apps at a time, though it'll have the new taskbar, Device Stage and jump list. Since Home Premium (and even the Ultimate beta) runs pretty well on netbooks, most of them are probably going to stick with that, so don't worry too much about it.

Windows 7 Home Basic is for developing markets only, and Microsoft didn't even tell me anything about it, so forget about it. [This info was added in an update.]

ZDnet, Mary Jo Foley said:

Windows 7 Starter Edition (for emerging market and netbook users)
Windows 7 Home Basic (for emerging market customers only)

ars technica said:

Windows 7 Starter (worldwide via OEM only): up to three concurrent applications, ability to join a Home Group, improved taskbar and JumpLists
Windows 7 Home Basic (emerging markets): unlimited applications, live thumbnail previews and enhanced visual experience, advanced networking support (ad-hoc wireless networks and Internet connection sharing), and Mobility Center

According to that, I'd say Basic is emerging markets only.
But I simply don't get why they consider Starter suitable for netbooks, if it really doesn't even feature ad-hoc wireless networks or the Mobility Center...

Microsoft PressPass said:

Q&A: Windows General Manager Mike Ybarra discusses how Windows 7 editions are being designed to make buying simple, while serving the needs of more than 1 billion customers worldwide.

full article: Windows 7 Lineup Offers Clear Choice for Consumers and Businesses

darkassain said:

The press can sometimes be wrong too...
i want to see the it in the Windows 7 press release or someone in MS say that and that ill know that it is true....

as you can see that zdnet with endgadget and ars saying something different about the availability of starter...
someone has to be incorrect...

what i have seen is the same stance as with Vista...
Vista starter>7 Starter (like you i see no reason why they the removed adhoc and mobility center)
Vista Home Basic>7 Home Basic
Vista Home Premium> 7 home premium
Vista Business> 7 Professional (dont know why WMC is included in this... Mobility Center i can see as i know a few tablets have Vista business...)
Vista Ultimate> 7 Ultimate
Vista Enterprise>7 Enterprise

First of all, the SKU breakdown does not follow the Vista model, so you can't do the comparison that you have. MS has made it pretty clear that Starter and Basic are for emerging markets only. Starter will also be available on LOW-END netbooks.

There are only 2 consumer versions of Win 7 that will be marketed, Home Premium and Professional, with Home Premium a true sub-set of Professional, so everything in Home Premium is in Professional. This is different from Vista in that Home Premium and Business had different elements in each, so that the only way to get both was Ultimate.

Ultimate is basically Enterprise for the Consumer. Say you are an independent IT consultant, with Ultimate, you could work in almost any enterprise setting and have the necessary tools to connect and work. Ultimate will be a niche product and most likely not available on retail shelves.

So now, when the consumer walks into Best Buy or Office Depot, they see Home Premium or Professional, not the current crop which has Home Basic, Home Premium, Business and Ultimate.

Sounds like an improvement to me.

PhreePhly

darkassain said:

i think you were a little to late....lol
slimy please disregard my post...

Ha...just a little, But the point still stands...just not in regards to you

PhreePhly

darkassain said:

yeah i know....
actually it kinda does make sense....
the should have ripped business right from the start
(to this day i do not know why the have Business (Enterprise is more than enough... im guessing they will lower the amount of pc need to buy before you are eligible to get the enterprise licence)

I think what they are trying to do is market to those xp folks...
i mean professional?...

Absolutely, Home Premium will get shortened to Home when there is no Basic in the picture, so now you have Windows 7 Home or Professional, kinda has a nice ring to it, no?

I'm still curious how they will handle 32 bit/64 bit. Current retail of Ultimate and Home Premium have both disks, I believe, but OEM only has one. Both versions would fit on a DVD9 (dual layer), but apparently enough DVD players cannot handle dual layer, so that probably won't fly.

PhreePhly