Six Editions of Windows 7: What's With All the Whining?

Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast

    Six Editions of Windows 7: What's With All the Whining?


    Last Updated: 13 Jun 2009 at 04:44
    People love to pick on Microsoft, and often rightly so. The software giant is directly responsible for numerous security holes, endless patching, Bob, Clippy, and Windows Vista. It is so easy and fun to pick on Microsoft that people often simply parrot whatever criticisms seem to be in vogue. But one criticism I'm just plain tired of hearing is how Microsoft should pare down Windows to just one edition.


    Let’s review our choices:


    Windows 7 Starter: Great for netbooks and older systems that will never act as a DVR and don't need to join an Active Directory domain. It's a bummer that it lacks Aero and Touch, but what do you expect for something that tacks on a paltry $15 to the price of the hardware. Your netbook probably won't have a touch-screen or decent graphics chip anyway.


    Windows 7 Basic: For “emerging markets” which means you'll only see it on an internet café computer somewhere in Laos.


    Windows 7 Home Premium: This edition of Windows has existed for years, but used to be called Media Center Edition (MCE) in the XP days. This is what to use if you want to be able to hook your computer up to your TV to use as a DVR and media hub. Virtually all home computers and non-business laptops will run this.


    Windows 7 Professional: Basically the same as Home Premium, but adds Active Directory domain membership support. This is the edition that will come with most office computers.


    Windows 7 Enterprise: It doesn't matter what this has because you'll never see it unless you're given a computer from a large corporation. (It adds booting from a virtual drive and BitLocker encryption to the Business edition.)


    Windows 7 Ultimate: This is for the person who also bought an “Extreme Edition” CPU and cannot stand the thought that somehow, someone out there might have something better than him. Microsoft deserves the opportunity to milk all the money they can from this kind of user.
    In reality, people will almost never make a decision on which version of Windows to buy. They'll just use what came on their machine, which makes all of this clamor about the number of options available little more than unhelpful noise.
    Read More

    [digg]https://www.sevenforums.com/news/13056-six-editions-windows-7-whats-all-whining.html[/digg]
    raj11650's Avatar Posted By: raj11650
    13 Jun 2009



  1. Posts : 22,814
    W 7 64-bit Ultimate
       #1

    I don't understand what all the fuss over multiple editions is about, use the version you like and let others do the same, to each their own.




















    Later Ted
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 990
    Windows 7 Home Premium x64
       #2

    Guilty as charged, I have an Extreme Edition CPU because, well, I have to have the best. Guess I'm an Ultimate shoe-in.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 51,384
    Windows 11 Workstation x64
       #3

    Captain Zero said:
    Guilty as charged, I have an Extreme Edition CPU because, well, I have to have the best. Guess I'm an Ultimate shoe-in.
    +1
      My Computers


  4. Posts : 5,840
    Vista Ult64, Win7600
       #4

    Is it me , I can only see 5 editions.??

    It must be this one that was hiding.

    Windows 7 Home Premium:
    Anyway I will be using Ultimate.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 851
    win 7 build 7600.16385 x64
    Thread Starter
       #5

    jfar said:
    Is it me , I can only see 5 editions.??
    hope now u got 6!!!
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 8,375
    W7 Ultimate x64/W10 Pro x64/W11 Pro Triple Boot - Main PC W7 Remote PC Micro ATX W7 Pro x64/W11 Pro
       #6

    jfar said:
    Is it me , I can only see 5 editions.??
    I'm sure there's 6 but who counts Starter? Ultimate 64 all the way this time around!
      My Computers


  7. Posts : 31,242
    Windows 11 Pro x64 [Latest Release and Release Preview]
       #7

    When all the dust settles there will be basically two versions of Windows 7 available.

    Windows 7 Home premium & Windows 7 Professional, with a third, Ultimate available on a limited basis, for those who need enterprise features, (or "the Best" ), such as small business users who are not of a size to benefit from enterprise licensing.

    The Starter, Basic, and Enterprise versions are Specialized products which you are not going to see in your local PC store.

    Whereas I can see the logic behind both Home and Business under the Vista Model, ( where both versions were different subsets of the whole). Under the new model where Professional contains everything in Home Premium, I feel that one version could have been provided. This would I feel remove a certain amount of frustration for HP users such as the lack of Fax and group policy management in Vista HP

    The extra complication is of course the provision of X86 & x64 which hopefully will both be provided with Home Premium, Professional & Ultimate/Enterprise

    Unfortunately after saying this I do fear that we may see the starter and basic versions on lower end Laptops/Netbooks where these are built down to a price, especially in the current economic climate.
    Last edited by Barman58; 13 Jun 2009 at 04:51. Reason: Added last Paragraph
      My Computers


  8. Posts : 250
    Win 7 RC 64bit b7229
       #8

    so mmmmm i bet i'll go for professional if it's like the home premium. i don't need tons of options i'll never use.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 8,375
    W7 Ultimate x64/W10 Pro x64/W11 Pro Triple Boot - Main PC W7 Remote PC Micro ATX W7 Pro x64/W11 Pro
       #9

    When Vista came out the Ultimate edition was sold out in a heart beat! I ended up with the Home Premium lacking shadow copying and a few other things that will likely be needed here sooner or later.
      My Computers


 
Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast

  Related Discussions
Our Sites
Site Links
About Us
Windows 7 Forums is an independent web site and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Microsoft Corporation. "Windows 7" and related materials are trademarks of Microsoft Corp.

© Designer Media Ltd
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 22:41.
Find Us