Windows 7 to come in 6 flavours
The bad news: Microsoft seems intent on continuing its multi-version OS strategy that began with Windows XP and became a rat's nest with Vista. The good news: most people will only ever see two of them.
According to Engadget, Microsoft has confirmed that their next OS, Windows 7, will be available in no less than 6 versions:
- Windows 7 Starter (limited to three apps concurrently)
- Windows 7 Home Basic (for emerging markets)
- Windows 7 Home Premium (adds Aero, Touch, Media Center)
- Windows 7 Professional (Remote Desktop host, Mobility Center, Presentation mode)
- Windows 7 Enterprise (volume license only, boot from virtual drive, BitLocker)
- Windows 7 Ultimate (limited availability, includes everything)
As Engadget points out, this means that the average user will end up with either Premium or Pro, and that as a result Windows Media Center will be on all but the most humble of machines.
On a related note, Ars Technica has delved into the development process that Microsoft has used in the creation of Windows 7, and explains why this time around, we can expect a cleaner and more robust product at launch than with Windows Vista.
While it's looking like Windows 7 will hit store shelves later this year, you can still join Microsoft's beta program if you're willing to install a pre-release OS on your computer. It might not be stable, but how cool will it be to show your friends what their future desktop will look like?
Excitable 
Why cant microsoft just go back to bringing out 1 version of it's OS or just stick to a limit of 3 versions! GET REAL MICROSOFT!!
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Just adding to my last comment.. the 3 versions could be Home, Business and Ultimate (with Ultimate combining both versions and maybe adding a couple of additional features). There doesnt need to be any more then that in my opinion.
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So I heard that Microsft is giving free upgrades to vista owners. Is that true or just a rumour?
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What difference does it make how many versions they put out, it will be crap, never work properly, spend its time looking pretty, never doing what you want it to do, require a super computer to run it and be overpriced. I never will pay for any operating system from Microcrap. If only Linux was more user friendly….
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Somebody at Microsoft just doesn't get it. An operating system is supposed to be an environment for running programs. Period. As such it should be as lean and efficient as possible thus freeing up hardware resources for running those useful programs. Vista is a disaster and is exactly the opposite of this paradigm with it's bloated features that users will generally ignore. IMHO: Windows 2000, with it's introduction of USB hardware support, is probably the ONLY operating system that *most* Windows users really need. Among other things, XP added visual gimmicks like it's 3D "Luna" appearance and Vista added it's "Aero" task switcher but none of that means I can type my Word documents any faster nor does it mean I can read my e-mail in Outlook any better. IMHO Microsoft are writing software *FOR THE SAKE OF WRITING SOFTWARE* to keep themselves busy and are messing it up royally with all their "new and innovative" but really pretty useless features and annoying "security" enhancements. Anthony Maw, Vancouver, Canada
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I've a mac user for a long time. I heard about windows 7 and I am currently testing windows 7 beta version. I am really impressed. It looks a lot like vista but without the crap. It is very fast and user freindly. when the user plugs a usb device it automatically installs the driver and display a distictive icon to identify it. Rebooting is extreemly fast even though my computer is 5 years old. The annoying security questions are minimal. Switching from application to another and multitasking are very smooth. The wireless connection icon in the task bar is now more effective and easy to use. I've always hated windows os but I think it is worth a try.
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I totally agree with anon. I was really annoyed with VISTA (AKA: Windows Nightmare)
MS can make it pretty all it wants to but make sure its stable and runs like XP or Win 2000. I do like the security features in Vista but the thing is that it is tooo freaking time consuming to tweak it the way u want it. Where as XP can be customized super ez.
MS should just make 3 versions and work on making em the best they can WITHOUT all the bloated crap loaded in there.
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The only people who think vista is crap are"A" those who have not tried it, and "B" those who have old POS computers and don't read the side of the box, if you run 2gb of ram and run a dual core cpu vista is a great operating system. but from the 2 months i have now been running the beta, windows 7 is gonna be purchased by me the second it drops in stores :D
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I will be getting Windows 7 64 bit Ultimate
Just like I did with Vista.
I would like to point out that I NEVER had a problem with vista, not even when I was running the PRE-RC
And about the Windows 7 beta not being stable, it actually is.
I been running the beta since it came out, and both the 32 and 64 bit version work fine.
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Does Microsoft never get the point? I mean wtf? There have been complaints after complaints, we should all switch to mac, at least the only thing we'd have to worry about is random new products instead of overpriced crap. I'm testing the beta of windows 7, its great, better than Vista. But lets get real, I WILL not be buying the product let alone choose from 6 versions.
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Ray, I have a new PC with dual core CPU and 4GB RAM. I still think Vista is crap! I design computers and would never stoop low enough to put Vista on them.
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I recently bought a laptop that has Vista for an OS. It takes longer to boot up than XP, but the laptop handles it well. I have to admit, that though I like XP better for using less resources and better battery time, Vista does have nice graphics.
What I'm wondering….would the Windows 7 version run on that laptop? I'm guessing that if it's a cleaned up version of Vista my laptop should have no problem?
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