But most users only need to decide between two versions. Microsoft has said that 80 percent of users will be deploying Windows 7 Home Premium consumers or Windows 7 Professional small businesses, remote workers. This is where Microsoft will put most of its marketing muscle. It's hard to satisfy all of them [with a single version]," Windows General Manager Mike Ybarra has said.
Yet some analysts are accusing Microsoft of manipulating customers and padding profit margins with the high number of versions and bloggers are emphasizing that three versions are enough. Here's a look at the features of each of the six Windows flavors and who might want them.
Microsoft has not yet announced pricing for Windows 7. This is the bare-bones, bit only version of Windows 7 intended for users in developing countries, to serve the most basic computing needs.
Starter is designed for lightweight, portable netbooks, though Microsoft claims any of its versions will be able to run on netbooks. Windows Starter 7 will not have the Aero Glass graphical user interface that is included in all other versions of Windows 7 except Windows 7 Home Basic and can only run three applications at a time. It will include the revamped taskbar and jump lists, Windows Media Player , the file-sharing feature Home Group you can participate in a Home Group but cannot create one and other basic features such as Action Center and Backup and Restore.
It has all the features of Windows 7 Starter and will also only be available through OEM partners in developing countries. Some of the features Home Basic has over Starter: the ability to run more than three applications at once; a bit version; thumbnail previews from the taskbar; and Mobility Center, which allows you to manage the various networks that you connect to with your laptop.
This version will not will not legally be available for sale in the United States. This is the mainstream retail version that nearly all consumers will be using. Windows 7 Professional Also available worldwide, to OEMs and in retail, Windows 7 Professional has the features of Home Premium, but with added networking and data protection features for small businesses and those who frequently work at home.
Microsoft may have a hard time convincing customers that Home Premium isn't good enough for a small business - considering it is bound to be less expensive than Professional - but if it succeeds it will be by marketing Professional features such as Domain Join to connect to business networks, Encrypting File System for data protection and Location Aware Printing to better connect to printers at work and home.
Windows 7 Professional will not include the more buzzed-about business features such as DirectAccess and BranchCache. They show up in the next version up the food chain, Windows 7 Enterprise. Windows 7 Enterprise Windows 7 Enterprise is only available to businesses through volume licensing. Microsoft has said that 80 percent of users will be deploying Windows 7 Home Premium consumers or Windows 7 Professional small businesses, remote workers.
This is where Microsoft will put most of its marketing muscle. Yet some analysts are accusing Microsoft of manipulating customers and padding profit margins with the high number of versions and bloggers are emphasizing that three versions are enough.
Microsoft has not yet announced pricing for Windows 7. This is the bare-bones, bit only version of Windows 7 intended for users in developing countries, to serve the most basic computing needs. Starter is designed for lightweight, portable netbooks, though Microsoft claims any of its versions will be able to run on netbooks.
Windows Starter 7 will not have the Aero Glass graphical user interface that is included in all other versions of Windows 7 except Windows 7 Home Basic and can only run three applications at a time. It will include the revamped taskbar and jump lists, Windows Media Player , the file-sharing feature Home Group you can participate in a Home Group but cannot create one and other basic features such as Action Center and Backup and Restore.
Home Basic sits somewhere between Starter and Home Premium. It has all the features of Windows 7 Starter and will also only be available through OEM partners in developing countries.
Some of the features Home Basic has over Starter: the ability to run more than three applications at once; a bit version; thumbnail previews from the taskbar; and Mobility Center, which allows you to manage the various networks that you connect to with your laptop. This version will not will not legally be available for sale in the United States. This is the mainstream retail version that nearly all consumers will be using.
