Apple wisdom ignored by Windows 7 sextuplets

Davey Winder
Wednesday, 04 February 2009 13:35

IT Industry - Market

If you think this all looks a little familiar, I agree. Microsoft would appear to have become attached to the Vista blueprint, despite the well reported problems the current Windows OS has experienced.

Ybarra says that Windows 7 users will not lose functionality from one version to the next, but rather "as customers upgrade from one version to the next, they keep all features and functionality from the previous edition."

So what are the six versions of Windows 7 we can expect? At the bottom of the pile is the 'Starter Edition' which will essentially be aimed at the Netbook market. Think of it as a cut down Windows, capable of running no more than three concurrent apps and without Media Center or touchscreen support.

Next will be another lightweight version known as 'Home Basic' which will be targeted at emerging markets only and intended only for basic apps and Internet access. Already the confusion starts to set in between this and the Netbook edition.

Then we have 'Home Premium' which will be pushed as the main version of Windows 7 and get the bulk of the marketing budget as a result. It will feature the Media Center stuff, touchscreen support and all the Aero Glass graphical fluff plus easy home network file sharing courtesy of the Libraries feature.

Version number four will be the other big marketing hitter in 'Professional' which is aimed at the business sector, or at least those businesses not operating on a volume license that is. Confused yet? So you can add advanced network backup and an Encrypting file system.

But not BitLocker encryption, for that you will need one of the remaining two versions namely 'Enterprise' or 'Ultimate.' Enterprise is for volume license holders, adds BitLocker and DirectAccess. Ultimate gets everything possible in Windows 7.

Jeez, when will Microsoft take a hint from Apple and follow the simple 'one size fits all' model of OS X? Heck, even reverting back to the XP Home and Pro thing would work if Microsoft could resist the urge to add complexity to everything.