With the impending release of Windows 7, Microsoft has given some details about the different versions that they will be releasing. When Microsoft released Windows XP they released two versions: Home and Professional. Home had, for example, less networking components but in terms of features it was almost exactly the same as the Professional version. Professional was basically more business environment oriented.
When Windows Vista came along there were so many versions it was difficult to keep track. Off the top of my head I count Starter (for developing markets), Home, Home Premium, Business and Ultimate. Now the difference was that each version had more features over the other. So for example Home Premium provided the pretty Aero graphics interface but was pretty much the same as the Home version. Now I can understand why they created a Business version (it has a focus on security and data backups) but I don’t see why we need five versions of essentially the same thing just with pretty extra’s bolted on. Actually I do see why we need it… money for Microsoft!
This all stands in stark contrast to Apple’s sales of OS X. At the release of the latest version of OS X, Leopard, Steve Jobs jokingly came out saying how excited he was that they were providing five different versions of the operating system, all at $179 and how they’re expecting the “Ultimate” version to sell the best. Now Apple only sells one version (if you exclude a 5-license family pack) of OS X that has all the features they create in one disc.
This year we’re expecting Windows 7, an operating that has a lot to prove for Microsoft. Initial reports from the beta program show that it’s a whole lot faster than Vista and without the annoying niggles. However, Microsoft has stuck with their ridiculous conventions of having five different versions. So again we have Starter, Home, Home Premium, Professional (replacing Business) and Ultimate. Microsoft has gone so far as to only allow for the Starter and Home versions to be sold in the third world while the other three are for sale everywhere.
Here’s the rub though: Windows Starter only allows for three applications to be open at once! That’s right, three! Now that’s pretty scummy of Microsoft if you ask me especially since they’re touting it for developing nations. Seems a little prohibitive right? Windows Home doesn’t have that artificial limit but it lacks Aero and other multimedia controls. While this is all good and well in the developed world here in South Africa (which somehow is considered a developing country) we will get ripped off by unscrupulous dealers providing us with Starter and Home so that they can keep the margins fatter.
Lets hope Microsoft gets their heads together and sticks with a main three distributions for what is looking to be a fantastic operating system.
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