Windows 7 Product Editions

[Marik]

Over the past few years, I've felt like the lone voice in the wilderness trying to communicate that Windows Vista wasn't as horrible as people had heard. Indeed, for the first year of that OS's existence, Microsoft was largely mum, and it wasn't until the software giant fixed the few real problems with Vista in Service Pack 1 that the company finally turned its attention to marketing the fact that, yes, Windows Vista was actually quite good, thank you very much. Efforts like the Mojave Project, the Seinfeld/Gates advertisements, and the "I'm a PC" ad campaign did a lot to overturn Vista's bad PR, and presumably Windows 7 will finally put all that nonsense to rest for good.

But if there was one criticism of Windows Vista that was valid all along, it was that Microsoft over-reached in its desire to milk its core OS for all it was worth: Vista shipped in a shocking 6 product editions (compared to 2 when XP was first released, and four by the end of its mainstream retail life). I was sharply critical of this decision because I felt it made upgrades too difficult for consumers: It was hard to figure out which version to buy and then the higher-end Vista versions were simply too expensive.

Looking ahead to Windows 7, there's been a lot of speculation about which product editions Microsoft would offer in this Windows version. Would the software giant simply replicate its Vista strategy and spam the market with a confusing mix of product editions? Would it have the gall to actually add more product editions to the mix and, as rumored, even ship a version specifically designed for netbooks? Or would it actually do the right thing, adhere to the publicly stated simplicity and clarity mantra of Windows 7 and release fewer Windows 7 product editions?

Windows 7 Starter:

Market: Worldwide availability this time but with new PCs only

Key features: Enhanced taskbar, Jump Lists, Windows Media Player, Backup and Restore, Action Center, Device Stage, Play To, Fax and Scan, basic games

What's missing: Aero Glass, many Aero desktop enhancements, Windows Touch, Media Center, Live thumbnail previews, Home Group creation

Info: This version will only be sold through PC makers to users, but unlike with Vista, it will be sold worldwide. This suggests that netbook makers will choose this version, even in the US. As with previous Windows Starter Edition products, it is limited in some ways: You can run only three applications at once, don't get Windows 7's full mobility capabilities, and can participate in but not create a Home Group. Also, there's no Aero Glass.

Windows 7 Home Premium:

Market: Mainstream retail market

Key features: Aero Glass, Aero Background, Windows Touch, Home Group creation, Media Center, DVD playback and authoring, premium games, Mobility Center

What's missing: Domain join, Remote Desktop host, advanced backup, EFS, Offline Folders

Info: The volume Windows 7 offering for consumers builds on Starter and includes Mobility Center, Aero Glass, advanced windows navigation features like Aero Snap and Aero Peek, and multi-touch, as well as the ability to both create and participate in Home Groups. Home Premium will be sold at retail and be included with new computers.

Windows 7 Professional:

Market: Mainstream retail market

Key features: Domain join, Remote Desktop host, location aware printing, EFS, Mobility Center, Presentation Mode, Offline Folders

What's missing: BitLocker, BitLocker To Go, AppLocker, Direct Access, Branche Cache, MUI language packs, boot from VHD

Info: This volume Windows 7 version builds on Home Premium and adds features like domain join, Group Policy (GP) controls, location aware printing, advanced backup, EFS, and offline folders. Pro will be sold at retail and be included with new computers

Windows 7 Enterprise:

Market: Volume-license business customers only

Key features: BitLocker, BitLocker To Go, AppLocker, Direct Access, Branche Cache, MUI language packs, boot from VHD

What's missing: Retail licensing

Info: As before, Enterprise is aimed at Microsoft's Software Assurance (SA) volume license customers. This time, however, Enterprise is a superset of Professional and adds much-heralded Windows 7 features like Direct Access, Branch Cache, BitLocker, and BitLocker To Go.

Windows 7 Ultimate:

Market: Retail market, limited availability

Key features: BitLocker, BitLocker To Go, AppLocker, Direct Access, Branche Cache, MUI language packs, boot from VHD

What's missing: Volume licensing

Info: For those few customers who simply must have everything, Windows 7 Ultimate offers all of the features from Enterprise but loses the volume licensing requirement. So you can think of Ultimate edition as Enterprise for consumers (and other retail customers).

Windows 7 Ultimate is kind of a wild-card. It will be available at retail and with new PCs, but Microsoft suggested that it will not be heavily marketed and will instead be "offer-based" via occasional promotions and offers from both PC makers and retailers.

"We're experimenting with the kinds of offers we can make for Windows 7 Ultimate," Veghte said. "It's going to be a low-single digit run rate (i.e. low market share) product. We expect retailers and OEMs to occasionally offer Ultimate with new PCs as part of special promotions. But in terms of run rate, it will be a tiny, tiny percentage of the volume. We will keep the marketing energy on Home Premium and Professional."

Source: WinSuperSite

[manpe]

Agreed... I believe XP's solution of Home and Professional is the best. Having too much, is literally too much.

[hackblast]

Maybe they should start a "Windows a-la-carte" service, you select the features you want, pay and then you get a key that activates windows and the features paid.

[donizme]

You missed 1 version out! Windows 7 Home Basic :D

[Marik]

You missed 1 version out! Windows 7 Home Basic :sneaky:

I didn't bother with it, because people will not go for that one.

The secret Home Basic edition

In addition to the product editions listed above, there is technically another product edition, Windows 7 Home Basic, which Microsoft will make available only to emerging markets. So fear not, this version doesn't really muddy the waters too much. It lacks Aero Glass, Live Thumbnail Previews, Internet Connection Sharing, and a few other goodies, and rest assured that no one will ever be buying this version. The rest of the world can simply ignore Windows 7 Home Basic, though the existence of this version explains why Windows 7 Home Premium isn't simply called Windows 7 Home.