Posted on 02/19/2009 1:30:25 PM PST by Chet 99
Remember when Vista was announced, and Microsoft decided to release six different versions of the operating system, much to the confusion, disappointment, and ridicule of potential buyers? Well guess what? Microsoft is back with the Windows 7 strategy. What has it learned in the last three years? Pretty much nothing.
While Microsoft is touting the "two primary editions" of Windows 7 -- a Home Premium edition and a Professional (intended for business) edition -- the fact is it's sticking with the same six different versions (or SKUs, stock-keeping units) that it had for Vista.
The real difference is that Windows 7 Home Basic -- the much-reviled stripped-down version of Vista that was designed for bare-bones PCs -- is now being shunted to emerging markets only, though it will still exist. But to confuse matters, a Windows 7 Starter edition, which will run only three applications simultaneously, will also be available.
(Excerpt) Read more at tech.yahoo.com ...
*sigh*
only 3...
what?? That doesn’t sound good.
Ubuntu
They should call it “Obama - No Hope No Change”.
Microsoft should shut down windows development and rehire their flight simulator team.
I hated vista. Meanwhile, two friends are using windows 7 beta and say it is apparent that MS is listening to the linux users. This thing is lean and fast. Kinda like when Ford bloated the Thunderbird and then shrunk it again.
At least that is my impression. We’ll see. My friend talked of 30 second boot up and not much memory needed (less than one gig?).
“Ubuntu”
I tried that and was looking at going that way until my friend told me of his experience with Windows 7 beta.
But like I said in an earlier post, we’ll see what the final product offers.
From what I’ve read about the DRM crap embedded in it, there’s no way I’m going to use it as an operating system.
I just ordered a new PC - and it will be coming with XP. No to Vista, no way no how...
as for Windows 7, it will probably be released riddled with bugs. I am not sure how long until W7 Sp1 will be released. When it is, that will be the time to buy.
> Windows 7 Starter
Available worldwide to OEMs on new PCs Missing Aero UI tweaks Limited to 3 simultaneous applications
Here are the 3 applications:
1) The DRM application: warning from MS that your new movie download is illegal, regardless if u paid for it.
2) The WGA application: warning from MS that your software applicaion is not compatible with MS.
3) The BSOD application: warning to call the MS 1-800 # whenever it crashes
Personally, I’d wait for SP2 or even SP3.
And even then I’d wait a few weeks for the first penguins off the iceberg to feed the leopard seals before I’d jump in the water.
What is the BSOD application?
I have Windows 7 beta on two laptops and a desktop and its not riddled with anything. Take your hatred of MS elsewhere. This coming from a Mac fan boy.
There really is no program you can buy which is not duplicated with free.
Ubuntu 9.04, which is in alpha is even better.
When I bought Win2k I let it sit on the shelf for over a year. By the time I installed, SP2 was available. Good thing, too, because a fix in SP2 fixed a bug that kept it from working with my ATI video card. I’d have been dead in the water if I had loaded before SP2.
I’m running Windows 7 and find it to be much faster than Vista. Takes up less ram. I have not had any problems at all, zip, nothing. The only thing is that you can’t use outlook express and have to upgrade you mail client, not a big deal, but a bit of an annoyance.
Blue Screen of Death.
Wow, this like watching Congress work out the bailouts. Bloated and overpriced, and still doesn’t work worth a darn.
Actually, I am waiting for a post on this thread from someone who has used Windows 7 to come across as negative on the product itself, beyond the expected nits (which even Ubuntu has).
And I am NO Windows cheerleader. Frankly, I had given up hope until my friend mentioned his W7 Beta experience.
Macs are for girls.
>I’m running Windows 7 and find it to be much faster than Vista.
Windows98 is faster than vista... more usable too.
Only three...?? WTF...??
People would rather get a used Notebook from Apple.
What is Ballmer's strategy....? Trying to figure out how quick he can downgrade Microsoft's stock and pi** off investors....?
That’s gonna be a surprise for Rush.
DOES IT RUN WITH 64 BITS?
Vista was slow as molasses Win98 was fast and XP pro was also great. Linux will take over eventually, we’ll see how it goes. After Obama gets done with us, we won’t be able to afford electricity to run our computers. We don’t want to offend anyone who can’t afford a computer.
Lean and fast? It’ll hardly run with 512MB of RAM. That’s insane!
I’m sticking with XP for now. If I upgrade, it’ll be to Linux, as soon as I can find a VPN client that works there.
It is when Windows can't recover from a serious error; windows freezes and a blue screen shows up, requiring you to reboot and hopefully it doesn't happen again. I would consider it an application as it wouldn't be fun to work with windows without it. I have seen it in every version of Windows since Win 95. It is like a long time friend.
I have a new computer Vista 64B with SP1. So far I haven’t had nay trouble (knock on wood). i talked with some one at work before I bought it. A lot other who had Vista had the “older” version and said it was awlful, but the guy who 64B-Sp1 said it was okay.
a used laptop thats not planned to be obsolete like that new one
“Meanwhile, two friends are using windows 7 beta and say it is apparent that MS is listening to the linux users”
I am now running Windows 7 to play around on. It does appear leaner but since I won’t risk important programs on that computer, I can’t really say that I would go out and buy it.
BTW when I tried to load the beta version the first problem I had was the system didn’t recognize my wireless card. I had to get on the net with my hardwired NIC(which it recognized) and do a lot of research. After three fruitless days I gave up but when I went to put my laptop away I unplugged the RJ45 and suddenly Windows 7 announced that it had found my wireless card.
Are there drivers for Ubuntu for USB wireless internet adapters? I tried several versions of linux and never got the Netgear USB wireless adapter to work in any version from Mint; SLAX; DSL; Puppylinux; PClinuxOS and Xubuntu
I have been running Win 7 on 3 computers, since the public release. Works like a charm and I have yet to have a fatal error or BSOD.
Brilliant.
I was waiting to get a netbook because I figured Windows 7 would be more suitable than Vista, which is said to make netbooks run slowly. Current gen netbooks also said to heat up. Also I understand linux doesn’t work well wirelessly which kind of defeats the purpose. And I’m still not down with no CD drive, you have to get an external drive to load stuff or play games. Any intelligence on these?
I liked Win 98SE but it’s lack of native support for USB flash drives and FAT32 only file systems makes it only a novelty for me now.
maybe they should just re-release XP
All the various distributions use the same kernel drivers. The problem I believe was MS allowed the card makers to use their driver development kit code with mods for their cards and wouldn't allow it to be used on other platforms. Furthermore, Intel wouldn't allow their hardware specs out in the wild. But the situation is much improved now.
With me it's all about cost. You will have much better luck sticking with one of the bigger distributions than the others. They major distributions just have more resources to play with, and more punch getting the kernel groups attention.
I have WIN98SE, and I simply can’t part with it.
With later versions, you just can’t go into it and do stuff.
So if you have a *starter* edition, and you run a personal anti-virus program and your own personal firewall, then you can only run one more additional program without disabling the first two programs.
Do the idiots at Microshaft even realize that we are living in 2009...?
The 7th versun of Windows 7.
Agreed. It does everything I need, and is surprisingly upward compatible.
>I’m waiting for the special Obama Edition that costs twice as much and doesn’t do anything particularly good.
That’s just a copy of DOS 3.0 with the VER executable hacked to say “Obama”... Or maybe Notepad.exe...
“maybe they should just re-release XP”
This was a comment that someone posted over there.
“Because Paul Chapel is such an XP fan I’d like to enumerate the various flavours of that version that he struggled (but ultimately succeeded) to choose from:
Starter
Home
Professional
Tablet PC Edition
Media Center Edition (2 different versions)
Volume License
Home-N
Professional-N
XP Professional 64-bit
Wow! How did all you XP users (and Joshua Topolsky apparently) manage to survive such a difficult choice?”
The one drawback I see is that I can’t use Turbo Tax anymore. Different software companies cooperated with MS when the latter dropped 98 support.
So I don’t get what you’re saying regarding upward compatibility. Just MS software? Please explain. :o)
microsludge is dying.
LLS
Wow. How awful. I used to be a Mac hater with intense passion, but I can’t wait to get one even though the suckers are so expensive. This is ridiculous.
For what it's worth. I've never done it.
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