Windows Vista Product Editions Revealed (Microsoft Milks the market)

Arstechnica.com ^ | 9/10/2005 | Ken Fischer

[BallandPowder]

If you've been wondering why Windows Vista has taken a long time to reach Beta 1, we can now tell you why: there are seven separate editions of Vista headed your way. OK, that's not the reason for the delay, but how else do you introduce that many OS versions, without invoking Snow White & friends? Join me know as I romp through the various editions, many of which you'll see are just barely differentiated.

First up, there's Starter Edition, which like XP Starter Edition, is a crippled (and lame) product aimed at the two-thirds world. It will limit users to three concurrent applications, and provide only basic TCP/IP networking, and won't be suitable for most games. The next step up is Home Basic Edition, which is really the sibling to today's Windows XP Home. However, as the name suggests, there's also Home Premium Edition, and this is where we start to split features like hairs and create a gaggle of products. HPE will build on the the Basic Edition by adding, most notably, the next-generation of Media Center capabilities, including support for HDTV, DVD authoring, and even DVD ripping backed up (of course) by Windows DRM. For non-corporate types, this is probably going to be the OS that most people use. It's similar to XP Pro in power, but with all of the added bells and whistles for entertainment. Well, most of them.

Windows Vista Professional Edition won't occupy the same spot that XP Pro occupies today, because this time it's truly aimed at businesses. It won't feature the MCE functionality that Home Premium Edition has, but it begins to provide the kind of functionality you'd expect in a business environment, such as support for non-Microsoft networking protocols and Domain support. But don't expect too many businesses to necessarily turn to PE. Microsoft is also planning both a Small Business Edition and an Enterprise Edition, which build upon pro by adding (seemingly minor) features aimed at appealing to each market. SBE, for instance, includes a networked backup solution, while EE will include things like Virtual PC integration, and the ability to encrypt an entire volume of information.

Last but not least, there's Ultimate Edition. Hey, I'm just glad that they didn't call it Extreme Edition. I'll leave it to Paul Thurrott, who has all of the details, to explain (and promote) this beast:

The best operating system ever offered for a personal PC, optimized for the individual. Windows Vista Ultimate Edition is a superset of both Vista Home Premium and Vista Pro Edition, so it includes all of the features of both of those product versions, plus adds Game Performance Tweaker with integrated gaming experiences, a Podcast creation utility (under consideration, may be cut from product), and online "Club" services (exclusive access to music, movies, services and preferred customer care) and other offerings (also under consideration, may be cut from product). Microsoft is still investigating how to position its most impressive Windows release yet, and is looking into offering Ultimate Edition owners such services as extended A1 subscriptions, free music downloads, free movie downloads, Online Spotlight and entertainment software, preferred product support, and custom themes. There is nothing like Vista Ultimate Edition today. This version is aimed at high-end PC users and technology influencers, gamers, digital media enthusiasts, and students.

OK, everyone got that? There will be a quiz on Monday.

My initial reactions are reserved, because there's just not that much detail available. Pricing, for instance, would be really nice to know. Will Home Basic Edition debut below the price point of XP Home today? Place your bets. The one thing I will say is that I fear that this may cause a great deal of confusion on behalf of your average consumer. Two versions of XP were enough to cause confusion, and now Joe Blow has four choices that may fit the bill.

One final note worth mentioning is that this strategy does remove the "corporate Windows XP" option from the hands of pirates. Volume licensing for Pro, SBE, and EE may still mean that there will be copies of Windows Vista out there that don't "call home" for Windows Product Activation, but as you can see, Microsoft has removed most of the features that most pirates would want from those OSes. You won't see corporate licensing versions of Ultimate Edition.

[N3WBI3]

Would that be the comunism.org running asp pages off of a windows IIS server?

[RedWing9]

The simply fact is, Vista contains disappointingly little new functionality for your average Windows user. It's just another upgrade, and isn't the industry shaking update that the computer world needs or is hoping for

I disagree, slightly. I say slightly because I want you to understand that most of the stuff, for the average user, is not Earth shattering, but the changes appearing in the next release of Windows are impressive.

First, before I begin, I am basing my knowledge on the article available in the 10/2005 issue of Maximum PC, other magazines (PC Mag, PC Gamer), online "blogs" (Tom's Hardware, ARSTechnica, etc), and my previous experience with PC architecture (I have built 7 PC's I've owned).

The Longhorn list Bush2k provided to you is not very descriptive. I would like to start with your (Arthalion) over looking #16.

The ability to accurately show a thumbnail of a document is hugh from a user point of view. This cannot be overlooked. This enhancement is only available because of the change from pixel based graphic programming to vector based graphics. [Editorial comment] This is going to prove to be one of the most user friendly improvements in Vista that, honestly, the majority of users do not understand.[/editorial comment] From a performance standpoint, the savings are exceptional (interpolation vs. arithmatic).

Sure, many of the enhancements are "sysadmin" designed, BUT many are designed to push towards the Unix "sysadmin" model. For example, Limited Accounts will be the standard (please don't say "about time" - that arguement is rehashed incessently), enabling the user to "allow" admin actions to occur. This aligns Windows with Linux/OSX/Solaris and provides Spyware protection.

Note: This is what MS bashers have been looking for? [/rhetorical]

Further usability enahancements include a very fast and comprehensive search feature. Portable profiles are very welcome, especially for those that have multiple computers in the home/SOHO.

I think there is more to this OS than you are willing to explore. May I ask, have you read an article or are you a tester of Beta I?

Note: Must go make steaks and taters... I hope my review produced satisfactory results.... :o)

[Bush2000]

Why should the burden be on me? Aren't my ethics and morals enough?

You and others are advocating that DRM (and other forms of content protection) should be eliminated. And, being the unreasonable person that you are, you're not even willing to contemplate an alternative to DRM; even for purposes of hypothetical discussion. Thus, I can only conclude that nothing that the music industry does will be good enough for you, short of throwing up their hands and offering all of their content at no charge...

[postaldave]

"a perfect example of communism"

interesting, i find M$ a perfect example of communism. one leader controlling the masses running completely unchecked.

once again your confusing the theory of communism-ie helping people in your community to pratical-ie microsofts control over the desktop pc.

Golden Eagle=M$ Shill

[Arthalion]

I have read many reviews and walkthroughs, but haven't yet pulled the beta from MSDN to try it out (I am running the beta for IE7, which will be the Vista shipping browser). My understanding of Vistas new features come primarily from these reviews, interviews with Microsoft staff, and co-workers who ARE actively beta testing the software in my office.

For what it's worth, I never said that Vista wasn't a huge leap forward for Windows. It is, and I will probably have my desktop running one of the preview releases long before the final product is shipped, but I'm looking at the product from the perspective of the end-users. It's great (and overdue) that Windows is moving towards the UNIX security model, but look at that from Joe Email's perspective. It's like talking about RAM paging or disk thrashing, he may understand that it affects the way his computer runs, but he really isn't going to care all that much about it.

Corporate users aren't going to flock to Vista because most corporations (which account for roughly half the PC sales in the US) are on scheduled replacement plans. Small businesses aren't going to make the jump unless the app can show major productivity increases sufficient to justify the $1,000 to $2,000 conversion cost. That leaves the consumer market, and as I said above, most consumers are only going to care about what new things their computer will be able to do. That list, for consumers, is very short. Will they be able to surf the Internet better? Will they send or receive email better? Are they going to see a huge performance boost? Are they going to be doing things their current computer is incapable of doing? The answers to those questions are pretty much "No", making the Vista release a non-event to much of that market.

[the anti-liberal]

Incidently, I've gotten around the whole DRM/copyright/fair use thing (not to mention the absurdly high cost of physical CDs) by simply not buying music anymore. Don't need it- problem solved.

[Golden Eagle]

i find M$ a perfect example of communism.

Fine, tells us all we want to know, that you consider the highest profit margin company in the US, and the richest man in the world, communist, while voicing your support for things that are obviously tied to communism.

[the anti-liberal]

You were able to deauthorize- I've had my machine's built-in video card wink out, requiring the whole motherboard be replaced. I was fortunate in that I was able to copy the HDD onto DVD, but recovering the music was a pain (MusicMatch Jukebox).

An interesting thing about purchasing through MusicMatch, I can only make three copies of a song or cd. Now I haven't lost a cd yet, but I can see where that could become a pain.

In any case, I've simply stopped purchasing music, in any format- it's not worth it and I don't need it. (I can conceive of a parallel to cigarette addiction and music addiction- in a strictly limited sense.)

[JoJo Gunn]

Actually, I haven't contemplated an alternative to DRM. I don't download music, for one thing. Heck, for that matter, I haven't bought a CD in a long long time. I don't have a DVD player, but as you'll recall, I don't like worth a damn the idea that an import disc that I bought legally probably won't work in my machine. I'll also remind you how Valenti, et al, get a cut for every blank tape sold, whether it's used for a movie or music or to capture nothing but my parakeet singing. Is that right? Of course not, but you'll stutter and stammer and not address what Big Business can do to ease the onus on the decent folks that, as of yet, haven't gone to war with them.

See, the problem with people like you is that while you're advocating more and more and more and more antagonistic business practices against the honest consumers, people like me will rebel. You and your idols take me for granted, have for far too many years, and I've had enough. I'm past the point of no return, of "mediation" with idiots in suits that never cared less about the ones who haven't stolen from them.

[postaldave]

communist:

one person:bill gates in control
one regime:microsoft
one rule:what they say goes and they get all the money.

you take that outline, one person, one regime and one rule and you have any "communist" country outline.

capitalist freedom:

no one person: anyone can create their own distro
no regime: any group can create their own distro
no rule: you can share it, you can sale it. best product wins. now that is the america way, the cheapest and best product wins.

Golden Eagle=M$ Shill

[pending]

Maybe time to buy an Apple???

You know apple is switching to Intel chips? 2007. So all the Apple gear is really already obsolete, which is what forced the change. Thats an opinion, of course. Valid one I think.

OSX for the PC is an enticing concept though, innit?
It is reportedly already downloadable, I haven't pursued it yet. I know I am gonna though.
Just cuz. You know?

Linux is still tough with hardware. Thats not flamebait folks, I mean for anyuser, it is still reality. You got to be savvy, and patient. The latter is my problem. Either plug it in and it works, or fire up the install. Thats it for me.
I read about the crap first, to find out what works, then it does, and i dont have to spend my hours searching forums with my Geek to English dictionary, you know the drill?

I still run 98Lite (Shane Brooks, a True American Hero)
on my machines,I have digital cameras, MP3 players,a PDA, wireless router.
All of em just work. Plugged in the router. Just worked, first time. I did Nuttin. Zero.
"Deal" from WooT RIO MP3e gadget givin me fits though.
Get the "Mass storage" type player, period.
RIO is history BTW.

Anyway, otherwise I am very satisfied. My cheapo newer celeron is extremely responsive. Invested all of about 150 bux in the upgrade.
*****
MS must play DRM for legal cover. There will always be a workaround.
*****
Too many Vistas though. It will sow massive confusion.
Like some other posters, i have no enthusiasm for these more bloated, more limited systems. No 64 bit chip yet either...
Other than that, whats the big deal?
*****
As far as Media Center?
DVD burner in the PC, DVD recorder under the TV.
98 bux at Wally World. ilo. It works fine. Got the Pats Smackin the Raiders. All is good, truly good in Patriot Nation right now.

Fans of sport will note that borrowed that from that other team in Boston. Whats thier name again?
Things pretty good there too...

I sure ended up blathering on there.
Thanks for your time.

[JoJo Gunn]

I haven't had my camera long, so haven't tried to see if XnView would read camera images until now. I didn't have but one picture in the camera, so can't tell you if there's a "batch acquire", but XnView will read at least one at a time.

Ronzo, I'm not sure if or how the program would handle RAW images, in case your camera uses them, (but .jpg's or .tif's are a standard).

[Golden Eagle]

LOL, you don't even understand the definition of communism. Nor do you understand that obvious fact that free software is inherently anti-capitalistic. The only thing the lunix crowd really knows how to do is bold your fonts and call names. ROFL again.

[Golden Eagle]

LOL, you don't even understand the definition of communism. Nor do you understand that obvious fact that free software is inherently anti-capitalistic. The only thing the lunix crowd really knows how to do is bold your fonts and call names. ROFL again.

[AndyJackson]

What we are observing is a game wherein the proponents and critics of MS have banned together to entice JoJo into choosing a strategy that will lead to his own banning for poor taste. Whether this cooperative strategy has optimal payoff for the anti-JoJo coalition has not been demonstrated, and it may be that they are cooperating only for the sport of the thing.

The funny thing is that the anti-game-theorist JoJo has proven the point of his adversaries by engaging in a game where there are clear strategic choices and measureable pay-offs or consequences. For instance will JoJo continue to make his strategic choice of a set of actions which could get him barred from further play. This may in fact be JoJo's optimal strategy since it would prevent him from doing that which he is loath to do, i.e. partake in games, something that he apparently lacks the self-control to abstain from either despite or caused by his scatological references to the activity.

[postaldave]

no, what you don't understand, no matter how many times it is explained to you in the absolutely simplest terms there is a difference between theory and practicality.

oh the ignorance of a microsoft shill.

[Golden Eagle]

LOL, more name calling in support of the commie ware.

[N3WBI3]

How many times do you have to hear this, socialist and communist like George Soros are very very rich men! their were very rich people in the USSR, and there are very rich people in China.

Wealth and Profit are not in and of themselves signs that someone is not communist

[Golden Eagle]

George Soros doesn't give political dollars to multiple state Republican political parties like Bill Gates does. You guys are ALWAYS wrong, yet continue to trot out your worthless excuses for why none of this is true.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x665385

http://europa.eu.int/idabc/en/document/1736/531

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1617712,00.asp?kc=EWNKT0209KTX1K0100440

http://ianmurdock.com/?p=54

http://weblog.flora.org/article.php3?story_id=552

http://zgp.org/linux-elitists/p05210612bb7d87639a93@[192.168.1.101].html

http://www.linuxlinks.com/portal/news/article.php?story=20050624042207848&mode=print

http://www.linuxpipeline.com/42700029

http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/wlg/5279

http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/7239

http://asia.cnet.com/news/software/printfriendly.htm?AT=39146335-39001094t-39000001c

http://slashdot.org/articles/99/11/10/1457205.shtml

http://linux.slashdot.org/linux/05/05/19/1213245.shtml?tid=106&tid=219

http://slashdot.org/articles/03/10/30/1435248.shtml

http://www.iranian.ws/cgi-bin/iran_news/exec/view.cgi/2/3822

http://linuxtoday.com/news_story.php3?ltsn=2002-08-30-011-26-NW-LL-PB

http://slashdot.org/articles/03/05/01/1148227.shtml?tid=103&tid=99

http://www.zdnet.co.uk/print?TYPE=story&AT=2133230-39020381t-10000002c

http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,aid,104039,src,ov,00.asp

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/techpolicy/2003-10-20-open-source-mass_x.htm

http://www.newsforge.com/business/04/02/27/2329240.shtml

[JoJo Gunn]

Yee haw! Another one joins in.

JoJo can more than hold his own against several sliderule wielding thugs at once, so WELCOME! ;)

Let's begin - just where did you come up with "anti game theorist", plus, concerning the scatalogical references, why does the newbie gets a pass concerning the "smelling of his butt"? All I said was I smelled something familiar. So, are you also going to be intellectually dishonest?