That has to be one of the goofiest comments ever posted in any context.
Posted on 09/12/2005 8:09:27 AM PDT by 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.
I may not be the brightest star in the heavens, but I’m smart enough to recognize when someone is testing the mettle of a newbie who writes like he/she is on the Redmond payroll. But you just had to jump in, didn’t you? Pretty revealing....
There are worse, believe me...
APf
I agree with B2k. It must be the end times :)
Surely you have learned something of game theory?
For some reason JO (which it's self is an acronym used for a certain group homosexual activity) seems to think anyone who even has a passing interest in applied mathematics is a homo.
Well, I can speak to this, since I just recently upgraded my computer and needed to copy my iTunes songs from one system to the other. On my old computer, I deauthorized the old computer, then on the new computer I authorized the new computer, copied the files, and shazam it worked!
"I may not be the brightest star in the heavens, but I’m smart enough to recognize when someone is testing the mettle of a newbie who writes like he/she is on the Redmond payroll. But you just had to jump in, didn’t you? Pretty revealing...."
Scroll up, I said you were BOTH WRONG.
Well, yet another gossamer skinned shill simply can't contain itself.
I suggest you give the rote about latent tendencies a rest, shillboy. No matter your protestations, you are on a leash, and you seem to be the only one who doesn't know it.
Hey, Gates, call off your dogs.
One could also draw that conlusion about the paid shills in Gates circle, know what I mean?
God, what crybabies they hatch in Redmond nowadays.
You're awfully new here to be throwing your weight around, boy.
No, low end PCI-E cards have a relatively small framebuffer memory onboard but use system memory for textures, etc. ATI calls this "Hypermemory". Don't remember what Nvidia calls it.
Take a look at my posts on this thread
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1481139/posts?page=68#68
and then come back and call me a Microsoft shill.
You're still a dummy for your attitude towards mathematics.
"You're awfully new here to be throwing your weight around, boy."
There are plenty of old time FReepers who are morons, and plenty of newbies with good things to say.
Disagree with the persons arguments, but keep in mind that there is no caste system here except in your mind.
Not just MS. Just about every media company out there is salivating at the thought of people having to repurchase audio and video every time their hard disk crashes or they upgrade their computer.
THere is a first time for everything. Personally, I won't let any of that crap on my PC. It's my data not theirs.
That has to be one of the goofiest comments ever posted in any context.
That is an absurd assertion on your part. It has nothing to do with the use of the CD or its content. If some idiot company were to issue such a copyright, then I would not buy it (even though that copyright probably wouldn't hold up in court). If they can live without selling their product to me and others like me, then more power to them.
happy to have a chance to call someone boy? The culture has changed and you can't do that any more? So nostalgic, I understand.
Well, I am only happy to oblige...
Be my guest.
But you have to know: only idiots think what's true depends on how much time one spent on FR -- or anywhere else.
now that is a whole new issue i'm pissed about.
companies in bed with M$.
slightly off topic but here is something else i hate.
if you purchase a new computer these days you don't get as OS disc.
1. your stuck with all the crap that the computer builder put on it
2. you can't do a clean reinstall of the OS
3. you can't do major upgrades to the computer
4. you can't take your M$ licence with you to a new computer.(not talking running multi copies)
Jo is a lubricant sold in adult toy stores. Never thought to look before your comment, but it's pretty obvious what Jo is for,
True.
Disagree with the persons arguments
I agree -- which is what the newbie ought to confine himself to, instead of crying to the mods.
I just bought the Samsung 17" Syncmaster (710 or 720 - can't remember) for my son's computer and I was shocked at how sharp the text was. It has similar specs as yours.
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