Mumbai, Feb 12, 2009 1154 hrs IST
Having a customer base of over 1 billion along with many partners, it was important for Microsoft to make sure that the right edition of Windows with the right features set is available for its users. To do this Microsoft learnt a lot from the feedback it received from its customers and partners on how to communicate what s available in different editions.
As a result, Microsoft has made three major changes in Windows 7. Firstly, every edition of Windows 7 will be a superset of one another. Which means, as customers upgrade from one version to the next, they keep all features and functionality from the previous edition. For instance, some business customers using Windows Vista Business wanted the Media Center functionality that is in Windows Vista Home Premium but didn t receive it in Business edition. Customers won t have to face that trade-off with Windows 7 as there is a more natural progression from one edition to the next.
Secondly, Windows 7 is designed such that its every edition can run on a very broad set of hardware, from netbooks to full gaming desktops. This way, customers are free to choose the hardware of their choice. And finally, Microsoft will broadly communicate in the marketplace, to make these choices as simple and clear as possible for customers and partners. Windows 7 will have two primary editions: Windows 7 Home Premium, and Windows 7 Professional apart from others four.
Windows 7 Home Premium: Windows 7 Home Premium is recommended for home users, as it will give them a full-function PC experience and a visually rich environment in everything from the way they experience entertainment to the way they connect their devices.
Windows 7 Professional: Windows 7 Professional is the recommended for SMBs and SOHO (Small Office Home Office) users who have to operate in an IT-managed or business environment where security and productivity are critical.
Windows 7 Enterprise: This edition is meant for the enterprise customers, thereby it will not be available at retail or by OEMs for pre-installation on a new PC. Windows 7 Enterprise will offer advanced data protection, lower cost compliance and IT tools to streamline PC management and help save costs, while enabling access to information from anywhere for business users.
Windows 7 Home Basic: To cater to the unique needs of emerging markets Microsoft will offer the Windows 7 Home Basic edition. This edition will be available only in emerging markets, for customers looking for an entry-point Windows experience on a full-size value PC.
Windows 7 Starter: The Windows Starter edition will be available worldwide but only as pre-installed OS by an OEM. This edition is available only in the OEM channel on new PCs limited to specific types of hardware.
Windows 7 Ultimate: There is a small set of users who prefer to have all the features of Windows 7, for such users Microsoft will have theWindows 7 Ultimate edition to meet that specialized need. Windows 7 Ultimate edition is designed for PC enthusiasts and customers who want the security features such as BitLocker found in Windows 7 Enterprise edition.
As Windows 7 is still under development, Microsoft has to yet put together their guidance on hardware recommendations. However a lot of people have been able to run the most premium, full-featured edition on netbooks with good experiences and good results. This indicates Windows 7 is not as heavy on the system resources as compared to Vista. Though Microsoft hasn't announced the pricing for all the editions of Windows 7, Windows Vista users can expect a free upgrade to Windows 7.
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