Those Damn Windows 7 Editions

Microsoft has done it again. After six Windows Vista editions, now it has decided to continue with six Windows 7 editions. The editions are going to be called Home Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, Professional, Enterprise and Ultimate.

The list differs at one item from Windows Vista: Business became Professional. Is it because Windows Vista didn’t do good business, Business edition or otherwise, and because Windows XP Professional did?

I am disappointed.

The Home Starter edition is supposedly designed especially for netbooks. One of the edition’s stark defining startling features is that not more than 3 applications can be run simultaneously. Duh! Already Microsoft appears confused by what an application is and what is not. A program running as a background process is always termed a process, but some programs are considered as applications (plus processes) when occupying the taskbar and as processes only when minimized to the system tray.

Whatever be the terminology, capping it at 3 is tying hands tightly. So that performance is optimal, just like a tied man who probably runs faster, at least for his life.

Thankfully, Microsoft assures that all Windows 7 editions can be run on netbooks. But the dilemma lives on. Which edition should I buy?

In the mean time, people are already getting creative at making fun of these editions. Like the Windows 7 editions that Microsoft forgot.