Windows 7: College Student Edition
Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) is offering the Home Premium version of its new Windows 7 operating system to college students for just $30. The OS usually sells for $119.In order to qualify, students must enter their college or university e-mail address into a special Web site that Microsoft has established in partnership with distributor Digital River for the promotion.
Microsoft said it also may require proof of enrollment, but it was not immediately clear how rigidly the software maker plans to enforce the policy.
The Web site also features a link to Microsoft's online Upgrade Advisor, which students can use to verify that their PCs are capable of running Windows 7.
The full version of Windows 7 Home Premium is priced at $199, with an upgrade from Vista or XP costing $119.
Windows 7: E
New Update 8/8/2009: Microsoft has confirmed that Windows 7 E, will not see the light of day.
The announcement comes even though the replacement solution, a browser ballot screen, has not yet been approved by the EU.
Microsoft has made it official via the Microsoft on the Issues blog :
In the wake of last week's developments, as well as continuing feedback on Windows 7 E that we have received from computer manufacturers and other business partners, I'm pleased to report that we will ship the same version of Windows 7 in Europe in October that we will ship in the rest of the world.
One reason we decided not to ship Windows 7 E is concerns raised by computer manufacturers and partners.
Several worried about the complexity of changing the version of Windows that we ship in Europe if our ballot screen proposal is ultimately accepted by the Commission and we stop selling Windows 7 E.
Computer manufacturers and our partners also warned that introducing Windows 7 E, only to later replace it with a version of Windows 7 that includes IE, could confuse consumers about what version of Windows to buy with their PCs.
Windows 7: Home Premium
Windows 7 Home Premium is one of the two Windows 7 editions that will be sold worldwide to retail markets and OEMs. The other edition of Windows 7 is Windows 7 Professional.
Microsoft has build the editions to include features that "smaller" editions do not contain.
This is in contrast to Windows Vista where more expensive editions missed some of the features of less expensive ones.
Windows 7 Home Premium is a complete edition of Windows 7 unlike Windows 7 Home Basic or Windows 7 Starter which have been limited by Microsoft.
Here are the features that Windows 7 Home Premium will ship with that are not - or only partially available - in Windows 7 Home Basic and Starter.
Full Windows Aero support.
Home Group (Create & Join)
Multi-Touch
Premium Games
Windows Media Center
Windows 7 Professional
Windows 7 Home Premium will not support the following features that are available in Windows 7 Professional:
Windows Server Domain support.
Remote Desktop Server support.
Location aware printing.
Encrypting the file system
Presentation mode
Windows 7 Ultimate / Windows 7 Enterprise
Windows 7 Home Premium will also not support the following features that have been reserved for Windows 7 Ultimate and Windows 7 Enterprise.
Microsoft has build the editions to include features that "smaller" editions do not contain.
This is in contrast to Windows Vista where more expensive editions missed some of the features of less expensive ones.
Windows 7 Home Premium is a complete edition of Windows 7 unlike Windows 7 Home Basic or Windows 7 Starter which have been limited by Microsoft.
Here are the features that Windows 7 Home Premium will ship with that are not - or only partially available - in Windows 7 Home Basic and Starter.
Full Windows Aero support.
Home Group (Create & Join)
Multi-Touch
Premium Games
Windows Media Center
Windows 7 Professional
Windows 7 Home Premium will not support the following features that are available in Windows 7 Professional:
Windows Server Domain support.
Remote Desktop Server support.
Location aware printing.
Encrypting the file system
Presentation mode
Windows 7 Ultimate / Windows 7 Enterprise
Windows 7 Home Premium will also not support the following features that have been reserved for Windows 7 Ultimate and Windows 7 Enterprise.
Windows 7: Professional
Windows 7 Professional is the second Windows 7 edition next to Windows 7 Home Premium that Microsoft will be available for customers and OEMs worldwide.
This edition would basically have been Windows 7 Business but was renamed by Microsoft to reflect that it is not only aimed at business but also at professionals.
Some say that it was done to make the decision for Windows XP users easier to switch to the new operating system as one of the Windows XP editions was named Windows XP Professional.
Windows 7 Professional contains all features that Microsoft has build into Windows 7 Home Premium plus the following:
Windows Server Domain support.
Remote Desktop Server support.
Location aware printing.
Encrypting the file system
Presentation mode
Windows 7 Enterprise / Windows 7 Ultimate
Windows 7 will not include the following feature set which is exclusively available in Windows 7 Ultimate and Windows 7 Enterprise:
This edition would basically have been Windows 7 Business but was renamed by Microsoft to reflect that it is not only aimed at business but also at professionals.
Some say that it was done to make the decision for Windows XP users easier to switch to the new operating system as one of the Windows XP editions was named Windows XP Professional.
Windows 7 Professional contains all features that Microsoft has build into Windows 7 Home Premium plus the following:
Windows Server Domain support.
Remote Desktop Server support.
Location aware printing.
Encrypting the file system
Presentation mode
Windows 7 Enterprise / Windows 7 Ultimate
Windows 7 will not include the following feature set which is exclusively available in Windows 7 Ultimate and Windows 7 Enterprise:
Windows 7: Ultimate
Windows 7 Ultimate is the non plus ultra edition of the Windows 7 operating system as it is the only edition of Windows 7 that is feature complete.
All other editions - with the exception of Windows 7 Enterprise which is Windows 7 Ultimate branded differently - lack features that are included in Windows 7 Ultimate.
Windows 7 Ultimate comes with the following set of features that distinguish it from other Windows 7 editions:
Bitlocker file encryption
Direct Access
Branch Cache
Plus all features of all other Windows 7 editions.
All other editions - with the exception of Windows 7 Enterprise which is Windows 7 Ultimate branded differently - lack features that are included in Windows 7 Ultimate.
Windows 7 Ultimate comes with the following set of features that distinguish it from other Windows 7 editions:
Bitlocker file encryption
Direct Access
Branch Cache
Plus all features of all other Windows 7 editions.
Windows 7: Enterprise
Microsoft has made available a trial version of Windows 7 Enterprise. This trial version is theRTM release of Windows 7 Enterprise.
Users who download this version can test the full functionality of the release for 90 days before it will automatically shutdown every hour and notify the user that the trial version has expired.
The Windows 7 Enterprise trial can be downloaded as a 32-bit or 64-bit edition in the five languages English, Spanish, German, French or Japanese.
No Windows 7 product key is required to register the version as this version comes with a key already preinstalled in the operating system. The version has to be activated in the first ten days after installation. Failure to do so will cause the same one hour shutdown interval until the operating system has been activated.
Users who are interested in the trial version of Windows 7 Enterprise can download it from the following Microsoft Technet website.
Users who download this version can test the full functionality of the release for 90 days before it will automatically shutdown every hour and notify the user that the trial version has expired.
The Windows 7 Enterprise trial can be downloaded as a 32-bit or 64-bit edition in the five languages English, Spanish, German, French or Japanese.
No Windows 7 product key is required to register the version as this version comes with a key already preinstalled in the operating system. The version has to be activated in the first ten days after installation. Failure to do so will cause the same one hour shutdown interval until the operating system has been activated.
Users who are interested in the trial version of Windows 7 Enterprise can download it from the following Microsoft Technet website.
Windows 7: Home Basic
Windows 7 Home Basic is a Windows 7 edition that is not available worldwide. It has been specifically created by Microsoft to be sold in emerging markets.
Its feature set is superior to the Windows 7 Starter edition.
The features that it comes with are the following:
Concurrent Applications Unlimited
32-bit and 64-bit mode support
Home Group Join Only
Windows Internet Explorer 8
Windows Media Player 12
Desktop Window Manager
Windows Mobility Center
Windows Aero Partial
The most apparent differences are that it does not come with the concurrent application limit. Other advantages are 64-bit support and the inclusion of the Desktop Window Manager, Windows Mobility Center and partial support for Windows Aero.
Its feature set is superior to the Windows 7 Starter edition.
The features that it comes with are the following:
Concurrent Applications Unlimited
32-bit and 64-bit mode support
Home Group Join Only
Windows Internet Explorer 8
Windows Media Player 12
Desktop Window Manager
Windows Mobility Center
Windows Aero Partial
The most apparent differences are that it does not come with the concurrent application limit. Other advantages are 64-bit support and the inclusion of the Desktop Window Manager, Windows Mobility Center and partial support for Windows Aero.
Windows 7 Family Pack
Microsoft has come along way from offering just a few versions of its operating system.
It wasn’t so long ago that you could get a home version of a Windows operating system and a few business oriented Windows versions.
But, a bit like Ford, who decided offering the Model-T in any color as long as it was black, was restricting sales, Microsoft now have multiple versions of its operating system geared towards businesses and home users—and also multiple deals, including deals for enterprise and for families.
The Windows 7 Family Pack is a deal which allows you to upgrade three eligible PCs.
It wasn’t so long ago that you could get a home version of a Windows operating system and a few business oriented Windows versions.
But, a bit like Ford, who decided offering the Model-T in any color as long as it was black, was restricting sales, Microsoft now have multiple versions of its operating system geared towards businesses and home users—and also multiple deals, including deals for enterprise and for families.
The Windows 7 Family Pack is a deal which allows you to upgrade three eligible PCs.
here are some advantages to moving a whole household over to Windows 7—mainly related to the home network setup and music, media, file and printer sharing.
Windows 7 in the home environment introduces a change of direction for sharing from Microsoft.
Whereas in earlier versions of Windows, the default was to restrict sharing of files on a network, in this version the default is to allow open sharing of files such as media files.
The thinking behind this—called HomeGroup--is that security in the home is really all about securing the perimeter, the front and back door—and the windows.
An individual within the home can always lock a room, a closet, or a drawer—but it’s a choice. Well, it’s now the same with Windows 7.
The home network supposedly is fastened tight and the computers within the home can intermingle freely—with the option of locking them.
The Windows 7 Family Pack includes just one packaged copy of Windows 7 Home Premium—but you can install it on up to three PCs. There are both 32-bit and 64-bit discs included.
Microsoft have pitched it at $149.99 as an estimated retail price, but prices may vary. Microsoft is saying this is a limited time offer and that quantities may run out. Upgrades may be made from Windows XP or Windows Vista.
Earlier versions of Windows are not upgradeable.
As we all know from nightmarish experience, any operating system upgrade can open a can of worms, so you should check your computer’s compatibility.
Windows 7 in the home environment introduces a change of direction for sharing from Microsoft.
Whereas in earlier versions of Windows, the default was to restrict sharing of files on a network, in this version the default is to allow open sharing of files such as media files.
The thinking behind this—called HomeGroup--is that security in the home is really all about securing the perimeter, the front and back door—and the windows.
An individual within the home can always lock a room, a closet, or a drawer—but it’s a choice. Well, it’s now the same with Windows 7.
The home network supposedly is fastened tight and the computers within the home can intermingle freely—with the option of locking them.
The Windows 7 Family Pack includes just one packaged copy of Windows 7 Home Premium—but you can install it on up to three PCs. There are both 32-bit and 64-bit discs included.
Microsoft have pitched it at $149.99 as an estimated retail price, but prices may vary. Microsoft is saying this is a limited time offer and that quantities may run out. Upgrades may be made from Windows XP or Windows Vista.
Earlier versions of Windows are not upgradeable.
As we all know from nightmarish experience, any operating system upgrade can open a can of worms, so you should check your computer’s compatibility.
Windows 7: Starter Edition
Windows 7 Starter has been specifically designed by Microsoft for the low end market that includes most netbooks and other PC hardware that has to be sold for the cheapest price possible.
The main reason for this edition is to provide manufacturers with a Windows 7 edition that they can put cost effectively on their low end products.
Windows 7 Starter has caused lots of controversy after the publication of the feature differences between this edition and the other - more expensive - Windows 7 editions.
Here is a short overview of what users can expect to get when purchasing a computer that is running Windows 7 Starter.
3 Concurrent Applications
32-bit only support
Home Group join only
Windows Internet Explorer 8
Windows Media Player 12
The limitation to three concurrent applications running on the system has been the focus of criticism.
Some application types, antivirus software for example, are exempt from the limit.
It still means that users will face serious difficulties and often disappointment when they reach the limit. Additional limitations are 32-bit support only and the ability to join Homegroups but not to create them.
The main reason for this edition is to provide manufacturers with a Windows 7 edition that they can put cost effectively on their low end products.
Windows 7 Starter has caused lots of controversy after the publication of the feature differences between this edition and the other - more expensive - Windows 7 editions.
Here is a short overview of what users can expect to get when purchasing a computer that is running Windows 7 Starter.
3 Concurrent Applications
32-bit only support
Home Group join only
Windows Internet Explorer 8
Windows Media Player 12
The limitation to three concurrent applications running on the system has been the focus of criticism.
Some application types, antivirus software for example, are exempt from the limit.
It still means that users will face serious difficulties and often disappointment when they reach the limit. Additional limitations are 32-bit support only and the ability to join Homegroups but not to create them.
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