Microsoft: We Need for 6 Windows 7 SKUs

[nekrosoft13]

Yesterday, we learned that Microsoft would be shipping Windows 7 in six different versions -- but it won’t be as confusing as the different versions of Vista, explains Windows general manager Mike Ybarra.

ZoomWhile there will be six known versions of Windows 7 coming at launch, Microsoft assures that most of us will only have to deal with two. “With Windows 7 there will be two primary editions: Windows 7 Home Premium, and Windows 7 Professional. We think those two SKUs will meet most customers needs,” said Ybarra.

Of course, some may argue that so many different SKUs just cause consumer confusion -- which is a warranted complaint on some levels -- but Microsoft’s operating system is so ubiquitous that it has to serve everyone and at different levels. Apple’s single version of Mac OS X is great simplicity, but the reach of Apple’s computers can’t compare to Windows.

Ybarra explained, “Within a customer base of over one billion, there are a lot of important customer niches, or segments, and we want to make sure we have an appropriate product for everybody.”

So the rainbow of versions are here to stay, but at least Microsoft appears to have incorporated some common sense between the different versions.

“The first change in Windows 7 was to make sure that editions of Windows 7 are a superset of one another. That is to say, as customers upgrade from one version to the next, they keep all features and functionality from the previous edition,” said Ybarra. “As an example, 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. With Windows 7 there is a more natural progression from one edition to the next.”

As we learned yesterday, all different versions of Windows 7 will ship on the same disc image. Those wanting to upgrade to a higher-tiered version simply need to purchase a new product key to “unlock” the additional features.

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/win...ness,6963.html

i like that idea, only reason why i bought Ultimate because it combined Home Premium with Business.

Originally Posted by nekrosoft13

Yesterday, we learned that Microsoft would be shipping Windows 7 in six different versions -- but it won’t be as confusing as the different versions of Vista, explains Windows general manager Mike Ybarra.

ZoomWhile there will be six known versions of Windows 7 coming at launch, Microsoft assures that most of us will only have to deal with two. “With Windows 7 there will be two primary editions: Windows 7 Home Premium, and Windows 7 Professional. We think those two SKUs will meet most customers needs,” said Ybarra.

Of course, some may argue that so many different SKUs just cause consumer confusion -- which is a warranted complaint on some levels -- but Microsoft’s operating system is so ubiquitous that it has to serve everyone and at different levels. Apple’s single version of Mac OS X is great simplicity, but the reach of Apple’s computers can’t compare to Windows.

Ybarra explained, “Within a customer base of over one billion, there are a lot of important customer niches, or segments, and we want to make sure we have an appropriate product for everybody.”

So the rainbow of versions are here to stay, but at least Microsoft appears to have incorporated some common sense between the different versions.

“The first change in Windows 7 was to make sure that editions of Windows 7 are a superset of one another. That is to say, as customers upgrade from one version to the next, they keep all features and functionality from the previous edition,” said Ybarra. “As an example, 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. With Windows 7 there is a more natural progression from one edition to the next.”

As we learned yesterday, all different versions of Windows 7 will ship on the same disc image. Those wanting to upgrade to a higher-tiered version simply need to purchase a new product key to “unlock” the additional features.

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/win...ness,6963.html

i like that idea, only reason why i bought Ultimate because it combined Home Premium with Business.

QFT. I like how they changed that around a bit. Looks like W7 Pro for me.

[mailman2]

WTF haven't they learned anything?? Vista had all these SKUs and was the least popular OS ever (http://www.pcworld.com/businesscente...s_os_ever.html). Considering the large failure of Vista why would you do anything even remotely the same???

Greed makes people f'n stupid.

Just sell ONE version, Ultimate and that should run $150.

Originally Posted by mailman2

WTF haven't they learned anything?? Vista had all these SKUs and was the least popular OS ever (http://www.pcworld.com/businesscente...s_os_ever.html). Considering the large failure of Vista why would you do anything even remotely the same???

Greed makes people f'n stupid.

Just sell ONE version, Ultimate and that should run $150.

That's one of the things Apple did right. ONE version, and it costs about 130.

[mullet]

Originally Posted by Bearclaw

That's one of the things Apple did right. ONE version, and it costs about 130.

Agreed.

Originally Posted by mullet

Agreed.

In all honesty, they can't deny that it isn't about the money. Sure, every company needs to make money to continue to operate but there prices for licenses are ridiculous.

[ViN86]

Originally Posted by mailman2

WTF haven't they learned anything?? Vista had all these SKUs and was the least popular OS ever (http://www.pcworld.com/businesscente...s_os_ever.html). Considering the large failure of Vista why would you do anything even remotely the same???

Greed makes people f'n stupid.

Just sell ONE version, Ultimate and that should run $150.

first off, Vista was the least popular OS because of the FUD campaign launched by Apple. also, Vista wasnt a failure. there were 100M copies sold as of January 08.

http://www.computerworld.com/action/...icleId=9055739

Vista works perfectly for me, and i get the same framerates and performance in Windows 7 that i do in Vista.

that being said, no OS is worth a $400 pricetag.

Originally Posted by ViN86

first off, Vista was the least popular OS because of the FUD campaign launched by Apple. also, Vista wasnt a failure. there were 100M copies sold as of January 08.

http://www.computerworld.com/action/...icleId=9055739

Vista works perfectly for me, and i get the same framerates and performance in Windows 7 that i do in Vista.

that being said, no OS is worth a $400 pricetag.

That's my biggest gripe.

They were talking about maybe giving some sort of compensation for people who bought Vista after a certain date; i hope they do that.

[ASUSEN7900GTX]

Originally Posted by Bearclaw

In all honesty, they can't deny that it isn't about the money. Sure, every company needs to make money to continue to operate but there prices for licenses are ridiculous.

it´s called Monopoly
no competition adn they can charge a million dollars for it if they wan´t.

they kow that there sin´t need for all these silly versions but!

more money for a company in no need for more millions but greed is greed and goes ahnd in hand with stupidity adn i some cases ultametly consumes the company/person too much greed si not good and that is what M$ is and stuipid too

+1 for monopoly

Monopolies aren't good, kids.

Originally Posted by ASUSEN7900GTX

it´s called Monopoly
no competition adn they can charge a million dollars for it if they wan´t.

they kow that there sin´t need for all these silly versions but!

more money for a company in no need for more millions but greed is greed and goes ahnd in hand with stupidity adn i some cases ultametly consumes the company/person too much greed si not good and that is what M$ is and stuipid too

I realize what is going on, and I know what it's called.

I was just agreeing with a previous post by saying that it shouldn't cost a fortune.

[mailman2]

Originally Posted by ViN86

first off, Vista was the least popular OS because of the FUD campaign launched by Apple. also, Vista wasnt a failure. there were 100M copies sold as of January 08.

http://www.computerworld.com/action/...icleId=9055739

Vista works perfectly for me, and i get the same framerates and performance in Windows 7 that i do in Vista.

that being said, no OS is worth a $400 pricetag.

They may have sold 100M but there aren't any figures on how many of those people went back to XP. Same thing with the bundled copies. I know alot of people went back to the OEMs and bought XP to replace Vista.

Vista didn't fail because of Apple either.

Vista failed because of high hardware requirements. Windows 7 runs on my laptop that cannot run Vista decently with only 1GB ram and 2.4Ghz P4. I dont need more power for a surfing / email laptop so never felt inclined to upgrade. Vista failed because it wouldnt run on older systems, Vista failed because it couldnt run on many laptops. Vista failed because most people didnt have 8 GB of ram, DX10 GPUs and Quad core CPUs which it needs to run "well". Vista failed because it was Vista. You can lie to yourself all you want but thats the fact of the matter, Apple holds what 3% market share? You really think Apple cause Vista to fail? my God have I got some beachfront property to sell you...

Moving on ...MS learned alot from the Vista failure which is why Windows 7 is going to be RTM by the end of the year a comment I made last yet and was ridiculed by the likes of Nekro and Vin for. Imagine that I was right, I knew I was. Windows 7 is being fast-tracked to win back the folks with older PCs that went back to XP, also for the laptop users that Vista just was too much for.

Further, to get back on topic - we don't need 11 SKUs (including x64). We need one or two actually, Windows 7 Ultimate x86 and x64, thats it. One OS that gives you everything and is affordable. That is the only area Apple is winning in. MS stop being so greedy and listen to your customers already. Oh yea and Vista didn't work "perfectly" until SP1 even at that point "perfect" wouldnt be the right word for it. SP2 is coming along nicely I'm running SP2 on two machines here and its much more like Windows7 with CPU and memory usage.