Microsoft plans 6 versions of Windows Vista

Oh...joy.

http://www.microsoft-watch.com/article2/0,2180,1928547,00.asp
from WinCustomize Forums

Microsoft plans to have 6 different versions of Windows according to Mary Jo Foley of Microsoft-Watch.

According to a posting on its Web site, Microsoft is readying six core Vista packages, or SKUs, plus two additional releases customized for the European Union that won't bundle in Windows Media Player, as ordered by European antitrust regulators.

On the line up are Windows Starter 2007; Windows Vista Enterprise; Windows Vista Home Basic, Windows Vista Home Premium, Windows Vista ultimate, Windows Vista Business, Windows Vista Home Basic N and Windows Vista Business N. The "N" releases are those which do not include Media Player.

Microsoft officials said on February 20 that the posted list was incomplete and posted inadvertently.

It's not clear whether the Starter release mentioned on Microsoft's site is the same as the current Windows XP Starter Edition product, which is a cut-rate, less fully featured version of Windows tailored for developing countries.

The new SKU list contains relatively few surprises, as Microsoft had been widely expected to fold features from its current Windows XP Media Center Edition and Windows XP Tablet PC Edition into other SKUs, rather than continue to sell them as distinct editions. Company officials also previously discussed plans to offer a Windows Vista Enterprise Edition – a variant of Vista that Microsoft is using as an incentive to attract more users to sign up for its Software Assurance licensing plan by making it available to Software Assurance customers only.

Oye. 6 versions?

In a related story, Microsoft is looking at acquiring a number of asprin companies.

4,908 views 9 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Doesn't matter how many versions there are I still can't see a point in upgrading from XP whether your a home or business user
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Well, it looks like people will need to be contacting their MCSE friends to decipher which one they should buy! LOL This is crazy!
Galactic Civilizations IV
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Is there one that will be something like Pro?
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
We 64bit users always have to be the patient ones eh.
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Wouldn't you just love to work in retail? Having to explain each version to people these days.
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
actually, it is worse...

there are actually EIGHT versions planned... count 'em 8!!

see here: http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/19/which-windows-vista-will-you-run-you-have-8-choices/
and here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060221/tc_nm/microsoft_vista_dc

whew!
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Microsoft has now officially released the list of the various versions of Vista: http://www.longhornblogs.com/bleblanc/archive/2006/02/26/15917.aspx

I expect there will be "N" versions of these to be sold in Europe.
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
They should just, not release any other version then Windows Vista Ultimate 32/64bit in 1 DVD version. Keep it simple. Just have it do a minimal install at first then do a custom install if you need it

I am not a Mac user per say but starting to appreciate their marketing skills lol.
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Why would they do that? Ultimate costs the same amount to develop, yet they'll probably charge a whole lot more. But at least there is the option not to get charged a fortune.

Macs don't give you the choice of not getting ripped off.