Windows ME may not have had much going for it, but it has one claim to fame: it was the last major release of Windows to come in a single edition, or SKU.
Speculation mounts over Windows versions
In the decade since Windows ME's release, every major release of desktop Windows has come in a wide variety of flavours.
By one count, Windows XP and Vista came in eight separate editions, if you include two Windows Media Player-free versions mandated by the European Union for anti-monopoly reasons.
Even Windows 2000, often romanticised for its small footprint, came in four versions. This increase in Windows edition has bewildered many consumers, and led even ardent Windows fans to make dark jokes.
"I wonder whether Windows 7 will have 700 SKUs or if [Microsoft] will streamline that," said Andrew Brust, a technology consultant and Microsoft MVP, on his Twitter page.
Windows blogger Paul Thurrott said: "It is laughable. It's such a brazen play on their part to juice people for as much money as they can get."
This MBA textbook-style attempt to maximise revenue by divvying up features by customer segment is actually hurting Microsoft, said Rob Enderle, an independent analyst.
He said Microsoft's decision to strip Active Directory features from consumer versions of Vista meant that workers running Macs at home or on personal laptops have an easier time connecting to their corporate network than many Vista users.
That is helping Apple gain the foothold in the enterprise it has long been denied, said Enderle.
"In effect, this screwy SKU thing has given Apple an advantage in enterprises that Microsoft has taken away from itself and probably will be one of the primary things slowing Windows 7 adoption" should it come in multiple editions, he said.
Windows 7 versions
How many editions will Windows 7 come in? A recent beta release of Windows 7 lists five versions during the installation process:
Windows 7 Starter Edition: a stripped-down version for customers in developing countries running underpowered hardware that has been around since XP
Windows 7 Home Basic: the controversial low-end consumer flavour introduced with Vista that Microsoft apparently debated whether or not to release
Windows 7 Home Premium: also introduced with Vista
Windows 7 Ultimate: introduced with Vista, the loaded-with-goodies version aimed at hard-core hobbyists
Windows 7 Business: introduced with Vista as the replacement to Professional for corporate use.
A Microsoft spokeswoman confirmed the five version names in the Windows 7 beta, but said they were only "preliminary".
"We will continue to take customer feedback from the beta test period into account as we refine the SKU set for Windows 7 and will share more information when we are further along the development path," the spokeswoman said.
Windows 7 video guide
Comments
Nicholas said: I suggest that more research is required by the author Paul Thurrott who you quote has said that the SKUs appearing in the Windows 7 private beta are the same as Windows 7 as they have not been changed article on his blog wwwwinsupersitecom Microsoft have not made a public statement on how many SKUs they are planning to release The only confirmed SKUs are Ultimate Home Premium amp a version for netbooks which was confirmed last weekAlso I dont know of any IT department that would distribute Vista Home Premium to its users and expect them to connect to an Active DirectoryAlso Windows ME was a consumer version to match Windows 2000 so actually Windows 98 was the last single SKU product
Nicholas said: I suggest that more research is required by the author Paul Thurrott who you quote has said that the SKUs appearing in the Windows 7 private beta are the same as Windows 7 as they have not been changed article on his blog wwwwinsupersitecom Microsoft have not made a public statement on how many SKUs they are planning to release The only confirmed SKUs are Ultimate Home Premium amp a version for netbooks which was confirmed last weekAlso I dont know of any IT department that would distribute Vista Home Premium to its users and expect them to connect to an Active DirectoryAlso Windows ME was a consumer version to match Windows 2000 so actually Windows 98 was the last single SKU product
incony said: so i used winrar to extract the files on the iso but in the end i just put the original on a DVD and ran setupexe once i had used winrar to discover the setup info file and read itAnd that is where me and win7 part company for nowI cant upgrade from winXP to win7 the setup says it cannot In honesty i cannot be bothered to create a new boot on a new drive to install win7If you really want to shine MS dont create obstaclesThe paths offered must be obstacle free else why should i change the path i am on i know where that leads how i can navigate it So many folks help me follow the XP path
big_paul said: Or at least offer multy licence packs to home users Most homes have at least 2 PCs Some 3 others more I have 6 spread around the home in the Lounge Bedrooms amp Laptops all connected by cat5 cable
Skidz said: jjstcceanglad you agree i bought ultimate myself and never liked it wasnt cheap either so i think its the least we should get Be different if W7 came 5 years later Not 2 or 3
jjstccean said: I agree with Skidz A decent upgrade Vista users - especially users of Vista Ultimate
jonathan said: i agree with Goffee i dont use any of ms apps i use firefox for browsing winamp for music vlc for movies and open office for docs and then gamesit would b nice to have a os that uses bare minimal resources to run and leaves the rest to run apps besides i dont need a fancy looking os i just wanna play games - without problems of lack resources
swarfendor437 said: In response to Mike and Linux hes suffering from exaggeration syndrome - at least GNULinux is free to download and use without any fear of copyright issue - as far as I am aware there is only one GNULinux Kernel but a choice of Desktop - you either go for Gnome some Linux users might say the purists choice desktop or KDE similar in style to Windoze - this has been extended recently XFCE to enable Linux to work on minimal resources - I am now pleased to share that DreamLinux is the first Linux distro I have got a Netgear wg11t USB dongle to work flawlesslyTake a look at wwwdreamlinuxcombr - Id like to see any flavour of Windoze being able to run on a memory stick - I dont thnk And as for not being able to run Windows applications on GNULinux check out wwwcodeweaverscom
DieSse said: This is what happens when marketing takes over from the technologistsLaughable if it wasnt so sad
Skidz said: It should be a free upgrade for all the poor vista users
Mike said: Everyone knows you only need one version - look at Linux theres only one version of that isnt there Not enough fingers in the world to count its distos and variations
Phil said: They deserve to BURN Just plain greed thats all it is and I for one have had enough
Rosemary Hattersley said: Dragon PC Advisors line on Windows Vista from the very start was to avoid the Home Basic version and go for at least Home Premium Adding more RAM to your PC to make it run better should only cost in the region of 15 - good news if you do decide to go back to using XP
2bathred said: I was so confused with Vista If I wanted to upgrade to Ultimate from premium it cost more than the retail version of ultimate and for what extra I could have got an OEM version but that is meant to be for manufacturers I built my own so did that count apparently not as MS reckoned I was not a registered builder and gave all sorts of dire warnings non-support etc What is the difference nothing as far as I can see Now we go into the same sorry state with 7 I agree with Goffee 1 size fits all at a sane price and if you want the bells and whistles buy them later
uk said: repackaged vista and they want my money for itgtLOL Im keeping XP its far better - hope google or someone makes a streamlined fast operating system one day im sick of windows
Dragon said: I bought a PC with Vista Home Basic I didnt know any better and wish Id just upgraded the RAM on my old PC This PC would need more RAM to support Home Premium or Ultimate and I cant afford more RAM nor upgrading Vista Only another 7 months of PC Guarantee to go before I can remove Vista and install what Linux is tempting but a lot of the Apps I use wont work with Linux Windows 7 That of course will be at least 100 dearer in the UK than anywhere else and I cant afford it I think I will get my old XP disk out and use that At least I wont have to add RAM to this PC
Goffee said: Erk how about a vanilla edition with no naff utilities no browser no apps no security just an OS that decent knowledgeable users can run as the door mat to the internet and to launch your own choice of programsThink of it as going to Subways choose the boring brown roll of an OS then adding all your own funky juicy meats salads peppers and sauces See goffee-freelanceblogspotcom for a more detailed rant