Microsoft just announced that Release Candidate 1 of Windows 7 will be available on May 5th 2009 and recently they released the version information. Below is a summary.
They renamed Business back to Professional… what is the point! These meaninless changes do nothing but confuse consumers (corporate included).
Also, trying to sell 7 Starter Edition on Netbooks is a crazy bad idea for two reasons:
- Contrary to the convensional wisdom, many many Netbooks are sold to power users
- MS will no doubt hype the Hell out of 7’s new features and Starter will definately be major let down.
And why would BRANCH CACHE not be included in BUSINESS/PROFESSIONAL… They spend all that time and money developing a cool technology and then make it available to a tiny portion of businesses… very frustrating.
Anyway… here is the list:
WINDOWS 7 STARTER – Limited Distribution – i.e. Netbook Space
- Broad application and device compatibility with up to three concurrent applications.
- Safe, reliable, and supported .
- Home Group makes it easy to share media, documents and printers across multiple PCs in offices without a domain.
- Improved taskbar and JumpLists .
WINDOWS 7 BASIC – Emerging Markets – i.e. not Canada or the U.S. (thank God!)
- Advanced networking support (ad-hoc wireless networks and internet connection sharing).
- Mobility Center is included.
WINDOWS 7 HOME PREMIUM – Everywhere – i.e. Retail
- Aero Glass and advanced windows navigation.
- Easy networking and sharing across all your PCs and devices.
- Improved media format support , enhancements to Windows Media Center and media streaming, including Play To.
- Multi-touch and improved handwriting recognition.
WINDOWS 7 PROFESSIONAL – Everywhere – i.e. Business
- Domain Join enables simple and secure server networking.
- Encrypting File System protects data with advanced network backup.
- Location Aware Printing helps find the right printer when moving between the office and home
WINDOWS 7 ENTERPRISE / ULTIMATE – Everywhere – i.e. Large Business
- BitLocker protects data on removable devices.
- DirectAccess links users to corporate resources from the road without a virtual private network (VPN).
- BranchCache makes if faster to open files and Web pages from a branch office.
- AppLocker easily restricts unauthorized software and enables greater security.