Windows 7 versions

Which one?

Which version of ‘7’ should you go for?

Just like with Vista, Microsoft is making one too many versions available for Windows 7.

Windows 7 Home Premium

The next-generation operating system will be available in six flavours — Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, Professional, Enterprise and Ultimate.

Choice isn’t always good ­especially when it comes to ­operating systems because it’s not simple to do changes should you make the wrong choice.

The good news is that for home users the choice is clear — get Windows 7 Home Premium.

Forget the Starter, Home Basic and Ultimate editions because they have too little functions or cost too much.

Microsoft’s Home Premium edition will give you a complete Aero experience with improved desktop navigation, Windows Media Centre, and all the bells and whistles you need to experience Windows 7 fully.

The Ultimate question

Microsoft messed up with Vista Ultimate and it hopes to rectify that with Windows 7 Ultimate.

With Vista Ultimate, the software giant promised a steady stream of new applications that would be exclusive to this most expensive edition. It couldn’t deliver on the promise and ended up releasing just a few applications, and at irregular intervals.

Its solution for Windows 7 Ultimate — no additional software will be made for it except those that are already bundled with the OS.

Extras that you will get with the operating system are mainly features that will be most useful to business users — Windows XP Mode, Domain Join, enhanced Backup and Restore function, and BitLocker.

Windows XP mode is pretty cool as it would allow you to run apps that are no longer compatible with Windows 7.

Third-parties

While it is a handy feature to have, you could easily do the same if you still have a Windows XP disc. All you have to do is download a virtual machine software, such as VMware Server which is free, and run Windows XP on it.

Also, the enhanced Backup and Restore function which allows files to be backed up to a network, as well as the encrypting of data files through BitLocker, could also be easily done with third-party software.

So, unless you really have loads of cash lying around, don’t bother with the Ultimate edition.

But that shouldn’t stop you from entering our contest to win a Windows 7 Ultimate edition. Installing this version will still give you bragging rights, you know.

Local prices for the various editions are still not available yet.

http://star-techcentral.com/tech/story.asp?file=/2009/10/15/technology/20091015172306&sec=technology