Windows 7 - A Guide to the Editions Discussion

Windows 7 comes in six different flavors -- with a few more niche alternates just for good measure. We've told you why (or why not) to buy Windows 7, but which Windows 7 edition is right for you? We breakdown the feature sets in this buyers guide.

THE EDITION LADDER

High on the list of ways in which Windows 7 is superior to Windows Vista is the arrangement of Windows 7 editions. In Windows Vista, the slates of features available in each flavor of the operating system read like a dyslexic Chinese menu, with features added and subtracted from each Vista version with no apparent logic. In Windows 7, each successive edition contains all the features of the preceding edition -- like a tiered feature ladder -- so there's a clear upgrade path and relationship between escalating price and escalating value.

That said, there are still some quirks to the Windows 7 edition array, not the least of which is that not everyone can buy every edition, and that some editions won't be available at retail. We break down the main feature sets below.

Read the full content of this Article: Windows 7 - A Guide to the Editions

Related Articles:

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• Microsoft, Intel to Limit Windows 7 Netbooks to 10.2"
• Microsoft Windows 7 Release Candidate Review
• Windows 7 to have "XP Mode", Special Requirements

 

Nice read! Thanks a lot for the information Jay!

May I suggest at the end a sum-up with the six editions listed with their difference, software and target market? So that it is easier at the end (for regular (read: lazy lol) people to find out which version is better?

Anyways, thanks a lot!

 

CNET made a very nice color-coded chart for specific differences in the Windows 7 editions. Thanks Jay, for the brief summaries of the differences.

 

Nice guide Jay. Mind writing down the exact inclusions they would have for Home Basic as well?

 

Ultimate please.
Oh wait.

House Party Host

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_7_editions

has a great chart to compare additons anyone know how to just post the chart?

 

Question/clarification please (if anyone knows the answer):
Wikipedia's text and comparison chart indicate that MUI packages (Multilingual User Interfaces) are only available in the most expensive edition -- i.e., Windows 7 Ultimate/Enterprise.

Does this mean that we foreigners will have to buy the most expensive edition in order to (1) have the interface show up in any language other than English, or (2) worse -- be unable to read or input other languages/alphabets, e.g. on the Internet and in Word?

Currently, I have Windows XP Pro, and I can easily switch the interface between English and Hebrew (and back). And of course I can input or see either English or Hebrew in Word and on the Web (the latter sometimes requiring a change in the "Encoding" under "View" depending on the site).

Does anyone have any idea? I was thinking of upgrading to 7 one of these days, but that would be a deal-breaker for me.

Thanks in advance.

 

You can add language packs w/out the need to go to Ultimate- http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/weblogsinc/downloadsquad/~3/N-wFaGjwYCA/click.phdo

 

That is a nifty solution.
Yet don't you get to select the language upon setting up Windows 7 for the first time, regardless of version?

 

this guide should be helpful to many people, thanks for posting it.

 

I must say, Homegroup=Awesomeness. Seriously. It took me about a minute to set up all my computers on it.

 

Jay, you write XP mode is still in beta. That is however incorrect. XP mode is currently released in its final version - it was released the same day Windows 7 hit general availability, 22nd of October. (It went RTM on 1st of October).

Could you update your article to reflect the current state of XP mode?

 

This whole guide was interesting and informative

I wish there was pricing info though.

Thanks Jay

 

Agreed! Many thanks for this review....

I agree. It looks very good indeed....

I would also be interested to hear about this.... Any news or updates?

 

XP mode is available as a final release? That is good information