Windows7 Starter a joke?

[ericinboston]

Hi all,

As I read more and more...netbooks are shipping with Windows 7 Starter edition...which is not the same as other W7 editions. In fact, the MS website fails to put Starter edition in it's chart because the list of missing features is quite long! Windows 7: Compare Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate

I found the list and other points at: Let?s talk about Windows 7 Starter - Windows 7 Team Blog - The Windows Blog


Windows 7 Starter does not include:

* Aero Glass, meaning you can only use the “Windows Basic” or other opaque themes. It also means you do not get Taskbar Previews or Aero Peek.
* Personalization features for changing desktop backgrounds, window colors, or sound schemes.
* The ability to switch between users without having to log off.
* Multi-monitor support.
* DVD playback.
* Windows Media Center for watching recorded TV or other media.
* Remote Media Streaming for streaming your music, videos, and recorded TV from your home computer.
* Domain support for business customers.
* XP Mode for those that want the ability to run older Windows XP programs on Windows 7.


and one that isn't in the list: only being able to run 3 apps at one time! That's horrible. I routinely have more than 3 apps running: surf the net (browser), listen to music (iTunes or Winamp), Calculator open, Notepad and/or AOL IM.

So...what are your thoughts about W7 Starter killing netbook sales?...or vendors pushing to offer fuller versions of W7? Or other similar topics?

-Eric

[ThisIsNot]

I think it is a joke, a lot like Windows Vista Home Basic. You might get the Windows 7 label but I don't think it is the "real" version of Windows 7 running under the hood. Manufacturers might be putting 7 Starter on netbooks to push consumers into buying higher speced machines. That being said, there are many netbooks on the market that come with 7 Home Premium. The Asus 1005 line, HP Mini 311, etc.

So I don't think it will necessarily hurt netbook sales as the "good" models still come with at least 7 Home Premium. I don't know why manufacturers would cheap out and use 7 Starter though as most netbooks come with more than enough specs to run Windows 7 Ultimate.

A joke? It may not be suitable for you but Microsoft uses it to influence the netbook manufacturers because it has brand recognition/desirablity. There's a market for W7 Starter all over Europe and Asia, among hackers and the cost concious. Are you sure about the three app limit? That may be old info.

[ericinboston]

Originally Posted by netbooking

A joke? It may not be suitable for you but Microsoft uses it to influence the netbook manufacturers because it has brand recognition/desirablity. There's a market for W7 Starter all over Europe and Asia, among hackers and the cost concious. Are you sure about the three app limit? That may be old info.

Well, I am not saying it's not suitable...I'm saying it's a very very watered down version of the latest hyper-promoted operating system...and that it's so watered down that MS dares not to put it in it's "comparison charts".

As many on other blogs/sites have atested, W7 Starter really isn't even worth being free...the removal of such basic features (like being able to customize your background or colors) just seems laughable.

If netbook vendors are shipping full-fledged W7 and/or capable of running full-fledged W7, buyers should beware and opt NOT to purchase the Starter edition. Unless, of course, you really really really have no problem with paying $300+ for a machine that has such severe limitations.

-Eric

[ThisIsNot]

Originally Posted by netbooking

A joke? It may not be suitable for you but Microsoft uses it to influence the netbook manufacturers because it has brand recognition/desirablity.

And that is the problem. Microsoft slaps the Windows 7 name on it when it doesn't really come with all the benefits of the OS. Might as well just stick to Windows XP as it is basically the same thing. This whole "Starter" or "Home Basic" notion is rather dumb. What was the point of Microsoft making sure that Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate could run on a netbook if they were going to come out with a watered down edition that can run on a desktop I have that is 7 years old? They spent all this time getting Windows 7 (with Aero) up and running on netbooks (with at least the GMA 950 IGP). So why come out with an edition that is extremely watered down, lacks all the bells and whistles, and is essentially Windows XP with a Windows 7 label?

Lastly, true hackers would not be using Windows 7 Starter. They would have downloaded some version of Windows 7 (either Home Premium, Professional, or Ultimate) for free and cracked it. Their primary OS would be some Linux/Unix distro.

Originally Posted by ThisIsNot

...true hackers would not be using Windows 7 Starter. They would have downloaded some version of Windows 7 (either Home Premium, Professional, or Ultimate) for free and cracked it. Their primary OS would be some Linux/Unix distro.

Good point for your type of hacking. OSX hackers might like the reduced cost since they won't be using the MS OS at all.

I would buy a model with Starter only if I had a better W7 version available for my choice of hardware or I wanted to put OSX on a model which is to say not likely at all.

Originally Posted by ThisIsNot

Microsoft slaps the Windows 7 name on it when it doesn't really come with all the benefits of the OS.

Did a lot of hands on netbook shopping today. Found several I liked but the OS was the deal breaker for me. XP is dated. A number of the netbooks were value deals with Vista. Starter will do what an OS is supposed to do which is operate the system but it just feels like I'm buying the least value. Not a good feeling for me. Plus I'm giving up personalization and functions present on my desktop. I want the desktop and the netbook to look and feel the same. Buying a separate Home Premium or Professional or even an Ultimate Windows 7 install disk for a new netbook makes Microsoft too much of the netbook price equation especially if I have to toss out the paid for Starter already installed. That's like tossing the 1GB RAM to install a 2GB stick. Not ecological or economic. What I need is an OS deal for all my PCs.

FWIW, the exact same hardware with XP was $50 cheaper than with Starter.

Clearly I need to evaluate how important the OS is to me. Hardware is one thing but usage (looks, tweaks, personalization, features) allowed by the OS is the big key.

My nine month old Asus is sadly behind the curve. Lots of nice improvements in hardware and style in new netbooks.

[ericinboston]

Originally Posted by netbooking

Did a lot of hands on netbook shopping today. Found several I liked but the OS was the deal breaker for me. XP is dated.

XP, a fantastic, 9+ year robust operating system should be just fine for netbooks and netbook usage. Why do you feel XP is unacceptable on a netbook? What exact features are missing and/or exact features of W7 makes XP so bad?

As I've mentioned in other threads, to me, W7 is nothing but a facelift (pretty colors, different Start menu) and new navigation of windows (such as navigating your hard drive). On a technical level, W7 does support SSDs...and is 64bit... but those are really the only technical reasons to upgrade/switch from XP to W7. Plus, as any OS upgrade in the world will dictate, you will need to go through the normal headaches of an upgrade (backing up your stuff, nuking the drive, installing everything from scratch, learning the nuances of the new OS, finding something that is incompatible (usually only an issue for the first 9 months of a new OS release) like software or hardware or external devices (like my 3+ year old Sony camcorder that has specific USB drivers), typically needing more CPU power and/or RAM and/or drive space. So when I think of all the considerations (and more) that I have listed here, plus the $120 upgrade fee (new pc with the new OS obviously doesn't really have the monetary fee so prevelant) I just don't see the point.

-Eric

p.s. when I was at BestBuy the other day returning an ipod, I saw at least 10 people return unopened copies of W7 for money...not a different flavor of W7.

[ThisIsNot]

Originally Posted by netbooking

XP is dated.

Really? That is not what you said a few months ago. So you are saying that you wouldn't buy a netbook running Windows 7 starter? I also don't see what is wrong with giving Microsoft too much of the netbook price. I did the same thing by purchasing a Windows XP netbook and then installing Windows 7 Ultimate (though it was free). There is nothing wrong with people upgrading the OS on their netbooks. In fact, the $29.99 student price for Windows 7 Home Premium or Windows 7 Ultimate really makes it a "no brainer." You could spend that $50 less for a Windows XP netbook, spend an additional $30, and put Windows 7 on it. I think that is a lot better than spending the extra $50 for the manufacturer to put Windows 7 Starter on the model. Then again, I don't know if you would want to monopolize Microsoft by giving them your $30. God forbid a company make profit on one of their products and try to take over the marketplace.

[ericinboston]

Originally Posted by ThisIsNot

There is nothing wrong with people upgrading the OS on their netbooks. In fact, the $29.99 student price for Windows 7 Home Premium or Windows 7 Ultimate really makes it a "no brainer." You could spend that $50 less for a Windows XP netbook, spend an additional $30, and put Windows 7 on it.

I totally forgot about the student discount! I saw that a few weeks ago. I am not a student but I'm sure I can find a relative with a .EDU email address to purchase W7 for me. Alas, I probably would not update my Dell Mini9 (XP Home) but might attempt to update a Dell desktop (I am assuming the W7 retail upgrade will upgrade an OEM XP).

If only the full version of W7 (non-Starter) was like $99 I would probably buy the full version (which can be installed on any brand new drive and not require a previous MS operating system or cd rom or key).


-Eric