Netbook consumers beware! Windows 7 is on the horizon.
Windows 7 is poised to be a hit. By all accounts Windows 7 is a superior operating system when compared to Windows Vista, sporting both a smaller memory footprint and lighter hardware requirements than its predecessor. It also offers a significant jump in technology to users upgrading from Windows XP. Save one instance — Netbooks. Most netbooks are going to ship with Windows 7 Starter Edition. Unfortunately Windows 7 Starter Edition is so heavily stripped of functionality that netbook users are going to find it necessary to purchase an upgrade to a more advanced version of windows. The upgrade path is Windows 7 Starter to Windows 7 Home Premium at a cost of $80 [1].
So what’s missing? Desktop Personalization (no ability to change the desktop wallpaper), Fast User Switching, Multiple Monitor Support, DVD Playback, The Aero Theme, Taskbar Previews, and Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) (some users are going to be blindsided by this one) [2]. The omission of certain abilities, such as changing the desktop wallpaper, DVD playback, and ICS has crippled Windows 7 Starter to the point where even the most novice of users is going to notice the difference when compared to Windows XP netbooks. The omission of these features may even be a deal breaker for some users which begs the question, why would Microsoft remove these features? Especially the ability to change the desktop wallpaper, one of the most basic features? The short answer is money. By so heavily crippling Windows 7 Starter Microsoft has in effect forced upgrade paths on the end-user. Additionally Windows 7 Starter is costing OEM’s more than Windows XP does for netbooks. The unfortunate reality is that many end-users are going to expect Windows 7 on new netbooks. Another unfortunate reality is that in order to keep netbook pricing as low as consumers have enjoyed for the last couple of years OEM’s will be forced to ship netbooks with Windows 7 Starter. These factors add up to higher revenues for Microsoft. Consumers will be paying more for the same features enjoyed with Windows XP netbooks, with few benefits as a result of the upgrade.
Although Microsoft has never been one to listen to the general public when creating operating system versions there are several ways to express your displeasure with the stripped down version of Windows, Windows 7 Starter. Consumers may even be able to gain the inclusion of desktop customization in Windows 7 Starter. Try the following:
- 1) Don’t purchase netbooks which ship with Windows 7. Rather purchase netbooks with Windows XP.
- 2) Send letters, emails, and publicize the issue through blogs and online media.
- 3) If you purchased a netbook with Windows 7 Starter don’t purchase the upgrade to Windows 7 Home Premium. Rather constantly call the tech support line asking how to change your desktop wallpaper or play DVD’s.
Have another idea? Post it in the comments section! For a complete comparison of Windows 7 Editions see: Windows 7 Editions on wikipedia.
[1] – http://gizmodo.com/5332601/the-real-cost-of-upgrading-to-windows-7
[2] – http://gadgetmix.com/index/confirmed-no-restrictions-in-windows-7-for-netbooks/
[3] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_7_editions#Comparison_chart
Oct 23rd, 2009 at 1:04 pm
Honestly Windows 7 is a huge product, and a quality one at that. Its not a quesiton of whether the product will be a success because its virtually guaranteed to be a blockbuster. Then why are you trying so hard to make it the laughing stock? Windows 7 Starter is a disgrace of a product and will undoubtely become the brunt of many jokes. Your marketing strategy (or should I say lack there of) is horrid. Take this youtube video for instance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cX4t5-YpHQ Seriously? Talk about a diverse PC group engaged in unnatural discusison about a subject that now one would spend that much time discussing. Now the recently launched M$ store is a virtual clone of apple stores. They even hired the same designer — and it shows. Why not establish your own identityt? Now I’m starting to see Microsoft’s use the the name “Springboard” (the name of the iPhones UI) in marketing materials. Your not Apple, I don’t want you to become Apple, and I certainly don’t want to see one of the largest corporations in the world, with an install base on roughly 90% worldwide, mimicking Apple.
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Jan 15th, 2010 at 7:35 pm
Microsoft has always been a follower when it comes to technology. They don’t come up with new ideas and in fact, for such a wealthy company they don’t do that much R&D. They don’t need to, they just copy what other companies spend R&D money on.
As far as them trying to be like Apple, Microsoft gets a lot of their ideas from Apple. Look at Windows. But most of the ideas they take credit for are taken from the open source community. Nothing wrong with that, but Microsoft shouldn’t take credit and then do such a crappy job of it.
.NET, Active Directory, and many more came from superior solid Open Source projects. Microsoft had to make the code buggy so they could charge us support/licensing fees and that is not a myth, I know developers who work on these projects.
Apple may not have perfect software, but it is almost always better than Microsoft’s. Apple’s designs, and obviously R&D is better. Also, I believe Apple wants a quality product. You can’t say the same for Microsoft.
You’d have to be pretty set-in-your ways to think that Windows is better than OSX, Linux, FreeBSD, …
By the way, I don’t own any Apple products, no IPod, No OSX, …
MS Windows has always been at the bottom of the OS barrel, but people don’t mind as they really don’t care about the OS when it really comes down to it and will go on paying way to much money for crappy software, because it is “the standard”.
I suspect the new version of the OS to be just as crappy, so I’m not going to get excited.
By the way, I’m typing this in some version of Microsoft OS because I can’t run my work applications in Linux:-(
stevie
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