Unlike with Vista, where Microsoft crowded the market with too many mainstream product editions, Windows 7 will ship in just a handful of common-sense product editions. And also unlike with Vista, these product editions are all true supersets of each other, so there are no overlapping feature sets (which is good) and upgrades will be much simpler (which is even better).

For this version of the OS, Microsoft and its PC maker partners will market just two mainstream product editions, Windows 7 Home Premium--the recommended choice for consumers--and Windows 7 Professional, which is aimed at enthusiasts and IT professionals. Then there will be a handful of other product editions, each aimed at specific markets.

- Windows 7 Starter: only with new PCs
- Windows 7 Home Premium: mainstream market
- Windows 7 Professional: mainstream market
- Windows 7 Enterprise: Volume-license business customers only
- Windows 7 Ultimate: Retail market, limited availability

http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/win7_skus.asp

So only one less than expected, I guess the moaning paid off.

Windows 7 Version Revealed

Maybe if we keep complaining they make home and pro one version =0


edit: sexy new feature turns links into thread titles

About the same number as XP then.

XP Starter
XP Media Center
XP Home
XP Pro

What I like is that these Window 7 versions will be all-inclusive. Pro includes all the features of Home Premium, Enterprise all the features of Professional, etc. That was a major problem with Vista where more expensive editions like Business lacked features of the cheaper editions.

@Rutar: Home Basic is still there, check the article
in the end we have two mainstream titles:
- W7 Home
- W7 Professional

for companies there is
- W7 Enterprise

for those who want Enterprise features but not the Volume Licensing
- W7 Ultimate

the W7 starter will not be seen in shops, only come preinstalled on low-end machines by OEM to lower the "microsoft OS tax"

other benefits now are as Kougar mentioned, clear step up feature set and possibility to upgrade your Home to Professional without a reinstall

so W7 professional should do it for a lousy *** gamer as me

I'd say the Home version would suffice , unless you want any of these features for home: BitLocker, BitLocker To Go, AppLocker, Direct Access, Branche Cache, MUI language packs, boot from VHD

- BitLocker: encryption of HDD (truecypt free alternative)
- BtiLocker Go: encryption of removable media (truecypt free alternative)
- Direct Access; Branche Cache: -> enterprise network features
- MUI Language Packs: you want another language interface than default installed
- boot from VHD: boot W7 from a virtual HDD

I'd say that for home users... not needed

I just realized something, skipped this part yesterday:

I don't want an OS on netbooks which limits it to three applications... how will Windows "see" an application? Is MSN Messenger an application? is Gtalk an application? is notepad an application?
what happens if you open notepad, have MSN & Gtalk running and want to launch a browser... access denied?

starter is stupid and should have been Windows Basic

thanx @John, now i KNOW WHAT i NEED

Starter is not meant to be a "light" Windows 7. It is meant to be a cut down version to be sold priced closer to the real income level in developing countries. The 3 application limit existed in Vista Starter and XP Starter as well. XP Starter was also limited to maximum display resolution of 1024x768.

The only really issue for me is Home Premium lacks remote desktop hosting... just like XP Home did. Also lacks advanced backup capabilities, but if you don't use the built-in windows backup software then this doesn't really matter.