Seven Flavors of Longhorn

[bazooka]

I ran across this morning, and thought I would pass it along.
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9590_22-5540414.html

Microsoft's Longhorn may roll sevens
By Jo Best Silicon.com January 18, 2005, 11:55 AM PT


You wait for one Microsoft operating system and then seven come along at once.

According to one Redmond watcher, the next version of the Windows operating system, Longhorn, will be ready for manufacturing in May 2006 and will ship to the public in seven different versions. Paul Thurrott, who runs the SuperSite for Windows website, says the seven editions will each be designed to cater for a different Windows user market.

The seven versions will include the Longhorn Home Edition, Longhorn Premium/Media Center Edition, Longhorn Professional Edition, Longhorn Small Business Edition and Longhorn Mobility/Tablet PC Edition.

It seems Microsoft is also hoping to bookend the user market by aiming for both the very high end and those OS buyers with less to spend.

According to Thurrott, Longhorn will also be available in what Thurrott calls Longhorn Überedition and will offer all the functionality of the Home, Premium, Professional, Small Business and Tablet versions in an all-in-one package.

At the other end of the scale, Redmond will be launching a Starter Edition: a stripped-down, lower-cost version of the operating system. It's a strategy that Gates and co have already been pursuing in several countries with Windows XP, including India.

Microsoft declined to comment on the likelihood of a multiple Longhorn release. A Microsoft spokeswoman said: "We have not announced details regarding the specific versions of Longhorn we will make available."

However, she added that Microsoft will "continue to support the usage scenarios our users require and will support new scenarios as appropriate".

Microsoft currently has Home, Professional, Tablet and Media Center iterations of its OS on the market.

The spokeswoman said no decisions had been taken as to which editions would make it through the gates of Redmond although Thurrott believes it's just names that need to be rubber-stamped.

[ViRaL1]

I wonder which one will be LEAST buggy.

[Cobra]

Why can't they produce just one OS that actually works, then sell add-on/expansion packs for it?

[ViRaL1]

Bah!

[bazooka]

Why can't they produce just one OS that actually works, then sell add-on/expansion packs for it?

That is the 250,000 dollar question Cobra.

You would think if they only made one, then they have a better chance of getting things right.

[ViRaL1]

You mean like Windows95?

[bazooka]

You mean like Windows95?

No

An operating system that gets rid if buggy old code and gets rid of dos is what I meant.

[Cobra]

I'm no programmer so I don't know how hard this idea would be to impliment. Why don't they sell "Windows Longhorn" for £80. Then, if you want to upgrade to "Windows Longhorn Premium", you buy a box for say £20 with a CD in it to add in the new features. Want Pro? You either pay £50 more, or bring back your "Premium" upgrade and get £30 knocked off your upgrade.

Microsoft could even do these upgrades online - pay for an upgrade and download the .ISO image or do it via. Windows update. If you've already updated, you get the relevant discount.

What I'd be worried about when buying Longhorn is that I'd go for the Home version, then want to upgrade it and have to buy a whole new version. Wasteful, but very profitable for Microsoft I suppose.

Hmmmm..

Cobra

[vitualis]

The cost of having an integrated OS. Windows at its core is not particularly modular and it has to accomodate a very wide spectrum of computers with different performance levels.

It is the same reasons why you don't have a single Linux distribution that works for everyone.

I don't see it as a particular problem.

Regards.

[crazythunder]

i'm still waiting for this version

[crazythunder]

or this one

[vitualis]

Windows CE.NET is actually a superb operating system in a (relative) low resource environment.

Pity it hasn't taken off (except as part of Windows Mobile).

Regards.

[Cobra]

I'm just looking forward to having a 64-bit OS that works.

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1589897,00.asp