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trinityvixenHave a look at this chart of features offered across the new versions of Windows 7 (which, surprisingly, has yet to have a stupid name appended to it, like "Vista"). Apparently, Microsoft is going to push the Home Premium and Professional versions of Windows 7, but for those who really want to pay Photoshop-level prices for Windows, there are a bunch of more expensive options.
What I'm noticing here is that most people, myself included, would probably prefer the Home Basic, if only because they do not come with either Windows Media Center or Windows Media Player. I can understand the usefulness of Windows Media Center for some folk--there are ways to hook it up to the XBOX, after all, but it's not really so much better than, say, plugging a USB key into said console. Generally, I despise programs that want to take over and be your one-stop place for video, music, and so on. I have a love/hate relationship with iTunes for this reason. I don't have a choice about using it for updating and arranging songs on my iPod, which makes me cranky. However, it does organize podcasts for me rather well. I don't use it for videos because I have a better player. I have never used it for DVDs because my XP computer's version of Windows Media Center pops up to take care of that (and, frequently, crash my computer). Whatever, I'm weird, and lots of people like having their media organized for them.
But Windows Media Player can blow me. I never use it. I think I've deleted it off my computer at this point because it was so pointless. After WMP, the rest of the things lacking from Windows 7 are in the same "don't need it, but if I do, I will take care of it myself--and cheaper, thanks" category. Nothing in the "upgrade" to Home Premium versus Basic looks worth a damn. Professional has some nice features but nothing that would be necessary for anyone save the business man or woman. And I suspect that of the remaining features kept solely for the Ultimate edition, most are probably covered in better, different ways by the sorts of hard-core computing types who would want those features. (Hell, those people probably aren't buying Windows computers period.)
Point is, this is too much. This was the problem with all seventy-billion versions of Vista. (You know, besides the fact that it was Vista.) Too many options leaves the average consumer in a position of assured annoyance. Either they buy the cheaper version and then worry about (or actually discover) the programs they're missing (and want) or they buy the more expensive version and resent the fact that they didn't end up needing any of the features that went into the higher price tag. Confusing people when it comes to computers is always a bad idea, especially as computers increasingly become repositories of sensitive information. People want to know that they've got something that works the way they want and protects what they've worked on. The more Microsoft splinters those levels of confidence into different products, the less secure the consumers feel. The less secure they feel about Microsoft, the more likely they are to flee.
What I'm noticing here is that most people, myself included, would probably prefer the Home Basic, if only because they do not come with either Windows Media Center or Windows Media Player. I can understand the usefulness of Windows Media Center for some folk--there are ways to hook it up to the XBOX, after all, but it's not really so much better than, say, plugging a USB key into said console. Generally, I despise programs that want to take over and be your one-stop place for video, music, and so on. I have a love/hate relationship with iTunes for this reason. I don't have a choice about using it for updating and arranging songs on my iPod, which makes me cranky. However, it does organize podcasts for me rather well. I don't use it for videos because I have a better player. I have never used it for DVDs because my XP computer's version of Windows Media Center pops up to take care of that (and, frequently, crash my computer). Whatever, I'm weird, and lots of people like having their media organized for them.
But Windows Media Player can blow me. I never use it. I think I've deleted it off my computer at this point because it was so pointless. After WMP, the rest of the things lacking from Windows 7 are in the same "don't need it, but if I do, I will take care of it myself--and cheaper, thanks" category. Nothing in the "upgrade" to Home Premium versus Basic looks worth a damn. Professional has some nice features but nothing that would be necessary for anyone save the business man or woman. And I suspect that of the remaining features kept solely for the Ultimate edition, most are probably covered in better, different ways by the sorts of hard-core computing types who would want those features. (Hell, those people probably aren't buying Windows computers period.)
Point is, this is too much. This was the problem with all seventy-billion versions of Vista. (You know, besides the fact that it was Vista.) Too many options leaves the average consumer in a position of assured annoyance. Either they buy the cheaper version and then worry about (or actually discover) the programs they're missing (and want) or they buy the more expensive version and resent the fact that they didn't end up needing any of the features that went into the higher price tag. Confusing people when it comes to computers is always a bad idea, especially as computers increasingly become repositories of sensitive information. People want to know that they've got something that works the way they want and protects what they've worked on. The more Microsoft splinters those levels of confidence into different products, the less secure the consumers feel. The less secure they feel about Microsoft, the more likely they are to flee.
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no subject
Date: 2009-06-27 04:59 am (UTC)The thing is, Microsoft doesn't have the luxury of releasing only one edition as Apple does. The only way for them to do that and make everyone happy would be to release the best edition at the lowest price, but that would be the end of their profit margins. Apple can do that because they make money on the hardware (which I continue to attest is overpriced); that's why MacOS's license forbids its installation on non-Apple computers. As long as you can put Windows on a Dell or a Sony or something you built yourself (which for me is the ultimate feature putting any Windows edition ahead of MacOS), this is the best way for them to do it.
no subject
Date: 2009-06-27 05:10 am (UTC)Starter is likely to be used only in low-power devices like netbooks, with that feature set.
Home Basic is for "emerging markets" (semi-third-world countries).
Enterprise is for "volume licensing" (gigacorps installing on thousands of PCs).
End users can choose a home edition (Home Premium), a business edition (Professional), or a computer geek edition (Ultimate).
no subject
Date: 2009-06-27 02:21 pm (UTC)The really telling point, though, is that a big feature of the "professional" and up categories is "Windows XP Mode" -- looks like MS is acknowledging what everyone else already knew, i.e. XP is good enough, we don't want or need new features, and people have no desire whatsoever to upgrade, despite the planned-obsolescence campaign.
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Date: 2009-06-27 05:56 pm (UTC)Yeah, I noticed this. I'm not sure what "XP mode" is, exactly, but I hope to hell this isn't some way to force us to abandon XP (which I'm still happily using on my desktop computer).
It's sad that they made an operating system just about everyone was happy with -- a truly amazing accomplishment -- but they have to fuck with it to make money. And because they're a monopoly -- thank you, W, for killing the anti-trust case! -- they can push crap no one wants to anyone who buys a new PC.
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Date: 2009-06-27 04:24 pm (UTC)