MS to offer 6 versions of Windows Vista

FYI…

- http://tinyurl.com/gqqee
Feb 27, 2006
"Microsoft Corp. plans six core offerings of its upcoming Windows Vista operating system, targeting how people use computers instead of PC hardware specifications, the company said on Monday.
The world's largest software maker plans three offerings aimed at consumers, two at business users and a stripped-down edition for emerging markets. Unlike the current Windows XP, there will no versions designed specifically for advanced 64-bit computing, multimedia computers or Tablet PCs. "We're delivering the exact same number of offerings as in Windows XP, but the big difference is that each of those offerings are targeted differently with a different set of features," said Barry Goffe, director of Microsoft's Windows client product marketing…
Vista Home Premium will be the middle option for consumers, sandwiched between the high-end Windows Vista Ultimate, which also includes business-oriented features, and a bare-bones Windows Vista Home Basic without the multimedia capabilities.
For business users, Microsoft plans Windows Vista Business for small and medium-sized businesses that may not have a information technology support staff.
Windows Vista Enterprise will be aimed at large, global companies with encryption features to protect information even if a computer is stolen and tools to enable compatibility with applications designed for older operating systems.
All the versions for consumers and businesses are available for both 32-bit or 64-bit computer systems. Sixty-four-bit processors can crunch twice as many bits of information at one time as the more prevalent 32-bit processors.
Microsoft will also offer a version of Vista Home Basic and Vista Business without a Windows Media Player in Europe to comply with European Union antitrust rulings."

Better list:

- http://informationweek.com/shared/printabl…cleID=181400097
Feb. 27, 2006
"…Here's how the Vista packages stack up:
- Windows Vista Business includes similar features to today's Windows XP Professional edition, including backup, networking, and group policy support. It includes Microsoft's new Aero user interface, a new search engine, and small-business features such as fax and scanning software and easier-to-understand help menus.
- Windows Vista Enterprise, available to Microsoft's largest corporate customers, adds new BitLocker hard-drive encryption, a virtual PC program for running software written for other platforms, and a new subsystem for running Unix apps.
- Windows Vista Home Premium is designed for the majority of home PC users and includes the ability to show photos on a large-screen TV, play music on a home stereo, write and copy DVDs, and edit high-definition video. It also includes the ability to sync files between two computers.
- Windows Vista Ultimate combines all the features of the Vista Business and Home Premium editions – it's designed for corporate employees who often work on company projects from home.
- Windows Vista Home Basic is aimed at users who mainly read and send E-mail and surf the Web. It doesn't include the Tablet PC, Media Center, photography and music software in Vista Home Premium.
- Windows Vista Starter will retail only in emerging markets such as India, Russia, Mexico, Brazil, Thailand, and Indonesia. It won't be available in the United States or Europe, and runs only in 32-bit mode."

More details:

- http://www.techweb.com/article/printableAr…_section=700027
February 27, 2006
"…Other details divulged by Microsoft include:
– All versions except for Starter and Home Basic will include the new Aero interface that boasts a transparent look and Flip 3D desktop navigation.
– All versions except for Starter will include the desktop search function long touted by Vista (and before that, Longhorn) developers.
– All versions will ship with the Sidebar feature. Sidebar is Microsoft's term for the engine – and Gadgets are its name for the mini-applications – that lets users display single-purpose applets on the desktop. Sidebar/Gadgets is essentially the Redmond, Wash.-based developer's answer to Apple Computer's Mac OS X 10.4 Desktop/Widgets.
– Finally, all except Starter will be available in both 32- and 64-bit versions, with both packaged in the same SKU. "The bits will be in the same SKU," confirmed a Microsoft spokesperson Monday…"