Windows 7 Starter Edition attracts the ire of critics and bloggers

Windows 7 is about to release a month later on 22^nd October and Microsoft has played it’s pre-intentional gambit with Netbook users albeit in a very harsh way. The current cynosure is that the Netbook segment has grown leaps and bounds despite the bad economic scenario. All thanks to Microsoft’s Windows XP Home Edition coupled with Service Pack 3 that won the hearts of Netbooks users. Add to it the very winning idea of Microsoft leasing out Windows XP at 30% of it’s actual price to volume-licensing partners like Acer, Dell, Lenovo, etc which made the price of Netbooks a very affordable one. Now getting back to Windows 7 Starter Edition :

• Windows 7 Starter Edition will be having all the essential and core features of Windows 7 like the Jump Lists, Pin, Snap, and Windows Search all make using a small notebook PC simple and easy.
• It’ll be supporting an excellent feature known as Home Networks for PC’s running Windows 7 and comes inherently with support for Wireless-LAN and Internet Explorer 8.

Looking through Microsoft’s eyes, it intends to again steal the Netbook show with it’s meant-to-be-for-netbooks show-stopper Windows 7 Starter Edition but looking through the pragmatic eyes of critics, bloggers and myself it pours a very gloomy picture – cause -- the policy, constrains and restrains on Windows 7 Starter Edition. Here I enumerate them as follows:

• Cannot run more than 3 applications (read below for more enlightenment on the same).

• Does not support Aero Glass, meaning you can only use the “Windows Basic” or other opaque themes. It also means you do not get Taskbar Previews or Aero Peek.
• Inability to switch between users without having to log off.
• No Multi-monitor support and DVD playback (in either case I use VLC player).
• No Windows Media Center and Domain Support for Business customers.
• No Windows XP Mode for running XP applications natively.

"So put into simple words it’s Windows 7 ULTIMATE EDITION minus Aero Glass, Win XP Mode, BitLocker, language pack, Media-Center."

Now getting a bit up, close and personal with the not-more-than-3-application constrain. Apps. like Anti-Virus, startup utilities, windows explorer, control panel, etc live outside the three-app limit, also opening multiple tabs in one browser is not counted as 8 or say 9 but only 1. But if I’m surfing on IE 8, I’m active on Live Messenger and I’m listening to my songs on Windows Media Player(which is a very usual case for everybody) than I’m done … ? Yes and if you still try to surpass the limit of 3-Apps. then the following annoying screen pops-up.

This gambit is really nasty and it hurts me. Microsoft did it round the time of Win XP Starter Edition and now again the same blunder with Windows 7 Starter Edition .. ? Why Microsoft’s got to do this .. ?

I tried searching for the answer and I got one(a very clear and to-the-point answer) on the official blog of ‘The Windows Team’. You can follow it Here. The answer seems very difficult to gulp down the throat previously but I can’t afford to play FOUL with Microsoft and have to contemplate. Microsoft does acknowledge the limitations in Windows 7 Starter Edition and it also confesses that it’s for beginners especially Netbooks users who pre-dominantly are working over the browser. But if the constrains are not acceptable to them then they should better consider going for Windows 7 Home Premium as it offers way forward features than the Starter Edition. Not only this, Microsoft also intends to get the volume-licensing partners acknowledge this and follow suit.

Hmmm, JUSTICE seems to be done for the moment but will the people abide by Microsoft’s terms … ? That remains to be seen.

SIGNING OFF.

Guru says Lolz … !!!

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My above blog has invoked a lot of steam and hence it has reflected in the comments as well.

Click Here to read them.