SEATTLE (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp. (MSFT.O: Quote, Profile, Research), the world's largest software maker, prematurely posted information about its much-anticipated Windows Vista operating system on one of its Web sites, the company said on Tuesday.
Microsoft disclosed information about a plan to release eight different editions of the new operating system on a company help page that was under development. The company has not made any official statements about the different versions of Windows Vista it plans to offer.
The company has since taken down the Web site and declined to confirm the information and said it will offer more details about the Vista launch, targeted for the second half of 2006, in the coming weeks.
"Microsoft recently posted a web page designed to test the Windows Vista help system that included incomplete information about the Windows Vista product line up," a Microsoft spokesman said in a statement.
"This page has since been removed as it was posted prematurely and was for testing purposes only."
The five-year gap between the upcoming Vista launch and the current Windows XP marks the longest-ever gap between upgrades for Microsoft's flagship product and the company's largest cash cow.
Various media organization saw the Web site before it was taken down and reported that Microsoft plans to offer six primary editions of Vista and an additional two variations for Europe that do not include Windows Media Player to comply with the European Union's past antitrust rulings.
Included in those listed offerings was Windows Starter 2007, a stripped-down version for emerging markets to offer an alternative for pirated software. There was also a basic and premium edition for the home as well as versions for both businesses and large corporations, according to the reports.
The Web site also listed a high-end product named Windows Vista Ultimate that targets gamers and heavy multimedia users, reports said.
__________________
Quote:
"Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost." -- John Quincy Adams
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. and To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. and To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. and To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
and i thought three versions of XP was bad. Ya 3+ is way to many versions of the same OS. I thought Vista was going to remove the home/ business thing going on.
__________________
Sj-30->X30h->X50V->AT&T Tilt
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
I'd like to see the stripped down version... to see if the hardware requirements were less. For all that XP 'can' run 64mb, anything less than 256mb is painful and 1 gb is 'comfortable'.
I can see all the BS in Vista is going to want double all those numbers, unless MS did some performance tuning beyond what they normally do.
Oh well, ram is cheap and I still have 2 free slots...
__________________
Quote:
"Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost." -- John Quincy Adams
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. and To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. and To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. and To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
meh... if it's severely crippled or missing good features, i don't see how a stripped down version will combat piracy... afterall, pirates will be pirates.
I found a copy of one of the articles that described the versions:
Quote:
FEBRUARY 20, 2006 (TECHWORLD.COM) - Over the weekend, Microsoft posted information about the six editions of Windows Vista is plans to offer -- only to remove the information from its Web site a day later, saying it has yet to make a final decision.
Information posted on the Microsoft Web site revealed that the company is planning six basic editions of Vista, plus two more "N" versions, which don't bundle Windows Media Player -- a decision that would keep it in compliance with European Union (EU) anti-trust sanctions.
Two of the editions correspond roughly to Windows XP Home Edition and XP Pro, with an extra Home edition bundling Media Center features, two more enterprise-oriented editions with extra features, and a stripped-down version without Vista's graphics or 64-bit capabilities.
Today Microsoft said the information was incomplete and had been posted "prematurely," for "testing purposes."
According to the removed information, Windows Starter 2007 is the most basic version, doesn't use the Vista branding because it doesn't include Vista's Aero graphics system and will only ship in a 32-bit version. This may correspond to the currently offered Windows XP Starter Edition, which sells more cheaply than other versions of XP, and is aimed at developing countries.
Windows Vista Home Basic is aimed at single-PC homes and is the most basic version of Vista. Home Basic N is the same, but without Media Player. Vista Home Premium adds Media Center and Media Center Extender functionality, including support for Cable Card.
Windows Vista Business is the most basic professional edition, with Business N removing Media Player. Vista Enterprise adds features such as Virtual PC, multi-language user interface and "Cornerstone" technologies -- Secure Startup and full volume encryption. Vista Ultimate adds still more as yet undisclosed features.
Microsoft has previously said it would create an Enterprise edition specifically for subscribers to its unpopular Software Assurance licensing plan. The company has also previously said it would roll Media Center features into other editions.
Industry watchers have also expected the company to offer a version aimed at small businesses, something omitted from the briefly published lineup.
Vista is due to ship by the end of the year.
__________________
Quote:
"Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost." -- John Quincy Adams
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. and To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. and To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. and To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
I've been looking at Media Center PCs. Maybe I better wait until this comes out later this year so I don't have to turn around and updrade 6 months after buying a new PC. My Dimension desktop will be 3 years old in August. By far the longest I've ever used a PC in my home because I am a technology junkie!
__________________
Tonya :cheers:
_________________________
Axim X51 520 Mhz
Windows Mobile Version 5.0
ROM Version A05
Belkin Cordovan Case
Sandisk 512MB CF Card
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Just another attempt at making more money by renaming the same product, and saying that it does different things for you. They would love for you to have to buy 4 or 5 computers to do all that you need to do.
Chuck
I am a multi-tasking person that uses my computer to do everything. And I do a lot of things at the same time on a single computer; that is why that I get a very powerful machine. I do not wish to waste electricity by having a lot of small machines that can do only a few things or a single process. Yes I can see that if you only need a small subset of something then that is the way to go. But do not make us buy a bunch of hardware to do what can been done on a single piece of hardware. I do not care if I have to pay extra for the OS to get it all but make that an option.
Follow Us
RSS Feed
Follow on Twitter
Facebook
YouTube
