Is Microsoft prepping a Windows 7 SKU specifically for Netbooks? (Update: Yes. Yes, they are)

I actually think it's quite a good idea. I'm against the "lots of SKUs" idea, but one like this, with a very clear cut purpose and target hardware market makes good sense.

I thought Home Basic was supposed to be the dumbed down version. And why do we even need a dumbed down version for netbooks. I was running Windows 7 Ultimate perfectly fine on my Asus EEE PC. The only reason to create a dumbed down version is so that it will be cheaper - but I guess that is the point for netbooks.

This might be pie-in-the-sky but how about having only 1 SKU that allows the user to select and install an appropriate version of Windows 7. The installer might examine the components of the computer and recommend a version but the user would be free to pick whatever version they want. The selections might be "Netbook", "Home Lite", "Home Premium", "Business" and "Ultimate".

Netbook version... so will that be Netbook 32 bit or 64 bit? Pro or standard?.... when will all the versions end? Go back to basics MS. One 32 and one 64 bit versions. Let us, your consumers, choose what we want to install. Don't make the choices for us.

rkbrente: The Windows DVD already has all versions on it. You select the version and provide the appropriate product key. From a testing and support perspective, I'm sure Microsoft would love nothing better than to ship only one version of Windows. However, the reality is that they need to have multiple pricing tiers so that PC vendors can manipulate the price of their machines depending on who they're marketing it to. That why most bare-bones machines only come with Vista Home Basic - to get the total price as low as possible. The incentive to create a Netbook SKU has nothing to do with the performance specs of the machine and everything to do with giving netbook vendors a cheaper option to install Windows 7. It's in Microsoft's best interests to do this because they need every PC maker to ship Windows with their machines.

Well maybe Microsoft is planning to ship this "Windows 7 Netbook edition" only on netbooks and not as an actually SKU. Or maybe the smarter thing for MS to do would we to label Netbooks to run "Windows 7 Home" and quietly make it a lighter version.

And it will cost more than the regular Win 7 because as everybody knows, more is less !

BTW: Don't you people know how to drive in winter weather?: http://failblog.org/2008/07/22/snow-driving-fail/ LOL!

As for netbooks, all I think Microsoft is doing is making sure that base OS runs smoothly and knows how to take full advantage of such things like SSDs. It probably wouldn't be a bad idea to use the system's performance index rating to recommend turning off certain services and/or warning users who try to turn on various services. I think reducing the retail price of Windows should be more of a priority than reducing the # of skus. That I believe will do more than anything else to convert XP hold overs. And if there is one sku to get rid of, its "Basic". Personally, I'd like to see the "Ultimate" stick around. Thats right, I said it. But none of this "Ultimate Extras" bogusness. I want "Ultimate" to mean value...turn it into a 3 licensed family pack like the very successful Office Student/Home. Here is the retail pricing I'd like to see for Windows 7... $99 Windows 7 - 1 computer license $149 Windows 7 Business - 1 business license (includes Media Center, etc) $229 Windows 7 Ultimate - 3 license family pack

"BTW: Don't you people know how to drive in winter weather?: failblog.org/.../snow-driving-fail LOL!" That's hysterical! Some people really know how to drive on snow though http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=6L-lOwTnyDw

What is okay for Linux to have more distros than Baskin Robbins has flavors of ice cream but some how 6 or so Windows desktop SKUs is confusing? This makes sense from a pricing point as the netbook licenses are going to cost less. No Media Center or tablet ability, no domain ability, no IIIS, basically the same thing that Vista Basic. Keep Areo, all netbooks can handle it now.

tablet PC functions are turned on for all Vista machines by default. that is stupid. the thing should be a separate download like Mobile Device Center for those who have the hardware. Hope they don't do that in Win7. Media Center is not for netbooks. those are single core PCs, underpowered for WMC. the result is sloooow user interface and several background services running (like network sharing, schedule updating, content refreshing ....) Windows DVD Maker should be part of Live Essentials. Download-able like the rest of it. Netbook do not have optical drives and corporate systems do not have burners (for security reasons)

"I hope Wae makes a boat load of money selling Win 7 Netbooks" NOBODY makes boatloads of money selling netbooks. "This makes sense from a pricing point as the netbook licenses are going to cost less. No Media Center or tablet ability, no domain ability, no IIIS, basically the same thing that Vista Basic." I want Media Center on my netbook, and there are lines being blurred between the conventional "netbook" and new Atom-based UMPC's, so Tablet PC functionality is necessary for those new devices. "tablet PC functions are turned on for all Vista machines by default. that is stupid." No, it's not included in Home Basic. UMPC's were designed for consumers, while Tablet PC's have been used primarily by the business market, hence, Windows Vista needs to have Tablet PC functionality in both versions. "Media Center is not for netbooks. those are single core PCs, underpowered for WMC. the result is sloooow user interface and several background services running (like network sharing, schedule updating, content refreshing ....)" The basic interface is NOT slow on Atom processor based systems with the GMA 950, and the GMA 500 is faster. I'd want to be able to stream media back and forth between my netbook and other devices in my home. A small netbook can turn into today's version of the portable DVD player from a few years back, only with many more types of multimedia. "Keep Aero, all netbooks can handle it now." Not so. AFAIK, Intel still hasn't released compatible GMA 500 drivers that enable Aero in Windows 7. The Vista drivers don't work in 7 - the drivers only enable Aero in Vista. "Windows DVD Maker should be part of Live Essentials. Download-able like the rest of it. Netbook do not have optical drives and corporate systems do not have burners (for security reasons)" I would agree with that, but it's probably something to do with licensing. With the disc burning options in Vista, the only program I find I have a need for is CloneCD, for doing duplicates, or ripping ISO's of discs. Windows 7 now has ISO burning though, so I don't even need CloneCD for that. Windows Vista covers all the other bases.

Oh! Now it makes sense why waethorn is such a fanboy. He pushes the stuff on to unsuspecting customers, the kind (Windows users) that don't know any better.

Heeeeeeere's robertsjoe! Back with his nonsensical posts again. Typical troll and Apple fanboy.

maybe this is more 'marketing hype' to keep people talking about windows 7 ... it's working... and most of the reviews are positive... will be interesting to see the final outcome on the SKUs. personally i hope they do a multi-user home licence... i'm sure people install more than one copy at home anyway so would make it more legit i guess.