The mystery of the 3 app limit in Windows 7 Starter

On the Explorer bit: If it's like previous versions of Windows, the explorer is always running in the background and opening a new window would only run upon that process unless you change the option to run new windows in a new instance of the process.

Master3: I'm running 7057 on an HP Mini 1030nr, so it's perfectly possible. The sad thing is some of the Aero effects work better than my full sized HP dv9000. But yes, at neast my netbook is capable of 7 eather easily.

@yipcanjo Naturally Aero is left out to make the more expensive versions more attractive. Doh!

So, yes, not having Aero is a bigger issue for me as well, actually. Should have mentioned this. I've gotten the following reply, anonymously, about this limit: Some built-in apps are excluded from the 3 app limit. You can also work around it by launching apps like this from the command prompt: C:\> write & "x:\path\to\app1" & "x:\path\to\app2" ... & "x:\path\to\appN" Note: 'write' should be first in the list. Apps launched from within another application (installers, for e.g.) do not count towards this limit. Apps launched from the system notification area (system tray) do not count towards this limit. These exclusions to the 3 apps limit are for compatibility reasons. Hope this helps, --Paul

Unless they can make Aero usable on a GMA 500 by making it a) perform decently, unlike in Vista where Vista recommends to turn it off for performance reasons, and b) actually write compatible drivers for it in Windows 7 (the Vista drivers don't support Aero in 7), then it's really pointless to have Home Premium for netbooks. Intel is increasing the speed of the Z series processors but the N series are stagnating, so it seems that they are trying to push netbook makers to use the MID-class CPU's instead. The Z series are only sold with the Paulsbo chipset (US15W, which includes the GMA 500 DX10.1 graphics). If they can't make Aero work well on it, then Intel should just give up on making chipsets for the Atom and hand that business over to NVIDIA. Don't get me wrong. I'm hoping that Intel can get their act together and improve the performance of Aero on the GMA 500, but right now it doesn't work in 7 (I haven't tried the latest builds myself), and in Windows Vista, the performance is pathetic on these chips with Aero enabled. The Atom processor isn't fast enough for HD video or whathaveyou. As much as I'd like to use Windows Media Center on a netbook (touch-based would be ideal), it's just not a possibility at this point. Starter is looking attractive for underpowered netbooks due to restrictions in the hardware. I'd like to see someone create a shell overlay for Starter to make it more appliance-like for launching apps, similar to the netbook versions of Linux. Except that it's Windows. I always thought that the Origami launcher app would be a good front end for netbooks, especially considering it integrates media access into the same program.

Here's the Origami Experience: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/umpc/demo.mspx A couple of notes: 1) it scales well on low-resolution screens 2) it doesn't require that Aero be turned on (checked on Vista Business with Aero turned off) 3) the browser is wicked sweet (it supports drag-to-scroll) 4) it doesn't require touch input 5) it's customizable for adding programs to the launcher 6) it works like a stripped-down version of Media Center 7) it supports RSS feeds in an integrated reader app 8) it supports it's own gadgets for time, and weather, etc. 9) it's awesome 10) i haven't tried it on Vista Starter, or any version of 7 yet

I could put an inexpensive Windows 7 based netbook to use. The thing is, I need touch support. It doesn't have to be *multi* touch though. Hopefully, Microsoft can put a stripped down touch capability into the final starter/home editions.

"The thing is, I need touch support. It doesn't have to be *multi* touch though." Why not look at some of these ultra-cheap Linux-based touch MID devices from Asia and load Windows 7 + Origami on it? There was one that was sold in China or Hong Kong or whatever, and it was a tablet form factor with touch Linux MID with an Atom processor. I don't remember the name of the device or company, but I remember the website had a lot of purple on it. Can anybody help identify it? Update: Origami Experience 2.0 works on Windows 7 Ultimate 7000 in Virtual PC, meaning that you don't need Vista for it to work, nor do you need Aero on 7. It even works surprisingly well in a 512MB envelope. One thing I've noticed is that Mobility Center is that the battery icon links to Mobility Center, so if your netbook/notebook/MID/whatever doesn't have a Windows version that supports it, that icon gives an error saying that Mobility Center is only for Mobile PC's.

This 3 app limit in Windows 7 Starter edition really stumps me. My biggest question? Why? There's no edition of Linux and OS-X doesn't do this. Can't people figure out when you've got too many things running that your PC slows to a crawl? Now I could understand if it was 6 or 7 app limit. But three? I can run past 3 apps in my daily usage. I'm sure this is true of many other users world wide. Its just an annoying feature that will definitely come back to haunt Microsoft. As I've stated before, my brother is currently testing Windows 7 on an 2003/2004 era XP hardware. 2 Ghz Intel Pentium 4 single core processor, 1 GB of Ram, 256 MB graphics card on AGP, & 120 GB hard drive. Not that far from what an Atom processor based nettop uses. It manages to run Windows 7 Ultimate just fine. There's really no need for such a restriction. By the time the 1st Windows 7 nettops make it to market, I'm sure the first dual core atom processors and single cores will break the 2 GB barrier. Even a 1.6 dual core atom would be able to manage any version of Windows 7 without being restricted to 3. I'm assuming that the first wave of nettops with Windows 7 on board will probably be in 2010. I'm also assuming that the 2009 nettops will just get the free upgrade option. This is really a bad decision and I hope MIcrosoft changes that before the backlash happens.

@sub: Nettops and netbooks are vastly different. Nettops have dual-core and x64. Netbooks generally don't. There's a huge performance difference there. A lot of the industry is also shifting into MID's with limited RAM, and as I mentioned, many companies are using the (even-slower) Z series Atom CPU's in their designs. The Starter edition will be targetted to a new class of MID's and ultra-small netbooks that will look like oversized PDA's and pocketable laptops. They just don't have the processing power to multitask that well. Even with Hyperthreading, the Atom Z series are woefully slow compared to the apt Atom 330, and even then, the 330 can't do HD video with only the Intel-approved 945 chipset. I wish I could say I was surprised by this, but it's the truth, and I kind of saw it coming. The Atom for MID's just isn't designed for multitasking - they're designed for rich handheld internet-connected devices with light workloads. If it makes it easier to understand, take an iPhone and then boost it JUST ENOUGH to allow it to run Windows, but with the synthetic software restrictions that Apple places on the platform. The best processor option that would fit into a device of that type would be an Atom Z series, and you wouldn't be able to run much else on it except for the limited multimedia support and some low-resolution mobile apps that aren't designed for any real productivity. That's the market that the Atom Z series fits into. And netbook makers still want to use it. Intel also isn't giving anybody any good hints about the platforms, since the N series are stagnating. They recently released info about new Z series clock speeds though, which is tempting for netbook manufacturers.

Letting robertsjoe post: even dumber

@waethorn: Come on! You're telling me that adding an almost worthless edition, like Starter, is a smart move? I don't think so. Not at all.

My guess is that the three-app limit isn't driven by technical limitations at all; rather, the limit is the result of a strategic decision to enable further market segmentation. In other words, it's a way to sell copies of Windows to consumers who aren't willing to pay the higher price required for the other SKUs.

Another dumb Microsoft video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsMFyo8DWs4 They are so great at producing crap videos and ads, it's astonishing.

"I don't think" That explains it all robertsjoe.

"I don't think" Yes I see you're doing more of that lately. "Perfect for users who want to know what it feels like to be @#$!%ed over, and yet not be satisfied." Oh so they ARE selling OS X now. Why bother buying that from Microsoft, when they can just go and buy a Mac.