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Microsoft Vista Info Leaked
slashnutt writes to tell us Yahoo News is reporting that Microsoft accidentally released information about Windows Vista earlier than originally planned. From the article: "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 spokesman said in a statement 'This page has since been removed as it was posted prematurely and was for testing purposes only.'"
Windows Vista Starter (designed to combat piracy of Windows overseas; probably won't go on sale in US)
Windows Vista Home Basic
Windows Vista Home Premium
Windows Vista Business Basic
Windows Vista Business Premium
Windows Vista Corporate Basic
Windows Vista Corporate Premium
Windows Vista Ultimate
While I'd really like to believe otherwise, I cannot help but think that this will turn into a nightmare for application support. The ones that worry the most are the two at either end of the line: Starter and Ultimate. Will you need Ultimate to run top-of-the-line games or use top-of-the-line hardware? Will people with Starter not be able to use your program because they're missing certain functionality? Will you be able to burn DVDs with Home Basic, or does that functionality only come with Premium and Ultimate?
Sure, each version will be tailored to that particular end user's most likely needs. You can bet, however, that there'll be all sorts of "incentives" to bump yourself up to the next level of functionality in the form of "well, that functionality only comes with version X"...
Obliteracy: Words with explosions
Too bad Microsoft didn't put Allah on the page. Then Yahoo would be censoring this report too.
There will be several different versions such as Windows Vista Red and Blue. They are all pretty much the same, but if you want to complete the game you'll need some friends with the other versions, and some link cables.
My Greatest Heist - Muisc partly inspired by the unbeatable Qwantz
'This page has since been removed as it was posted prematurely and was for testing purposes only.'"
Testing what, the waters?
-- Alastair
I'm sorry to hear that Microsoft is the latest sufferer of this common problem. I'd like to help them out; I get a number of advertisements in my inbox each day offering various treatments for premature release. Perhaps someone can forward these emails to Microsoft?
From the MS spokesman: "We are known for giving our users choice, this is what's great about capitalism!"
Someday we'll look fondly upon the days when you could just ask if someone is running "98" or "XP," maybe with "SP2." Very soon the abbreviations alone will take up several alphabets.
Slashdot Burying Stories About Slashdot Media Owned
http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/19/which-windows-
"Windows Starter 2007 - Vista without Aero, probably meant for developing nations.
Windows Vista Home Basic - Basic Windows Vista for your single PC fam, doesn't sound like much going on here. Analagous to XP Home.
Windows Vista Home Basic N - European version of the same, but without Media Player (because of antitrust rulings against MS in the EU).
Windows Vista Home Premium - This is the one we're all probably gonna own. It's got Media Center functionality, Cable Card support, the whole home-media shebang.
Windows Vista Business - Think of it as XP Pro, but Vista.
Windows Vista Business N - Think of it as XP Pro, but Vista, but Euro.
Windows Vista Enterprise - Business version of Vista with numerous enterprise features, like Virtual PC, volume encryption, etc.
Windows Vista Ultimate - Love that name. This one does all of the above (and more); what else do you need to know? It's ultimate Windows.."
More choices are rarely a bad idea. I dislike bundled crapola that I'll never need or want.
It's true, but none of those thousands of versions of linux are intentionaly crippled. Ops. No you cannot run a 'server' with this version or no you can not setup this or that without the premium version.
:-D
Sure, Linux is still strugling with the packaging since there is no standard. But it is getting better and better, everyday.
[]'s Victor Bogado da Silva Lins
^[:wq
I like the comment that was made on Blue's News about the Vista line when the story first broke.
Vista DOS
Vista WFW
Vista 95
Vista 98
Vista ME
Vista XP
Vista la Vista
Cheap shot even by Slashdot standards, I know.
EvilCON - Made Famous by
I found a pretty good analysis of the various editions.
And, once I have a version I like. I don't have to fork out another $400 just because I decide to upgrade my motherboard.
And a lot of the so-called 4000 versions of Linux are specific versions that people have built for their preferred application. An example would be my netboot CD that allows net-booting Knoppix from a CD -- which I designed so that I can give students in a classroom their own Linux box (without touching their hard drives), and also a way to do semi-automated backups and restore for public Windows boxes.
That's something that I (as a hobbyist) could never create with Windows (much less distribute).
Free Software: Like love, it grows best when given away.
Actually, it isn't true. "Linux" is the kernel, which is now available in two versions: 2.4 and 2.6 (and all prior versions of course). There are many distributions, but they all use one of those two kernels.
And I've got a bridge you really need to look at.
Seriously, Voxel even specified "distributions". You are discussing kernel versions a completely different topic.
Jesus Fucking Christ man. Don't be such a zealot that you can't comprehend a valid point in opposition to your cherished perspective.
anon so the fan boys don't slit my karma's throat
(;-{)}
bamph
>> "anon so the fan boys don't slit my karma's throat"
;)
Just mildly anonymous, eh?
Cheers,
Bill
bamph
Jesus fucking christ, don't be so ignorant. The only limitation to a Linux installation is the kernel. Anything else can be added without even rebooting.
But that's besides the point. The point is that there is no company or other entity telling someone what they can and can't do with their Linux installation just because they didn't pay enough money. Unlike this case with Windows where people will have to make trade offs between how much they want to spend and what they want to do with their OS.
So complaining and comparing the many Linux distros to these 8 Windows versions is fucking retarded. I can choose any of the top 8 Linux distros and be able to do anything in the Linux world easily.
But if I choose the budget version of Windows and find that it won't let me do something, well then I'm shit out of luck.
it terminates your license and removes your computers hard drive with a 12 guage. It's then known as "Hasta-la-VISTA", babee.
Soko
"Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm." - Anonymous
Its not so retarded. Imagine you are a decision maker. Do you roll your own distribution? Or choose one off the shelf? If so which one? The guys argument may not have been delicately articulated, but its still a valid point. "Linux advocates" can hardly make negative comment about MS product range when in the Linux world the choice is even broader. Whether more choice is bad, or product ranges having missing features is a discussion on value which Linux may well win in terms of price/features (I mean how do you beat free? if not for total cost of onwership) is another matter. But he is right. I too would rather for general office automation at work choose an XP flavour from 8, than a Linux distribution from many many more (even if there are only a handful of serious choices)
So either you are misinformed, lying, or intentionally spreading FUD.
If you don't know where you are going, you will wind up somewhere else.
Likewise, I'll bet all 8 versions of Vista use the same "kernel". It's not the kernel that makes things work or not work (for the most part), it's the user-level software on top.
-- Your comment has too few characters per line (currently 8.2).
The 'N' versions of Windows (Europe-only) will be simply ignored by the vast majority of buyers and retailers. Some retailers (maybe most) will not even stock the 'N' versions. Source:
Vista Enterprise Edition will only be available through volume licensing, so retail buyers won't see this version either. The IT folks who can buy Enterprise Edition are knowledgable enough not to be confused.So far, that leaves:
Since Vista Ultimate Edition is probably only for the uber-geek, most retail buyers will probably only need to choose from three versions: (1) Home Basic, (2) Home Premium, and (3) Business. For buyers of Windows PCs, that choice is similar today: XP Home, XP Media Center Edition, and XP Pro.TO START
PRESS ANY KEY
Where's the 'ANY' key? I see Esk, Kitarl, and Pig-Up...
Well, what you say is more understandable. But still, it doesn't take much research to learn that if you need to pick a distro for a company you can't really go wrong with Redhat or SUSE.
But really, saying that there's too many Linux distros isn't what gets zealots like me all in a knot. What is really irritating about these Windows versions is that capability was taken out of some versions on purpose. Instead of making the product better, some "developers" have been paid to actaully make the product worse. Such insanity would never happen in the open source world. If I pick the 'wrong' distro at least it's functionality isn't being limited on purpose.
There are always trade-offs.
Red Hat dropped out of the consumer market. Linspire is anchored there.
The uber-Geek might be able to bend any randomly chosen Linux distro to his will. The reality is that most of us have to make choices.
Choices in hardware. Choices in software. Choices in technical support.
Time and money.
"The WPA system checks ten categories of hardware:
* Display Adapter
* SCSI Adapter
* IDE Adapter (effectively the motherboard)
* Network Adapter (NIC) and its MAC Address
* RAM Amount Range (i.e., 0-64mb, 64-128mb, etc.)
* Processor Type
* Processor Serial Number
* Hard Drive Device
* Hard Drive Volume Serial Number (VSN)
* CD-ROM / CD-RW / DVD-ROM
It then calculates and records a number based on the first device of each type that was found during setup, and stores this number on your hard drive. Initially, this is sent to Microsoft in an automatic dial-up, together with the Product ID number derived from the 25-character unique Product Key used in setting up Windows.
If Service Pack 1 has been installed, the entire Product Key is also transmitted: This can then be checked against a list of known pirated keys
The hardware is checked each time Windows boots, to ensure that it is still on the same machine. Also, if you subsequently perform a complete format and reinstall of Windows, Microsoft's activation center will have to be contacted again because the information held on the machine itself (the number previously written to your hard drive) will have been wiped out by reformatting the hard drive. If your hardware is substantially the same, this will be done by an automated call without your needing to talk to anyone.
What does 'substantially the same' mean? WPA asks for 'votes' from each of these ten categories: 'Is the same device still around, or has there never been one?' Seven Yes votes means all is well -- and a NIC, present originally and not changed, counts for three yes votes! Minor cards, like sound cards, don't come into the mix at all. If you keep the motherboard, with the same amount of RAM and processor, and an always present cheap NIC (available for $10 or less), you can change everything else as much as you like.
If you change the device in any category, you have lost that Yes vote -- but will not lose it any more thereafter if you make changes in that category again. So, for example, you can install a new video display card every month for as long as you like.
Note that it appears that if you boot with a device disabled (disabled -- not removed), the device is not found in the enumeration -- so if, say, you disable a network connection which uses the NIC and then reboot, you may be missing its three votes and find that a new activation is needed."
http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.php