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Average User Only Runs 2 Apps, So Microsoft Will Charge For More

Barence writes "Microsoft's decision to limit Windows 7 Starter Edition to running only three concurrent applications could force up the price of netbooks as many manufacturers opt for the more expensive Home Premium. The three-app rule includes applications running in the background but excludes antivirus, and the company claims most users wouldn't be affected by the limit. 'We ran a study which suggested that the average consumer has open just over two applications [at any time]. We would expect the limit of three applications wouldn't affect very many people.' However, Microsoft told journalists at last year's Professional Developers Conference that 70% of Windows users have between eight and 15 windows open at any one time."

10 of 842 comments (clear)

  1. Ya sure ya want to know? by dazedNconfuzed · · Score: 3, Informative

    Carrie Fisher just released her autobiography "Wishful Drinking". The cover shows her, as Princess Leia, nearly passed out with martini glass in hand and pills nearby.

    Don't think she'll be saving us from the Empire this time around.

    --
    Can we get a "-1 Wrong" moderation option?
  2. Re:To Err is Human--to Persist is Microsoft? by urbanriot · · Score: 4, Informative

    This is an anti-Microsoft Slashdot posting. It does not require citations or proof!

  3. What are the news? by vshade · · Score: 5, Informative

    Here in Brazil we have starter editions since before Vista, and the xp starter was even more crippled, it didn't allowed resoltions greater than 1024x768, and even though there were computers with this windows and 17" lcd monitors, wich have a native resoltion of 1280x1024, forcing everyone who bought those to have a blurred screen

  4. Re:To Err is Human--to Persist is Microsoft? by Darundal · · Score: 3, Informative

    Starter was meant to run on lower-spec machines than the full version. The 3-app limit was meant as much as a measure to ensure performance (by not bogging the system down) as it was as an actual marketing technique to make other versions of Windows more populer. Starter is probably going to end up in netbooks (cheap low-spec laptops) worldwide.

  5. Re:Just reset your clock by plague3106 · · Score: 3, Informative

    Are you sure? I had 3.11, and I thought you still needed Trump Winsock to get internet connectivty.

  6. Re:Just reset your clock by cbiltcliffe · · Score: 4, Informative

    Windows 3.11 and Windows for Workgroups 3.11 were two different products.

    Probably different in the same way that XP Home and XP Pro are different, but they were definitely different.

    --
    "City hall" in German is "Rathaus" Kinda explains a few things......
  7. Re:To Err is Human--to Persist is Microsoft? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    You fail: A visit to any 'emerging market' Internet cafe will tell you that for the youth of the developing world, it's all about communication. AIM, Skype, Yahoo Messenger, and yes, even e-mail, and on a regular basis.

  8. Re:Just reset your clock by Tony+Hoyle · · Score: 3, Informative

    WfW didn't come with a TCP/IP stack though it was all Netbeui... workgroup = local LAN, bascially. You downloaded the TCP/IP addon from microsoft research (it never left beta, but was pretty stable).

    If as was common then you were using dialup then you used Trumpet to handle it.

  9. Re:To Err is Human--to Persist is Microsoft? by Tony+Hoyle · · Score: 5, Informative

    On the contrary, emerging markets haven't got all our legacy infrastructure. They started with mobile phones, wifi and mobile data.. none of this digging holes in the ground crap. AIM/MSN & Skype are hugely popular.

  10. Re:To Err is Human--to Persist is Microsoft? by Tubal-Cain · · Score: 3, Informative

    1 MSN Messenger
    2 AOL AIM
    3 Yahoo! Chat

    You are probably right that they will likely run one of these and possibly two, but some people may stumble on Pidgin and use all three in one app.

    6 Facebook, MySpace, Blog (and who knows how many more open IE windows)

    IE is a single app.

    7 Perhaps Word to switch to when the parents walk in (I'm doing homework!)

    A wikipedia page on a vaguely school-related topic (history, most likely) could suffice.

    8 Maybe a game or two open (nothing heavy, but something)

    "Nothing heavy" likely would mean a browser-based flash game. In the already-running IE.

    9 E-mail (Thunderbird, OE, etc)

    Again, open in IE. Most people don't use a standalone email client outside of work.

    10 Video Chat window

    May be mergable with the IM apps.

    Anything else I'm missing?

    Like jonbryce said, a media player. Likely iTunes.
    Also, ATI/nVidia/sound card taskbar apps.
    Google Desktop (and assorted apps such as Earth).
    Malware.