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Windows 7 Starter discards three-app limit
After receiving a fair share of negative criticism, Microsoft has announced that it will remove the three-application limit which plagued the Windows 7 Starter edition. As reported previously, the Starter edition will primarily be targeting the netbook sector. A post on the Windows Team Blog added that the company believes the changes will amplify interest in those who want a “small notebook PC” for the essentials such as checking email and web browsing.
Nevertheless, Windows 7 Starter will still lack a significant breadth of features present in the mainstream 7 editions. Among them are the Aero Glass interface, DVD playback, Windows Media Center, Remote Media Streaming, XP Mode, and even the ability to change your desktop background image or window colors. Given the rising consumption of netbooks, their prices and feature-sets are transcending the previously distinct netbook/notebook border. Among other advances, with the introduction of Nvidia Ion netbooks, 1080p playback will be possible.
The limitations shouldn’t be a burden if you don’t rely on your netbook in the way that most would a desktop. In retrospect, though, I have seen positive reports from users running the Release Candidate on their netbooks, so upgrading from Starter should be an option if you’re feeling smothered.
Nevertheless, Windows 7 Starter will still lack a significant breadth of features present in the mainstream 7 editions. Among them are the Aero Glass interface, DVD playback, Windows Media Center, Remote Media Streaming, XP Mode, and even the ability to change your desktop background image or window colors. Given the rising consumption of netbooks, their prices and feature-sets are transcending the previously distinct netbook/notebook border. Among other advances, with the introduction of Nvidia Ion netbooks, 1080p playback will be possible.
The limitations shouldn’t be a burden if you don’t rely on your netbook in the way that most would a desktop. In retrospect, though, I have seen positive reports from users running the Release Candidate on their netbooks, so upgrading from Starter should be an option if you’re feeling smothered.
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User Comments (15)
Post a comment| onearmedscissor on May 30, 2009 4:47 PM | MS' not so clever way to escape selling a cheaper OS with every netbook... What an improvement over fully functional XP! You sure fooled me! |
| Matthew on May 30, 2009 5:13 PM | Heh, what, do you really *need* to change your desktop background? Sacrifice a little, meet them half way... |
| mrturtle on May 30, 2009 7:45 PM | Expect to see Micro$ starter edition 3 app limit with a $100 dollar upgrade Micro$ starter edition plus. |
| Guest on May 30, 2009 8:39 PM | ill stick with windows xp "full version" in netbooks or install 7 full version, microsoft are gonna loose costumers making windows 7 crippled in netbooks. People will stick to win xp home edition. |
| SNGX1275 on May 30, 2009 8:42 PM | For netbooks even a novice user should be able to get by with linux on there. |
| 9Nails on May 31, 2009 10:13 AM | I'll take a fully functioning Linux over that mess. The things that get me are the no DVD playback and no changing the desktop. Seven Starter sounds like an even more crippled version of Windows Mobile 6. I suppose you could always playback DVD's through 3rd party software, but this approach seems a step backwards by striping that function out of the OS media player. |
| TD_Baker on May 31, 2009 1:16 PM | If i had to choose a netbook with Windows 7 Starter Edition or XP, I would choose XP all the way based on the features you get in addition probably even more affordable then 7 SE. |
| JDoors on May 31, 2009 2:59 PM | As the commonly used "netbook" definition becomes less and less relevant (they've all been upgraded to the point where they are small "notebooks" instead), so will the issue of what Windows Starter Edition does or does not include (since Windows 7 will be installed anyway). Why the AVERAGE user would want Windows Starter Edition and the limited hardware it was designed for is beyond me. If you just want the cheapest product available, don't complain when it doesn't include the kitchen sink. |
| SNGX1275 on May 31, 2009 6:10 PM | As the commonly used "netbook" definition becomes less and less relevant (they've all been upgraded to the point where they are small "notebooks" instead),... It is still relavent. They are incredibly weak, and you'd be foolish to try and do anything beyond simple web browsing, document writing, email, and maybe chat. Perhaps when more of them get the Via Nano processor over the Atom they'll be slightly better, or with the nvidia ion chipset with the Atom. But a $400 regular size laptop will destroy any netbook in every imaginable performance test.
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| raybay on May 31, 2009 6:20 PM | Linux for those who can handle it. WXPH or WXPP for the rest. For our work with older people, VISTA has been an absolute disaster, and we don't see a lot of improvement with Windows 7. To cut people out of Windows XP just because they want to sell something new is simply greed, and wrong-headed. |
| Guest on June 1, 2009 12:20 AM | Do you even have one? I upgraded my $280 ubuntu sylvania g meso to a 320 gb / 2gb sp 3 machine for > $100. It is very functional (movies etc.) most laptops lack major graphic capability anyway. |
| SNGX1275 on June 1, 2009 9:33 AM | No I don't have one, and won't buy one until they are better. You can argue all you want about how great it is, and I'm sure its fine for simple stuff. I stand by everything I said above, its still a weak computer and either of these 2 for around what you have in yours would absolutely destroy it in everything except size/weight: http://dealnews.com/Compaq-Presario-AMD-Dual-Core-2-GHz-16-Laptop-for-400-after-rebate-free-shipping/299634.html http://dealnews.com/Dell-Inspiron-15-Intel-Dual-Core-2-GHz-16-Laptop-for-374-29-s-h/299125.html |
| captaincranky on June 1, 2009 12:20 PM | Not to mention that the screen resolution of the Compac is 1366 X 768. Many of the netbooks I've seen, have all the screen resolution of a digital photo frame. I considered buying a netbook so that I could show my photos around, but when I found out about the screen resolution, I'll wait and go for a full size notebook! |
| SNGX1275 on June 1, 2009 7:04 PM | Screen resolution is pretty bad, and thats disappointing, I have a 3rd gen iPod Nano (fattie) with a 2.2" x 1.5" screen or something pretty small like that and a 320x240 resolution. So its entirely possible to make small screens with decent resolution, we don't need the pixel density of the Nano or anything, just something a little better, such as 1366x768. Then on top of that you have the Intel Atom processor which I don't think Intel ever intended to actually be used in a normal computer/laptop. Its just that Windows XP will run on very low end processors because it came out in 2001 (right?). So it ran on slow processors then, it will run on the Atom then, but that doesn't mean Intel intended for it to do that, but they aren't going to tell companies not to use their processor in a netbook so it was done. The Via Nano I mentioned fixes some of that by being quite a bit better in performance, but the tradeoff right now is power consumption, although the Nano may be able to fix that in the future. Although, if the Atom is paired with nvidia's Ion that may limit the amount of inroads into the netbook market that Via will have. So fix the processor issue by using a better solution, and up the screen resolution, and then I'll strongly consider buying one to replace my aging Powerbook G4. |
| T77 on June 25, 2009 4:47 AM | THE AERO IS FINE,BUT NOT BEING ABLE CHANGE THE DESKTOP IMAGE IS RIDICULOUS! WIN 7 SALES CAN GO DOWN. BETTER GO THE LINUX WAY! |
