Windows Starter Edition on Netbooks Might Be Just Right
Image Credit: ZDNet
We’ve chatted about the Microsoft Windows 7 Starter Edition in the past: it’s the upcoming version of Windows 7 that is limited to run only three programs concurrently. James has said “no way, no how” for most folks, but I took a contrarian view in my commentary. Since I live in the browser, I think I could make do with this very limiting situation.
While we’ve had access to the Windows 7 beta for several months, neither of us was actually picked to test the Starter Edition. Ed Bott has, however, and he shares some useful hands-on feedback about how this three-application limit actually works. His summary likely puts it best:
“Ultimately, that’s the question that you’ll want to ask before considering Windows 7 Starter Edition as an option: Is this a netbook or a notebook? If the answer is netbook, you might be pleasantly surprised at what this low-powered OS can actually accomplish.”
That’s an excellent point on Ed’s part and it reiterates one of our mantras here: you need to define your mobile computing needs before you can decide which is the best tool for the task.
As far as the limitation and how it works, it’s not quite as limiting as you might think. James asked how anti-spyware counts in the three-app limit: Ed found that if your software runs as a service, it doesn’t count as one of the three. Some system utilities, gadgets, Control Panel applets and apps like Windows Explorer don’t count either. Multiple tabs in a browser only count as a single app, which makes sense as well.
Given that Starter Edition is rumored to cost as little as $15 for a license, this seems like a semi-reasonable way to use Windows 7 on a netbook for a low fee. And as Ed points out, the Windows Upgrade Anytime feature can be used if you keep bumping into the three-app limit too much. I actually tested that feature in beta and found it to be painless and quick: in about eight minutes, I was able to select, pay for and unlock a higher version of Windows 7. For some folks using a netbook for it’s originally intended usage, Starter Edition might be a good starting point after all.
with your permission …. it’s simply lauginh at this.
but the blogosphere on the marketing bandwagon of redmond’s fairy tellers …… in my humble opinion a user must be awfully stupid to follow this argument – least to pay for it.
I don’t think I’ve jumped “on the marketing bandwagon of redmond’s fairy tellers”. I haven’t spoken to anyone in Microsoft’s marketing area, for that matter.
I have learned more about how the Starter Edition limitation does and doesn’t work, which I find valuable. I’ve also thought about my own personal device usage and how it relates. For some silly reason, I find that approach to work much better than alleging folks are jumping on marketing bandwagons and then making blind decisions.
I too usually live in the browser, but there are times when I need to have some other programs open. This doesn’t happen often, but it does happen, so I am able to live with an Atom based netbook and the inherent slowdown.
Having said this, if Windows is going to charge me to have a full service version of their operating system, I should point out to them, I have many choices of operating systems which don’t charge a premium for multitasking; and, I can get to the net through any of them. In short, if Windows is going to set artificial limits on how I use their software, I can and will go elsewhere.
forgot to mention: the “more than 3 apps” example shown includes typically ms system only apps … smell it? not 3rd party apps.
I could see this working for me on a netbook, umpc or a mid. If Winows Starter Edition is 15 to 30 dollars per copy, I could live with these limitations. I don’t often have more than 1 or 2 apps open at the same time on my netbook.
On a more powerful computer, Starter Editon would be to limiting.
I could accept it if its that cheap consumer wise, but then how much is an upgrade to the standard version in (USD)?.
10 minutes.
That is about how long that edition will be out before there is some software on the internet to provide a workaround.
It will probably violate the EULA… which probably means they could do a variety of things to the OS.
Anyway if you’re smart enough to apply a hack you’re smart enough to install a pirated W7 Ultimate.
Either way this is probably great news to Intel who keeps insisting that netbooks can’t do anything except the surf the net.
Starter edition is really stupid. The people buying netbooks are trying to get a low cost laptop to do the basics. These same users are also less likely to understand this arbitrary limitation either before or after purchase.
Furthermore, power users are likely to balk at this idea even more.
Also, the point of a netbook is to have a smaller more portable notebook and make some performance compromises, but to have the full desktop potential. This arbitrary limit goes against that idea. Yes, you don’t get flashy graphics, but you still can run all your apps.
My guess is that this will show up on $300-400 netbooks and the upgrade fee will be $100-200. That cheap netbook you just bought is now quite a bit more expensive not including virus and malware protection (if you don’t go the free route).
To be honest, this would be a gift to apple. If this shows up on $400 netbooks (assuming a $200 upgrade fee), you can be almost sure Apple will release a $700-800 “netbook” with full blown iLife and OSX. Apple can’t compete at $400, but if MS does this, Apple will have commercials saying for the same price why compromise?
This probably also points to the fact that the netbook market is probably not sustainable with razor thin profit margins.
Have you tested this with Chrome?
The application shows as a single task, but each tab is it’s own process. I’m wondering which one counts… I would assume the task, but I have not tested this.
On my tablet [TC1100] I rarely have more than the browser open, so I can see this being acceptable as long as services are not counted.
Based on how I read Ed’s testing, Chrome with multiple tabs would only count as one application. I’m not able to test this as I have no access to the Starter Edition.
Kevin is correct. You can have as many instances of the Chrome.exe process as you like; collectively it counts as one program. The screen shot I show in my post shows a single Chrome icon, but there were actually six tabs open (and thus six Chrome.exe processes running).
Does Internet Explorer count as one of the three apps? I seem to recall a legal dispute a few years ago in which MS claimed that IE was an integral part of the Windows operating system, and not a separate application. I would expect them to abide by that, although I think MS lost the case, and rightly so.
I think the 3 app limit is going to prove to be far too confusing in practice. If Windows apps don’t count and services don’t count you’ll find a lot of people wondering which apps they need to close to drop below the limit.
Also, I think Vista Home Basic proved that people generally aren’t interested in Microsoft’s reasons for imposing limitations (even if it means the cost of the OS drops) and just expect to be able to do everything.
What an idiotic post. Trying to defend the 3 limit app that you can’t even explain yourself.
OK, let’s try something not so idiotic. Vote with your wallet and don’t buy Starter Edition.
Kevin, why subscribe to this artificial line that netbooks are only suitable for light tasks? They are more powerful than the full price laptops we were buying a few years ago! Their compromises come from form factor, not a lack of horsepower.
Fact is, Microsoft, Intel and other are terrified the Netbook will drive sales away from more expensive hardware, and so have been talking down the netbook as a real computer. However, instead of dealing with it by stepping up to the plate and delivering good value and an experience people are prepared to pay a premium for, they try and throttle the very bottom end of the market by putting artificial limits in. It’s akin to a mafia racket. And you can bet that the app limit will not be advertised in bold letters on the hardware’s box, but hidden away in the small print.
It will, of course, backfire. No-one will understand the limit, and they’ll blame Microsoft for their frustrations – which will drive adoption of other solutions. Such a shame, because I know from the beta that Windows 7 Ultimate runs REALLY well on a netbook, and could really turn their fortunes around.
David, I’ve owned and used netbooks every day since November of 2007 when the Eee PC first arrived on the scene. Never have I said they’re only suitable for light tasks. And since the days of the UMPC, I’ve always pushed the limit of my devices. The gist of what I said in the post is that *if* you plan to use a netbook for light tasks, the Starter Edition could work for you and offer some cost savings. Folks that want to do more than light tasks should use the right tool for the job and *not* buy Starter Edition.
Having said that, I understand your points on the business model. The problem is that Microsoft painted themselves in a corner with XP & the netbook craze; they’re now trying to find the most suitable business model that continues their cash stream.
I don’t think its idiotic at all. Thanks for the post. I think Kevin has some valid points. If nothing else its good to hear that its easy to upgrade windows mobile 7 and for that alone the post was worth reading. The real question is going to be price as I do agree that the starter I don’t think will be for me though I could be wrong.
Kevin,
I read Ed’s article yesterday, and I have to say that given the facts of how it interprets the 3-app count, it doesn’t seem completely unreasonable… especially since you could buy it up front with Starter Edition and use the “Anytime Upgrade” feature to step-up to a more-advanced version later for what I suspect will be considerably less.
If they’re smart Linux distro companies will take advantage of this arbitrary limit to gain market share in the netbook space. Apple should make a commercial about Starter Edition.
The problem is, Starter Edition – already targeted for a market that doesn’t require many of Windows’ strong points – is additionally crippled in a fashion that makes me wonder why people should even bother with it at all. When it comes to low-power, constrained equipment in extensively pre-configured environments, Linux seems to be viable even for consumer devices. Specifically for people who are, as you said yourself, living in the browser.
All of these discussions about Win7 (Starter or not) are presuming that what we’ve seen / been promised so far in Beta show up in Gold. And with Win7 being, by Microsoft’s own admission, not available until next year (and likely the stable SP1 fix another 6 months later), discussing its ‘features’ seems pointless. See Vista.
Microsoft is an OS player in netbooks only because so many of these devices came with such a poorly realized and supported Linux distro and users felt it “was better the devil they knew than the devil they didn’t.” XP is well past its sell-by date, but Microsoft is forced to keep it alive in order to sell anything at all.
But millions of netbooks running XP will be sold by the time Win7 shows up and by then the users of these devices will expect and demand that the OS they use be as fully functioning as what they can currently get – and not get a hobbled version of a troubled OS.