Ron Schenone

Microsoft – Buy A Netbook – Get Windows 7 Starter

Posted by on Aug 11, 2009 | 8 Comments

Microsoft CEP Steve Ballmer has clarified what other company executives have been avoiding. If you wish to buy a netbook with what he describes as:

‘it’s got to have a super-small screen, which means it probably has a super-small keyboard, and it has to have a certain processor and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.”

you will be getting Microsoft Windows 7 Starter edition. The starter pack is not for sale and is limited to OEM systems. He goes on to state that in order to get Windows 7 Home Premium and above, you will need a computer with more horsepower.

In the article it also states the following observation:

“They’re trying to force people into higher-end SKUs,” said Allan Krans, an analyst with Technology Business Research. “Selling XP at a low price to OEMs hurt them financially, and they’re trying to figure out a way to stem that.”

Last month, Microsoft said revenues for the Windows client division were down 29% year over year for the company’s fiscal fourth quarter, which ended June 30. Microsoft blamed the fall-off on the increased sales of netbooks and a global slow-down of PC purchases.

This is going to be a fine balancing act for Microsoft. They face increased competition from Linux which works fine on netbooks as well as the upcoming Google Chrome operating system. Netbook sales have increased dramatically leaving Microsoft in a tough position.

So what do you think? If you purchase a netbook will you be satisfied with Windows 7 Starter edition? Let us know.

Comments welcome.

Source.

  • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/theoracle/ the oracle

    I think that once again, Ballmer is speaking out of an orifice not designed for speech.

    The cost of XP was amortized long ago; he simply means that they can’t gouge people for it, in order to have had a presence in that market.

    As someone who is thinking of buying two netbooks, for my children, I wonder two things – if any back-up media will be included with Windows Starter Edition on netbooks, and how many sellers will allow me to get one sans OS, with attendant savings to me.

    I doubt that Windows Starter Edition will do it for either of my persnickety children, and the upgrade cost is assinine, plus both children have experience with Ubuntu.

    Ballmer assumes that people will be disappointed with Windows 7 Starter, and he is right; what shows he is crazy is his thinking that people will want to upgrade to Windows 7 Home at the prices they want. (I don’t like to be one of the Linux crew that keeps harping, but) If the upgrade prices don’t change, many netbook owners will try Ubuntu, Moblin, or whatever else works better, and is free.

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  • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

    Heh Marc,
    Interesting point if back up media will be provided.

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  • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/blade/2009/08/11/microsoft-buy-a-netbook-get-windows-7-starter/ alexannder

    Lets see it this way XP sold out so with that micro-soft had another trick under the sleeve well yep believe it or not “halo2″ perhaps you dont know but that game was so expected taht it was sold worldwide $$$ (but too play halo2 u needed Vista) so yep many people in world half got vista for the game and the other half cause the OS is updating and in the US companys the see something new of the competition so the upgrade there OS too. Sry but the game sukd! and Vista Yuk! but know comes out Windows Rescue7 OS i think this will have the same vista options W7BEGGINR, W7STARTER, W7STUDENT, $, W7WORKER; $$, W7PRO, $$$; W7SUPERULTRAULTIMATE $$$, we all know that story later on windows xp will come out in cereal boxes :)

  • http://www.01memorycardscmera.com julie Prawira

    Informative post. Thanks a lot.

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