Topic: Windows 7 officially called

[toasty0]

Wondows 7

Interesting choice, but I think a good one.

[Tus-XC]

the 7th version eh... my maths are a bit rusty but..

1. windows 3.1
2. windows 95
3. windows 98/SE
4. windows ME
5. windows 2000
6. windows xp
7. windows vista

Now if i remove windows ME then we get 7... else it should be 8...  Or am i missing something?

[toasty0]

the 7th version eh... my maths are a bit rusty but..

1. windows 3.1
2. windows 95
3. windows 98/SE
4. windows ME
5. windows 2000
6. windows xp
7. windows vista

Now if i remove windows ME then we get 7... else it should be 8...  Or am i missing something?

You're counting?

Besides, everyone knows Vista was just a practice OS.

[Ravok]

So they are dumping Vista, and replacing it ???

[toasty0]

So they are dumping Vista, and replacing it ???

No. My comment about Vista was joke.

[Pestalence_XC]

Windows 7 is basically Vista SP 2

[Pestalence_XC]

1. windows 3.1
2. windows 95
3. windows 98/SE
4. windows ME
5. windows 2000
6. windows xp
7. windows vista

Um.. you also missed Windows 2003 and Windows 2008 and Windows NT

Not to mention on the older OS's.. you have Win 95, the Win 98, then Win 98 SE

So the list should be

1. Windows 3.1
2. Windows 95
3. Windows 98
4. Windows NT
5. Windows 98 SE
6. Windows ME
7. Windows 2000
8. Windows XP
9. Windows MCE
10. Windows MCE 2002
11. Windows 2003
12. Windows MCE 2005
13. Windows XP (x64)
14. Windows Vista
15. Windows 2008

So Windows 7 has a nice ring to it and it is much better than Windows 16

[toasty0]

1. windows 3.1
2. windows 95
3. windows 98/SE
4. windows ME
5. windows 2000
6. windows xp
7. windows vista

Um.. you also missed Windows 2003 and Windows 2008 and Windows NT

Not to mention on the older OS's.. you have Win 95, the Win 98, then Win 98 SE

So the list should be

1. Windows 3.1
2. Windows 95
3. Windows 98
4. Windows NT
5. Windows 98 SE
6. Windows ME
7. Windows 2000
8. Windows XP
9. Windows MCE
10. Windows MCE 2002
11. Windows 2003
12. Windows MCE 2005
13. Windows Vista
14. Windows 2008

So Windows 7 has a nice ring to it and it is much better than Windows 15

Ummm...not sure I would include a Server OS in the same list as a Desktop OS. ( I know, I let Win2000 slip buy without comment before)

[manitoba1073]

I thought they had an OS before 3.1 too.

[toasty0]

I thought they had an OS before 3.1 too.

Without pulling out the history book I think you might be referring to the crazy OS they did with IBM. I think it was called PS2 or something like that.

[Nemesis]

I guess its my turn to play "Microsoft Defender".  There are two separate lineages to Windows.  The DOS/Windows lineage and the Windows NT lineage.

1/ Windows 1.0
2/ Windows 2.0
3/ Windows 3.x
4/ Win95, Win98/98SE and WinME

One might try to claim Win98 and WinME were versions 5 and 6 but they were not in my opinion big enough jumps to qualify.

Windows 7 is part of the Window NT lineage.

1/ Windows NT 1.0
2/ There was no WinNT 2 they skipped it to bring the numbers to match the Windows 3.1
3/ Windows NT 3.1/3.5
4/ Windows NT 4.x
5/ Windows 2000/XP
6/ Windows Vista
7/ Windows 7

Windows MCE, 2003, 2008 are server variants of the Windows NT version of the same time frame not additional versions of the mainstream.  Windows 2003 would be Windows XP - Server (or Windows NT 5 Server if  you prefer) as an example.

Go to Windows Explorer.  Open the Help menu, choose about Windows and see the version #.

[Centurus]

You forgot Windows NT 4.0.  I have a copy of that, along with NT 3.51.  Not sure if the 3.51 is even useable anymore cause I think the install discs have been thrown about so many times they may be beyond use.  My NT 4.0 install discs are pefectly intact.

[Nemesis]

You forgot Windows NT 4.0.  I have a copy of that, along with NT 3.51.  Not sure if the 3.51 is even useable anymore cause I think the install discs have been thrown about so many times they may be beyond use.  My NT 4.0 install discs are pefectly intact.

The first in the NT line I used was Windows 2000 so it isn't surprising I missed one.  I checked and Windows 2000 reports as Windows 5.x as does XP so they are combined and NT 4.x is placed in as Windows 4.

I edited my post to match.

[Pestalence_XC]

I guess its my turn to play "Microsoft Defender".  There are two separate lineages to Windows.  The DOS/Windows lineage and the Windows NT lineage.

1/ Windows 1.0
2/ Windows 2.0
3/ Windows 3.x
4/ Win95, Win98/98SE and WinME

One might try to claim Win98 and WinME were versions 5 and 6 but they were not in my opinion big enough jumps to qualify.

Windows 7 is part of the Window NT lineage.

1/ Windows NT 1.0
2/ There was no WinNT 2 they skipped it to bring the numbers to match the Windows 3.1
3/ Windows NT 3.1/3.5
4/ Windows NT 4.x
5/ Windows 2000/XP
6/ Windows Vista
7/ Windows 7

Windows MCE, 2003, 2008 are server variants of the Windows NT version of the same time frame not additional versions of the mainstream.  Windows 2003 would be Windows XP - Server (or Windows NT 5 Server if  you prefer) as an example.

Go to Windows Explorer.  Open the Help menu, choose about Windows and see the version #.

Um.. there is Win XP Server Edition 64 bit.. as well as server 2003 32 bit and 64 bit... both are based on the NT structure as is Vista, Windows 7 2K8, and 2K.

But going back to XP .. it is much like Vista as far as the editions go.

Windows XP for desktops and laptops (notebooks)

Windows XP Starter Edition, for new computer users in developing countries
Windows XP Home Edition, for home desktops and laptops
Windows XP Home Edition N, as above, but without a default installation of Windows Media Player, as mandated by an EU ruling
Windows XP Professional, for business and power users (Version number: NT 5.1.2600)
Windows XP Professional N, as above, but without a default installation of Windows Media Player, as mandated by an EU ruling
Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, for PCs with x86-64 processors (based on Windows Server 2003)
Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, for notebooks with a touch screen or a pen-sensitive screen
Windows XP Media Center Edition for desktops and notebooks with an emphasis on audio, video, and PVR capability. There are five versions:

Windows XP Media Center Edition 2001
Windows XP Media Center Edition 2002
Windows XP Media Center Edition 2003 (MCE 2002 Roll Up pack 1)
Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004 (MCE 2002 Roll Up Pack 2)
Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005
Windows XP 64-bit Server Edition - A version of Windows XP roughly analogous to Windows XP Professional for Intel's IA-64 (Itanium) line of CPUs. It was discontinued in early 2005 after manufacturers stopped shipping Itanium systems marketed as 'workstations'.
Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, for tablet PCs
Windows XP Embedded, for embedded systems requiring parts of the Windows XP infrastructure
Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs, a low-end version of Windows XP that is intended to be a thin-client that works with older hardware.

Windows Vista, for home and business desktops and portable computers

Windows Vista Starter Much like Windows XP Starter Edition, this edition will be limited to emerging markets such as Colombia, India, Thailand, and Indonesia, mainly to offer a legal alternative to using unauthorized copies. It will not be available in the United States, Canada, Europe, or Australia. (x86 only)

Windows Vista Home Basic Similar to Windows XP Home Edition, Home Basic is intended for budget users not requiring advanced media support for home use. The Windows Aero theme with translucent effects will not be included with this edition. (x86 only)

Windows Vista Home Premium Like Windows XP Media Center Edition, this edition will support more advanced multimedia and entertainment authoring, premium games, mobile and tablet PC support, Network Projector, Windows Aero, Touch Screen, and auxiliary display (via Windows Side Show) support. (x86 & x64)

Windows Vista Business Comparable to Windows XP Professional and Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, Windows Vista Business Edition is aimed at the business market. Includes all the features of Home Premium with the exception of Windows Media Center and related technologies, Parental Controls, and Windows DVD and Movie Maker HD.  (x86 & x64)

Windows Vista Enterprise (Microsoft Windows NT 6.0.6000.0) This edition is aimed at the enterprise segment of the market, and is a superset of the Business edition. Additional features include multilingual user interface support, BitLocker Drive Encryption, and UNIX application support. This edition will not be available through retail or OEM channels  (x86 & x64)

Windows Vista Ultimate This edition combines all the features of the Home Premium and Enterprise editions, a game performance tweaker (WinSAT), and "Ultimate Extras". On January 7, 2007, at CES, Microsoft began to announce what some of these Ultimate Extras will be. (x86 & x64)

Server 2K8 is basically Vista Server Edition  (x86 & x64)

Going back to XP, XP is a cross platform.. it integrated 98 SE and server 2k.

Win XP MCE is not a Server Edition.. MCE is Windows XP Professional 32 bit Media Center Edition .. and there are 3 versions of this released.. MCE 2001, 2002, and 2005... MCE 2003 and 2004 are just roll up packs to MCE 2002, so do not count as actual OS releases.. However MCE 2001 could onlt roll up with an actual purchase of the MCE 2002 or 2005 upgrade package .. same for MCE 2002, 2003, 2004 to upgrade to MCE 2005.. a separate purchase to upgrade. so in essance there wre 3 versions of MCE released.

Win ME was MS first attempt to strip Dos from the OS, which is why if failed.. in Win 2K, MS emulates DOS though the OS.. there is no native DOS mode in any MS OS from ME and newer. Win 98 SE was the last MS OS to have native DOS support, not emulated.

[Dracho]

Windows 3.11 also deserves its own line, as it intoduced networking..

and the bastard OS from hell was OS2 Warp.

[Pestalence_XC]

I happen to have used and liked OS 2 Warp Gold as opposed to using Win 3.1 (I used 3.1 for about 8 months before I got OS 2 Warp Gold) and Win 95 .. I then went directly to Win 98 SE when it came out.. I avoided Win 98 First Edition.. it was basically very buggy .. much like Win 95.. Win 98 First Edition is Win 95 SP 1.. Win 98 SE was a different animal than Win 98.

[Rod ONeal]

Windows 7 is basically Vista SP 2

Are you saying that it's a free update for vista? Or is a whole new OS that you need to purchase?

[Pestalence_XC]

It is sort of like XP and Media Center Edition.

Both are XP, but the Media Center Edition puts features into XP to make it more stable as well as utilize yor systems media capabilities far beyond what XP has built in.

You see, You have XP Home which is a stripped down version of XP. You can buy the XP Professional Upgrade to get the administrative features and memory management that XP is suppose to have.. this is a medium level upgrade, or you can get the Media Center Upgrade which incorporates the full media suite and professional tools and better memory management than XP Professional has..

However you had to purchase each upgrade.

Windows 7 is just like that.. it is basically Vista Service Pack, or a Vista Upgrade package that will be sold separately or standalone..

However if you buy the Windows 7 upgrade package, your system will have to have Vista with Service Pack 1 in order to install it.. XP will not upgrade.

Or you will have to buy the entire OS to install, however over half of Windows 7 remains true to Vista with minor visual differences.. it is basically an overhaul of the networking systems in Vista plus a few other bells and whistles, with increased performance on backward compatibility (still not adding back in DX 8 or older support)..

But to answer your question simply..

Windows 7 is an upgraded version of Vista that is going to be sold as a separate OS.. so the Vista Upgrade to Windows 7 will have to be purchased.

[Rod ONeal]

I see. like CS4 is to CS3 for Adobe. If you have Vista you can get an upgrade price to go to Windows 7. If you don't then you pay full pop for Windows 7. It's good of M$ to offer it like that. Not as good as a free upgrade, but better than nothing.

So, do you think since Vista wasn't around very long that it's likely software and hardware companies (including M$) are going to continue support for Vista after it's gone, like they do XP? I'm thinking probably not and Vista users will be screwed if they don't upgrade.

[Pestalence_XC]

Well.. given that Windows 7 architecture is based on Vista SP1, hardware and software will work for both Vista and Windows 7.. but will no longer be XP compliant.

As for M$ Updates, I know updates are schedualed for Vista to at least 2013.. where XP support ends June 2010.

Basically when Hardware and Software comes out for Windows 7, it will be inherently be Vista compliant since Windows 7 will be based on Vista Sp 1 architecture.. there aren't many changes to Windows 7 over Vista, just improved networking, especially in P2P, and a bit of eye candy.. and maybe a slimming of the OS (removing outdated and unnecessary components left over from XP that serve no function in Vista\Windows 7).

Think of Windows 7 and Vista as Win 98 SE and Windows ME ... Win 98 SE was great for it's time (lets not talk about the memory leaks.. however it was stable) then came ME which had DOS stripped out .. it was still Win 98 SE just missing Native DOS (DOS was emulated for the first time)...

Win 2K fixed the DOS problems of ME by adding in Windows NT tech...

Anyhow the point is Win 98 SE and Win ME were the same OS with a minor tweak...

Same is for Vista and Windows 7.. it is the same OS with a few minor tweaks and a bit of eye candy.. the main tweak is a reworked networking code.

It is like having Win XP Pro and buying the Win XP Media Center Edition upgrade.. it is still Win XP Pro, just with some added features and a couple of tweaks...

Windows 7 is just like that to Vista.