Windows 8 Metro[/caption]
In a new blog post today on the Windows Team blog, Microsoft have finally shed light on both the final name for Windows 8 and what the different SKU’s for Windows will be.
Let’s start with the name:
Drumroll…… Windows 8 is the official product name for the next x86/64 editions of Windows.
Thank God. That would have been awkward for a blog named Windows8update.com if they changed the name huh?
Next, there will be 5 versions of Windows 8.
- Windows 8
- Windows 8 pro
- Windows 8 Local Language
- Windows 8 RT
- Windows 8 Enterprise
Windows 8
This will be a version of Windows 8 designed for x86/x64 editions of Windows. This will be the base version of Windows 8 and will probably be more than enough for the average consumer.Windows 8 Pro
This will also be a version of Windows 8 designed for x86/x64 editions of Windows. According to Microsoft –Windows 8 Pro is designed to help tech enthusiasts and business/technical professionals obtain a broader set of Windows 8 technologies. It includes all the features in Windows 8 plus features for encryption, virtualization, PC management and domain connectivity. Windows Media Center will be available as an economical “media pack” add-on to Windows 8 Pro. If you are an enthusiast or you want to use your PC in a business environment, you will want Windows 8 Pro.
Windows 8 Local Language Editions
These are going to be versions of Windows 8 designed for a small subset of emerging markets and China. This is consistent with the leaks we saw from Winunleaked.tk a while ago.Windows 8 RT or Windows RT
This is the version of Windows 8 that was formerly known as WOA or Windows on ARM. This will be a single edition that will be pre-installed on devices powered by ARM processors. Note – Windows RT will include touch-optimized desktop versions of the new Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote. – Interesting – seems like the versions of Office will be limited on Windows 8 RT. At least we can put to bed the fact that Office will be included. This is the version of Windows 8 dedicated to running the new fancy web enabled Metro apps.Windows 8 Enterprise
Of course Windows 8 Enterprise will be part of the family. This version of Windows 8 will be quote:specifically for those enterprise customers with Software Assurance agreements. Windows 8 Enterprise includes all the features of Windows 8 Pro plus features for IT organization that enable PC management and deployment, advanced security, virtualization, new mobility scenarios.The chart below breaks down the features by edition. [caption id="attachment_15901" align="alignnone" width="600"]
windows 8 editions chart[/caption]
This is fantastic news as it adds a lot of clarity to the Windows 8 landscape.
Stay tuned for more…]]>
Typical, all you need is one OS and let the user turn options onoff …..
first i really see 2 version here… pro and home…. rt is platform specific…. enterprise is probably pro with a diff licence agreement… well and the other is obvious…
2 problem with what you say 80% at least of home user have absolutely no needs for those option in pro….. and among those 80%, 95% would have no clue what to turn on and off…. which would result in comments such as windows sucks… it doesn’t work… it’s not plug and play…..
second thing the price difference at least you have the choice to pay for what you need….
I see your point jm. But I think they could have options turned on for the average home user, and any pro users will happily go under the hood and tinker, and as usual the web and pc mags will be awash with tips and trick for windows power users…
Guess which one will be the most expensive for business … “enterprise.”
At least the name is right. My prior mgmt named our major software “Mxxxxx Omega” … of course, that was 2 main releases ago. LOL.
i wish they would abandon “home” editions – all too often I have clients go out and buy a new laptop, they get sold Home because it makes the package cheaper and then they take it to work and it wont join the domain – and of course the slack sales people dont ask, and the end user doesnt know to ask. Just get rid of it – it serves no purpose other than making a cheaper option – just reduce the cost of pro and it will make a simpler market place
Agree 199.99%!!!! The main problem though is the “Best Buys”, “Walmarts” & “h.h.greggs” of the world (where all of the home buyers go, to buy their “usually proprietary” computers) only sell systems with the “home” version on them! Making them believe they are getting such a good deal!!! The other, and bigger problem with the “home” version, outside of domain connections, is there is no real, true administrative level, that you really need when you have those problems when you have to work with that level of the security that requires true administrative rights (which is a lot of the times) at the office or at the home…
then again a private pc shouldn’t be allowed on the office domain…. it’s a security risk especially with people that have no IT knowledge in the first place
i would agree with michael one operating system but with the facility to turn on or off the items you dont want to use and make the price a price to compete on all levels with mac
Dear Onuora,
Windows now try to understand the market by simplifying the product name, and hopefuly be accepted at large.
So sad that I can’t follow and get along with the new Windows Product at this periode which was cause by the low capacity of the memory RAM on my dell inspiron 8600 machine. The machine can only run The Windows Developer Preview not the Consumer Preview. Now Windows team made the product differentiation by introducing five types of Windows 8 to the computer user and it looks that it’s on the way.
I’ve a story to tell, The Amptron Desktop computer which was use to test the Windows Developer Preview and Windows Consumer Preview for the first launch at my place was sold without the Software Program. I directly uninstall both the Windows Developer Preview and Windows Consumer Preview after the quick test summary on both Windows Program. The buyer knew that it works fine with both Windows Developer Preview and Windows Consumer Preview and give a credit to that, and the person who own the Desktop computer was very happy that he receive a good price for the merchandise sold.
I’m still writing this using the copy of Windows XP SP3 Home Edition on my dell inspiron 8600 machine which is registered to Microsoft, and I’m still hoping that there will be more good news from Windows to expand my knowledge on computer.
Thank you.
Will the classic start Menu be part of any of these versions, or has that now been scrapped by Microsoft and replaced by Metro
Hi Classic start menu will still be available.
Well its not in the consumer preview. But was in the earlier developer preview so i dk.
The classic start menu is gone in Windows 8. No editions will have it. The start menu is dead. So, I won’t beat a dead horse; it’s a reality.
It will, but only by third party vendors
I would like to know whether Java-based applications written for the PC will run in Windows 8 and particularly in Windows RT, thank you
I foresee a lot of confusion and frustration from non-techie users once Windows 8 hits the shelves. They will want to return to Windows XP even though support for it will stop in 2014. I guess they should move to Linux or Mac OS X.
it’s funny cause linux is the anti these of OS X….. OSX is the reason casual users today have even less computer knowledge than 10 years ago… the eco system is closed tight the acess is limited and configuration and set up is so dumb down that people have no clue of what they are actually doing in an IT sens…. OSX and apple products are the v tech computers of the grown up world…. they could rebrand the company under electronic for dummies…. and if people are confused by windows especially 8 there is no way they are ready for a fully open source distribution of linux… OSX has been more damaging to linux than microsft windows has been in the past decade…. apple is toxic for the IT world especially if they really become relevant which at 15% of the pc market is far to be the case yet the only thing they control right now is the tablet market which is still in its baby step stage….
and anyway bottom line windows is still the soft with the widest application capabilities…. from multimedia, games/entertainement, productivity, access to a wide choice of hardware, and professional software…
With all tablets braging about being able to stream movies and play movies on the move ( planes, cars ect ) how can they offer RT which is supposed to be designed for TABLETS with no media player ? or am I missing something ?
i have not window 8 waht i say obut
Microsoft office won’t be included in windows 8 and pro?