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Through July 11, Microsoft is offering steep discounts on Windows 7 upgrades for the Home and Pro versions of the software--but not Windows 7 Ultimate.
Windows 7 Professional: What you really need.
(Credit: Microsoft)According to a CNET report, users can "preorder Windows 7 Home Premium or Professional at roughly half the list price, but the Ultimate version is offered at the full $219 price."
Those who currently use Windows Vista Ultimate and were hoping to switch to Windows 7 Ultimate were understandably upset. After getting little more than a few extras with Vista Ultimate, like Microsoft's BitLocker Drive Encryption software, they were hoping they'd be treated better this time around when they opted for Windows 7 Ultimate.
No such luck.
But instead of railing against Microsoft for treating its Windows Vista Ultimate customers so poorly, perhaps we should turn our focus to Windows 7 Ultimate itself. It might be the follow-up to Windows Vista Ultimate. Microsoft might have thrown every feature into it. But if we take an objective look at what it really offers, I don't think Microsoft can justify its existence as a consumer operating system.
According to Microsoft's Windows 7 Web page, Windows 7 Ultimate edition sports just two features that you won't find in Windows 7 Professional: a full language pack, which includes support for 35 languages, and the company's BitLocker software. A press release Microsoft sent to journalists in February lists BranchCache and DirectAccess support, as well.
It's silly. BitLocker was included in Windows Vista Ultimate. I'm willing to bet that if you asked most Windows Vista Ultimate users how often they use BitLocker, they'll wonder what you're talking about.
Although it's nice to see Microsoft supporting multiple languages for those more comfortable computing in their first language, a relatively small subset of the market will actually want such a feature. For many, it's a waste. And since both BranchCache and DirectAccess are designed specifically for enterprise users, consumers won't have any reason to use those tools either.
Why did Microsoft even consider releasing Windows 7 Ultimate? It's not only more expensive than Windows 7 Professional, which sports all the features most folks would need anyway, but its add-ons are, once again, inconsequential.
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