The Versions of Windows Vista
Which one is right for you?
Friday, January 19, 2007 by Frogboy | Discussion: Windows Vista
There's a bunch of different versions of Windows Vista out there. But there's only 3 versions that most people will care about:
- Windows Vista Home Premium
- Windows Vista Business
- Windows Vista Ultimate
Home Premium includes Media Center which is very cool. Having been a Snapstream (BeyondTV) user and Tivo user, I have not been a fan of Media Center to say the least. But the Vista edition of it has won me over. It's just totally incredible. Windows Vista Business adds domain logons and better Remote Desktop Features.
So for power users, there's a problem -- I want/need to be able to remote desktop into my machine and I use my machine on a network of computers and the business edition has all kinds of goodies for working with networked PCs. On the other hand, I also want Media Center.
Microsoft predicted this and the result was Windows Vista Ultimate which combines them both. And just to sweeten the pot, Microsoft has also includes "Ultimate Extras". These are basically downloadable super-power toys that Microsoft provides as an extra benefit.
As some may be aware, Stardock worked with Microsoft on Windows DreamScene, the animated wallpaper feature. I'm quite a fan of the feature as many people have wanted animated wallpapers for years. And before some net-geek says "But dude, there's been animated wallpapers for years" my answer is: yea right. Because yea, we've all been using them right? Oh..no, wait, that's right, previous attempts sucked down massive CPU and did flakey things to the icons and icon text on our desktops.
By animated wallpaper I mean actual animation that a normal human being might actually use and not just a tech demo. Windows DreamScene plays loopable high-definition wallpaper. Like static wallpaper, you'll likely see obnoxious things be created and useful. For me, it's about subtlety. If it's not slowing down my computer, what do I care if my desktop background isn't static? You can read more about it here.
So then it boils down to cost. Which is where things get less fun...
UPGRADE PRICING:
- Windows Vista Home Premium: $159
- Windows Vista Business: $199
- Windows Vista Ultimate $259
Which means for Home Premium users they have to wonder whether Ultimate Extras, Remote Desktop, Network tools, and Domain logons is worth $100. I'd itemize it like this personally:
- Remote Desktop $50 (if you're one of those people who think VNC is "just as good" see "go away" part at the beginning or better yet, go get Linux and be done with it)
- Ultimate Extras: $40
- Domain Logon: $30
- Network Tools: $20
Total: $140. Now your mileage may vary on how much you think each of those is worth. I'm just saying how much those things are worth it to me. If the number adds up to over $100 then you're in a good shape. If not, then there's a problem.
Personally, Ultimate it where it's at. I want my cake and eat it too. I want to be able to Remote Desktop into my machine and I want to be able to have Media Center on it too. And having cool Ultimate Extras is icing on the cake.
Reply #2 Friday, January 19, 2007 3:01 PM
My evaluation copy is Ultimate. Me Likes. Me Wants.
While I will certainly play with Linux and have no desire to dump my Windows 2000-XP pro dual boot, I fully intend to have ONE computer around the house running Vista. And I JUST MAY buy a copy to install at work, just to make my coworkers jealous (
!)
Reply #3 Friday, January 19, 2007 3:28 PM
No, VNC is not "just as good". The screen refresh sucks!
But I am interested in the Home Premium - for my customers. I like the idea of Remote Desktop.
Reply #4 Friday, January 19, 2007 3:32 PM
Reply #5 Friday, January 19, 2007 10:50 PM
Amazon has promised delivery Jan. 31. I can barely stand the wait.
Reply #6 Saturday, January 20, 2007 5:32 AM
I will be going Home Premium. Network features are of no use to me and animated wallpaper is a useless gimmick.
For a while I will be dual boot, its to early for me to dump XP. I do have a second pc with XP, a P4 2.66, for my older games. If and when I get rid of dual boot on my main pc, my XP games will migrate to that older pc (if they don't work too good on Vista). We shall see 
Reply #7 Saturday, January 20, 2007 7:29 PM
Let's say it's in the mail, because of the Express Upgrade program. Got it for free.
Reply #8 Sunday, January 21, 2007 5:22 PM
Forcing someone like Brad to invent a "cost" for Ultimate where he has to "price" ridiculous non-features (re: proper networking support, which is what THREE of your broken out items add up to really) is patently absurd. There are things that any MODERN operating system has built in for ALL users, because otherwise the programming team would be held out as retarded.
The only OBVIOUS things Vista offers at all to the end-user are the Aero interface, the built in media center functionality, and now the animated wallpaper. Everything else is marginally different and insignificant from the consumer standpoint (re: free dot release tweaks at best).
And, let's be clear, these are the things MS will be hawking in ads to promote Vista. Guess what? They all only come in Ultimate.
So, every other version of Vista is MBA 101 market segmentation crippleware.
Just because Windows started as an OS for creatively challenged business computers doesn't mean it needs to have its marketing entirely under the control of MBAs.
Honestly, Apple can do this and make money and gain market share. I think the Microsoft team is capable of competing at this level, yes? I sure hope so.
Reply #9 Sunday, January 21, 2007 10:54 PM
| Forcing someone like Brad to invent a "cost" for Ultimate where he has to "price" ridiculous non-features (re: proper networking support, which is what THREE of your broken out items add up to really) is patently absurd. There are things that any MODERN operating system has built in for ALL users, because otherwise the programming team would be held out as retarded. |
Let me make sure I have this right -- Remote Desktop hosting is "proper" networking support? Domain logons are "proper network" support? Come on, that's ridiculous. One hardly needs those things for a proper desktop.
What is the MacOSX version of Remote Desktop btw? I looked through the feature set and couldn't find it. And 10.4 is $129 for users who have 10.3. What a bargain because, Tiger brought, um, let's see. it added...hmmm. better chat? No, wait, that's free anywhere else. Dashboard? No, that's free elsewhere too.
Whether Vista Ultimate is "worth it" depends on the user. But for someone to argue that Apple is somehow "doing it right" is crazy talk.
Reply #10 Monday, January 22, 2007 12:18 AM
| What is the MacOSX version of Remote Desktop btw? I looked through the feature set and couldn't find it. |
It's a purchasable add-on. US$299 for up to 20 desktops at once, US$499 for unlimited. That's nowhere near as cheap as Vista's $50. link: http://www.apple.com/remotedesktop/
To somewhat make it up for that huge price though it does do other things that Microsoft's version doesn't, such as automator integration.
| Tiger brought, um, let's see. it added...hmmm. better chat? No, wait, that's free anywhere else. Dashboard? No, that's free elsewhere too. |
Spotlight comes to mind for me. Searching on XP was unbelievably slow; even on a slow Mac Spotlight finds stuff almost instantly, even if you're searching for keywords inside files. Worth $129 though? Maybe not. But with all the other stuff it wasn't such a bad deal.
I'll probably wait a few years before buying into Vista. It's not something I can afford at the moment and the shiny toys it promises just won't run properly on my two-year-old PC if I intend to do more than just look at it. Hopefully it'll be cheaper by then.
Reply #11 Monday, January 22, 2007 8:32 PM
Getting to your point, as you point out the Apple remote desktop is a professional grade application. Just reading its feature list on the link you provided shows it is way beyond the default Microsoft version (which I do like very much). The Apple one is much more like what a commercial vendor like Stardock would create if they did their own commercialized Remote Desktop application.
Regardless, this baseline Remote Desktop implementation exists, for free in XP, so it paid for its development years ago. And since only minor (24 to 32 bit) changes were made to the new version (which runs under XP fine as well), I don't see where there is ANY premium pricepoint incurred through its addition to Vista's premium/ultimate offerings.
Regardless, logging onto a domain and proper network tools is modern OS 101 now. Apple has them, all Linux distros have them, even silly little no name OS's have them...included for free as part of the OS. In fact, Microsoft CRIPPLED XP Pro just to artificially create the XP Home distinction and everyone knows it. That was stupid enough. Vista's expansion of this segmentation is ridiculous.
The new search is both free from Microsoft and free from Google and included free in ALL versions of Vista, so you're not going to convince anyone it is a value add to Vista Ultimate.
And, as everyone has said before, there remains NO COMPARISON between the Apple iLife applications and the OEM grade shovelware applications bundled by Microsoft for XP and now Vista.
PS Stardock's products extend the life of my XP machine. My interface is a mix of XP, Vista Aero, OS X, and even a hint of Amiga. I fully expected Stardock to be the first people to make Vista actually somewhat compelling, which they did with the animated wallpaper.
Reply #12 Monday, January 22, 2007 8:43 PM
| And, as everyone has said before, there remains NO COMPARISON between the Apple iLife applications and the OEM grade shovelware applications bundled by Microsoft for XP and now Vista. |
Many of the same people arguing that MS doesn't have teh bundled apps that a mac has would be the same people screaming "monopoly" and "unfair business practices" at the top of their lungs if MS did put in the same apps Apple included.
Be that as it may, Microsoft's job is to enrich it's stockholders. If it can do so my marketing and selling expanded or truncated versions of it's software that's all well and good. You have to remember, you are their client and they have to keep you happy enough to keep buying products but you are not thier priority. Thier priority is and should be making tons of money!
Reply #13 Monday, January 22, 2007 9:04 PM
However note that the only people who ever screamed "unfair business practices" were the competitors...NEVER the users. Apple did just that and went about squashing or buying up anyone who felt slighted when they recreated an app or stole an idea. Because they weren't seen as the PC OS monopoly, apparently no one cared.
So, ironically, we're forced into a more "generic/diluted" OS experience because of the overwhelming success of MS.
Reply #14 Monday, January 22, 2007 9:21 PM
| Zubaz, sarcasm noted |
None intended.
I think that any GUI that was usable and became popular was going to be emulated (copied/pirated/homaged/etc.). That has led to the homogenized GUIS adn OSs we have.
But what do I know.
Reply #15 Monday, January 22, 2007 9:49 PM
| Regardless, logging onto a domain and proper network tools is modern OS 101 now. Apple has them, all Linux distros have them, even silly little no name OS's have them...included for free as part of the OS. |
I have 17 Macs I would love to join to a domain if you can show me how.
Sure you can create Mac shares on a Windows server, but no Mac or 'nix OS I know of will show up in Active Directory.That said, I kind of think they overdid it with all the multiple versions. Two or maybe three I could see (Business, Home, Media Center) but I guess it sounded good to the marketing people. To me Remote Desktop should be a base feature, not a premium add on.
Reply #16 Tuesday, January 23, 2007 5:30 PM
tjesterb, your problem is one of Mac to Windows connectivity - which they do on purpose to screw with you.
I'm sure you have no problem logging on/working with/administrating an all Mac (or presumably all Linux) domain from an identical seat. That was my point regarding XP Pro/Home and now Vista(1-8?).
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Reply #1 Friday, January 19, 2007 2:53 PM
(aside to Brad, please confirm my mailing address, the CES swag has not arrived yet.