Chapter 1. Selecting the Right Version
Similar to Windows Vista, Microsoft decided to offer Windows 7 in a number of editions for different markets and users. Specifically: Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate/Enterprise. Of the five versions of Windows 7, only Home Premium and Professional are promoted heavily to consumers. The remaining versions are available only to specific markets. Sorting out what version of Windows 7 you need and can buy in your market can be very confusing. There are significant differences among all versions, so selecting the correct version is critical to your Windows experience.
In this chapter, I explain the various versions of Windows 7 so you can make an informed decision about what version you need. Then I show you how to upgrade Windows 7 to a better version with Anytime Upgrade.
Version Comparison
Why are there so many versions of Windows 7? That is exactly the question I asked when Microsoft announced the version details, and I always got the same "one size does not fit all" explanation. With more than a billion Windows users worldwide and thousands of individual markets, Microsoft decided to offer a variety of versions tailored to different markets. For most of the world, two main versions will be offered when you walk in to your local electronics store:
Windows 7 Home Premium
Windows 7 Professional
The remaining versions are for specific markets:
Windows 7 Starter Edition is primarily for Netbooks
Windows 7 Home Basic is for ...
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