ExSKUse me?

http://microsoft-news.com/windows-8-skus-revealed-3-new-skus-from-windows-7/

Windows 8 will have more SKUs (Stock Keeping Units) than Windows 7. Thanks to people at  Windows 8 beta who  revealed the list of SKUs from registry entries of Windows 8.

• Windows 8 Enterprise Edition
• Windows 8 Enterprise Eval edition
• Windows 8 Home Basic Edition
• Windows 8 Home Premium edition
• Windows 8 ARM edition
• Windows 8 Professional edition
• Windows 8 Professional Plus edition
• Windows 8 Starter edition
• Windows 8 Ultimate edition

It's possible that those "Enterprise" additions will allow keeping the old Start Menu. This particular preview that was just released was, after all, called a "Consumer Preview". I think there's still hope for the traditional desktop UI in Windows 8.

Very clever title!

3 minutes ago, cbae wrote

Windows 8 will have more SKUs (Stock Keeping Units) than Windows 7

http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/Win8-Metro-Fake-Speed/018f22e72ced49cfbac7a00800fbd0ed

Time to call the broker.

I'll be interesting in if Ultimate has any real benefit this time, both in Vista and 7 it was a waste of money... 

Also wonder what Professional "Plus" will be. Seems like an awkward additional release. 

In general I think Windows XP got it most right with two consumers editions. One which was essentially designed for business users (without enterprise licenses) and geeks, and the other designed for your dad and girlfriend. 

17 minutes ago, wastingtimewithforums wrote

*snip*
Makes sense.

http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/Win8-Metro-Fake-Speed/018f22e72ced49cfbac7a00800fbd0ed

Time to call the broker.

Yes, it might be a good time sell short since MSFT is currently trading at a 4-year high. There's nowhere to go but down now.

Wow, I hope this turns out to be wrong.

They need

• Windows 8 Home ($30 upgrade, $100 retail)
• Windows 8 Professional/Enterprise ($50 upgrade, $150 retail)

Anything more just confuses customers.

Ideally they should have one and only one baseline OS. After installation, you can then add any/all of the additional features you want for some cost for each. 

Like this:

1. Install baseline OS
2. After install:
    [  ] Media Center          +$20
    [x] XP Mode                 +$15
    [  ] Domain Join            +$30
    [x] Backup to Network  +$20
    [x] BitLocker                 +$20
    ...etc

Businesses can then create one image that contains all the features they need. Of course with volume licensing they won't pay per feature, but the installer will be customized to already include the features for that license and will not require any additional payment for each.

The nice thing about such an approach is that you can add features at any time, so you don't end up with the situation where you found out later you now need a feature that isn't in the version you bought, and you'll need to do a full upgrade just to get it (and pay much more for feature you don't want).

I'm kinda curious what Windows 8 Starter would be like. No fancy window chrome? Limited number of apps open at once? 

15 minutes ago, BitFlipper wrote

1. Install baseline OS
2. After install:
    [  ] Media Center          +$20
    [x] XP Mode                 +$15
    [  ] Domain Join            +$30
    [x] Backup to Network  +$20
    [x] BitLocker                 +$20
    ...etc

Horrible. Could only work if you cut your prices by 75%. At least with an SKU, you have the chance to get it for cheap (discounts, OEM etc.) and have all features.

Domain Join for 30 bucks, .. funky.

@wastingtimewithforums:

I just threw in random numbers for the prices because that isn't the point. The point is the concept I'm talking about.

And how do you add features to a LAN with 10 computers? You know, too small for all sorts of MS special contracts, but big enough to make a hassle. But even with a special licensing contract..

This will be fuuun. I can envision a new product line:

Microsoft Product Features Authentication Server Small Business Edition 2015

13 minutes ago, DCMonkey wrote

I'm kinda curious what Windows 8 Starter would be like. No fancy window chrome? Limited number of apps open at once? 

I saw what you did there

What about just one free basic version of Windows and everything else in-OS purchases through the store. I know sounds crazy!

2 minutes ago, section31 wrote

What about just one free basic version of Windows and everything else in-OS purchases through the store. I know sounds crazy!

Please no.

Given the sinofskytastic direction MS is on, this version would only come with a bootloader, which takes you straight to the appstore.

"desktop app" and "launch other metro apps"-app would be purchasable extras of course.

SKUs are the lesser evil.

No, I am way better than that frigid, humourless Bob Dole clone.

5 hours ago, wastingtimewithforums wrote

*snip*

SKUs are the lesser evil.

Maybe then that is the whole point of this discussion. Especially when you consider that in any particular market, you will only see a subset of the SKUs.

SKUs are the lesser evil, but if there's quantillions of them it's still satanic.

Something like "Professional Plus" is utterly ridiculous. Especially if they do again a stunt like in Vista, where the pricier version had not always all the features of the lesser versions.