Versions of Vista

Is it me, or does the multitude of Windows versions confuse you? Just off the top of my head, I can think of quite a few. I am completely ignoring the huge list of other versions of windows with mixed names based on version number, or year, or what have you.

Windows Vista Home Basic
Windows Vista Home Premium
Windows Vista Enterprise Edition
Windows Vista Business Edition
Windows Vista Ultimate Edition
Windows Vista Server 2008

I've not even mentioned the 64 bit versions! After reading the compare editions part of Microsoft's website I'd like to know why Microsoft thinks that only Premium and Ultimate customers will want to play DVD's? Why are home users not allowed to use 'bitlocker' to encrypt their data, is their data less valuable? Why are home basic users denied an easy to use backup system?

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-vista/compare-editions/default.aspx

Ubuntu comes in 32bit and 64bit versions of the following.

Ubuntu
Ubuntu Server

There are several other spin off Ubuntu based distributions. Facilities to install DVD support, encryption and backup is available for free from an easy to use package manager.

http://www.ubuntu.com/products/whatisubuntu

Apple produces the most streamlined set of products

OSX Leopard
OSX Leopard Server

OSX has all the facilities needed in a business or home machine including the ability to play and make DVDs out of the box (making DVD's is part of the iLife suite supplied free with every Mac), it runs 64bit and 32bit applications, it is able to support 32GB of RAM and 8 processor cores , it also comes with extensive encryption facilities using 'File Vault' and 'Disk Utility', easy to use backup facilities are also built in. Everything just works, out of the box - nothing needs to be installed.

http://www.apple.com/macosx/

What could Microsoft do to streamline their product line?

I suggest they should combine the 32bit and 64bit versions of windows and make Windows 7 the main and only OS that can do as much or as little as you would like it to. This version of Windows would install as 64bit on 64bit hardware being able to seamlessly run 32bit apps and drivers, and would install a 32bit version of itself on 32bit hardware. The same version of windows should also offer to install a minimal set-up suitable for netbooks.

Windows 7 should do everything that 'home basic, home premium, ultimate, enterprise and business' does, it should be easily customisable to make it suitable for both the home and business.

Windows 7 Server should just be the server optimised version of Windows.