No Ultimate Extras in Windows 7. But wait, it gets worse

[THRiLL KiLL]

So, Microsoft
has issued an official statement about the infamous Ultimate Extras feature of Windows Vista Ultimate edition: They will not exist in the Windows 7 version of the product:

"Our new approach to planning and building Windows doesn't have the capacity to continue to deliver features outside the regular release cycle. While our core development team is focused on building the next release, our sustained engineering team is focused on updates to existing features. As a result, we don't plan to create Ultimate Extras."

No Ultimate Extras in Windows 7. But wait, it gets worse

OK, fair enough. Certainly, Microsoft's concept for Windows 7 Ultimate is better than that of the Vista version. But what about people who have Windows Vista Ultimate and decided to upgrade to Windows 7? Surely when they upgrade, they can at least continue to use the existing Extras, such as they are?

Nope.

Instead, the Windows Vista Ultimate Extras are quietly removed from your PC during the upgrade to Windows 7. That's right: Those who were foolish enough to pay top dollar for Microsoft's most expensive ever version of Windows will literally see the perks they paid extra for disappear, perhaps forever.

I say perhaps above because it's unclear what will become of these features going forward. Some are certainly useful, and I'm sure there are at least 6 people out there who enabled DreamScene and actually kept it running for more than 17 minutes. Hey, you never know

Source

i agree most of the features of ultimate were useless. (except dreamscene, which was a fun toy for a few weeks)

but what is the point of windows7 ultimate? Im going to have to look it up =)

 

[THRiLL KiLL]

looked up the diffrent versions of windows. ultimate offers very little for the extra $$

Windows 7 Starter
The least-featured edition of Windows 7; the Windows Aero theme is not included, and it isn't available in a 64-bit variant. The desktop wallpaper is also not user-changable. This edition is available pre-installed on computers through system integrators or computer manufacturers. Users can easily bypass the wallpaper restriction using Stardock MyColors.

Windows 7 Home Basic
Windows 7 Home Basic is available in emerging markets such as Bangladesh, Brazil, People's Republic of China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Thailand. It is not available in countries such as Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Japan, The Netherlands, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, New Zealand, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Some Aero options are excluded along with several new features.

Windows 7 Home Premium
This edition contains features aimed at the home market segment, such as Windows Media Center, Windows Aero and touch-screen controls.

Windows 7 Professional
This edition is targeted towards enthusiasts and small business users. It includes all the features of Windows 7 Home Premium, and adds the ability to participate in a Windows Server domain. Additional features include operating as a Remote Desktop server, location aware printing, Encrypting File System, Presentation Mode, Software Restriction Policies (but not the extra management features of AppLocker) and Windows XP Mode.

Windows 7 Enterprise
This edition targets the enterprise segment of the market and is sold through volume licensing to companies which have a Software Assurance contract with Microsoft.[ Additional features include support for Multilingual User Interface (MUI) packages, BitLocker Drive Encryption, and UNIX application support. Not available through retail or OEM channels, this edition is distributed through Microsoft Software Assurance (SA). As a result it includes several SA-only benefits, including a license allowing the running of multiple virtual machines, and activation via VLK.

Windows 7 Ultimate
Windows 7 Ultimate contains the same features as Windows 7 Enterprise, but unlike that edition it is available to home users on an individual license basis. Windows 7 Home Premium and Windows 7 Professional users are able to upgrade to Windows 7 Ultimate for a fee using Windows Anytime Upgrade if they wish to do so. Unlike Windows Vista Ultimate, the Windows 7 Ultimate edition does not include the Windows Ultimate Extras feature or any exclusive features.

source

 

[Disparia]

Not a complete chart as others go into hundreds of feature differences, but this one is pretty clean

I'm going with no less than Professional (Remote Desktop Host, Domain Join) and now researching features such as Booting from VHD and some other Ultimate features not listed on this chart) to see if it is worth it for me to go Ultimate.

 

[AsRock]

Basic sounds v good for most people. Staying with XP x64 and Vista my self and as for the extras i don't use them.

Shady asses could not give some decent 3D games Pssh.. I do wounder if the Basic runs better with it being a cleaner OS.

 

[[Ion]]

I went with Professional, it was the same price as Home Premium ($30), and I thought the extra features might be useful at some point, and I wasn't interested in shelling out ~$200 for Ultimate. I'm glad the features in Professional are a superset of those in Home Premium, the problem with Vista is I wanted both Media center (home premium), and some of the features in Business. In the end, I decided to stick with XP until recently

 

[imperialreign]

My biggest gripe with the "ultimate pack" is the Multi-language support.

Personally, I think it's absolute BS that one must fork out for Ultimate, simply to have more than one language pack installed. That should be something available with the Home Basic version, considering just how "multilingual" the world (and software) is becoming.

 

[Kreij]

No way I'm going to Windows 7 then. I can't live without Texas Hold-Em and Tinker.

 

[Munki]

No way I'm going to Windows 7 then. I can't live without Texas Hold-Em and Tinker.

That seems to be quite a logical reasoning for not moving over, but im with you on that one. Those are my favorite games.

 

[revin]

If you are on the fence about which Win 7, you can "try" a couple different versions of OS's, but you will have to buy the key after the 30 day trial.

I for 1 like that it really has compatibility for older programs[95,98 ect]

They have some really cool OS's there.

Every OS that I have tried there is the most stable I have ever used!!

http://www.newage-os.org/

 

[wiak]

who the heck buys ultimate anyway? its uber expensive and you dont get much back, Home Premium ftw

 

[KainXS]

So if I have windows vista ulimate I lose features,

Ima stick with ultimate(nice to know someone with technet huh)

 

[revin]

Now I'm thinking win7x64 is causing my troubles.
Cant get COD4,Crysis, couple things to start, even after setting the compatibility
No DreameScene wth......................................

 

[THRiLL KiLL]

who the heck buys ultimate anyway? its uber expensive and you dont get much back, Home Premium ftw

i did for both vista and windows 7.

But then again, i got them from the Microsoft employee store for 40$ each (have quite a few friends that work at Microsoft)

 

[lemonadesoda]

My biggest gripe with the "ultimate pack" is the Multi-language support.

Personally, I think it's absolute BS that one must fork out for Ultimate, simply to have more than one language pack installed. That should be something available with the Home Basic version, considering just how "multilingual" the world (and software) is becoming.

+1 to that! especially as an educational tool

 

[Dark_Webster]

I'll go also with the Professional Edition, we have a campaign that is going to be released for students that acquired a laptop from the e.escolas program to buy Windows 7 Professional for 35€.

Besides that, the only thing that I find pretty strange in 7 is that NFS SHIFT has much less crashes on Server 2008 R2 than on 7

 

[IINexusII]

professional would be the one to get, since most of us here wont need the extra features in ultimate but hey, i got a technet serial off someone

 

[newtekie1]

People bought Ultimate, not for Ultimate Extras, but more so for having the features of Home Premium and Professional in one OS. Ultimate Extras was a bonus, but I don't think it was a huge selling point of the OS.

Windows 7 Ultimate is defintiely not worth the extra for 99% of users, Professional is the sweet spot, but then again Ultimate isn't really that much more expensive.

Now I'm thinking win7x64 is causing my troubles.
Cant get COD4,Crysis, couple things to start, even after setting the compatibility

I highly doubt it is causing your troubles considering I have COD4 and Crysis both installed on Win7 x64, and both work flawlessly, no compatibility settings required...

 

[IINexusII]

some people get it just to know its the best one, and the "black box"

 

[Kreij]

This seems kind of a strange move on Microsoft's part. Most people agree that if you have Vista installed and are happy with it, there is no really compelling reason to upgrade to 7.
Now, if you have Vista Ultimate and like the extras, you not only have no compelling reason to upgrade, you have a compelling reason NOT to upgrade.

I can see MS not including new extras in 7, but removing them if they existed from Vista?
Why not just leave them be?
I paid extra to get them, now I have to pay extra to lose them?

I think the 6 people who actually use DreamScene are going to be unhappy.

 

[imperialreign]

+1 to that! especially as an educational tool

Sure - I can see that.

y'know - when I pre-ordered 7, I was really split between going with what would've properly suit me (Professional), and with Ultimate simply for the language support . . . in the end, I went with professional. I still have XP installed (which supports multi-language installations), and if I need the upgrade that bad with 7, I can either purchase it later . . . or keep an eye out for any "backdoors" (if you know what I mean).

It must suck, though, for those living in Europe or Asia that need the multi-language support . . . having to be "ripped-off" for the cost of Ultimate overseas . . . :shadedshu

 

[Kreij]

Well it's obvious that MS is nerfing the lower versions so they can make more money.
For instance, the Home Premium x64 edition only allows a max of 16GB of RAM, and you have to upgrade to Pro in order to get the full 192GB max.

I know that 16GB of RAM for the home user is sufficient by today's standards, but in a couple of years it's not inconceivable that more than that will be the norm. If that does become the case, those who bought Home Premium will have to upgrade to at least Pro to use their fancy new Mobo that holds 24+ GB of RAM.

 

[Solaris17]

Source

i agree most of the features of ultimate were useless. (except dreamscene, which was a fun toy for a few weeks)

but what is the point of windows7 ultimate? Im going to have to look it up =)

http://windows7center.com/tutorials/how-to-enable-dreamscene-in-windows-7/

 

[AphexDreamer]

Obviously the Ultimate Extras was just a gimmick to get people to buy Vista Ultimate. I can only imagine how many people simply got Ultimate for the acclaimed "extras".

Now that that was embedded into people heads, people who bought the Ultimate version of 7 can only assume that it would be like that of vista. This resultes in more Ultimate sells for both of them.

Now those who educate them selfs are safe, but those who just have money to spend, will surely just be spending it.

 

[lemonadesoda]

It must suck, though, for those living in Europe or Asia that need the multi-language support . . . having to be "ripped-off" for the cost of Ultimate overseas . . . :shadedshu

TBH, I cant blame MS for doing this. The EU commission have been causing MS nothing but problems. So they have now "kicked back" at the commission... who require everything done in 100 languages... to pay more. LOL. MS Should have implemented a FEE_PER_LANGUAGE rather than just two options, monolingual an multilingual.

Dont want free IE? No free media player? Want to fine us for giving the consumer something for free? OK, suckers, take that! Pay more for multilingual.

 

[revin]

I highly doubt it is causing your troubles considering I have COD4 and Crysis both installed on Win7 x64, and both work flawlessly, no compatibility settings required...

Seems that its working Maxed out Crysis for the guy that was/is getting the 285.....no temp read out either, but he said it seems to be running kinda ok. He's gonna run it thru the paces tomorrow, he's running Vista x32 Ultimate.
Could be I dont have a "good" install of 7x64.... I had to twice install openal32 to run 3DM06 just now.. It's more user error on my probably,