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A LESSER-KNOWN, cut-priced flavour of Microsoft's desktop operating system (OS), which was once confined to developing countries, will be extended to Singapore for the first time with the launch of Windows 7.
A Starter edition of Windows 7 will be available locally in the fourth quarter along with mainstream versions such as Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional and Windows 7 Ultimate, according to Matthew Hardman, Microsoft's Windows client business group lead for Singapore.
However, local users will not be able to buy the Starter version off retail shelves. It will only be offered to PC manufacturers to be loaded as a basic OS for their netbook products, he told BizIT at the sidelines of a Microsoft product demonstration last Thursday.
The software behemoth's latest Windows product was released to computer makers last week to give them time to incorporate the software into their PCs before the official release on Oct 22.
The upcoming product, which comes less than three years after the launch of Windows Vista in 2007, features improvements such as multi-touch support for touch-screen computers, a new task bar and an enhanced networking functionality through its new HomeGroup system.
The Windows 7 Starter, however, will not have access to a number of features in the new OS.
For example, consumers cannot personalise their desktop backgrounds, window colours and sound themes. In addition, DVD playback is disabled, along with the ability to switch between different user accounts without logging off.
This is because Windows 7 Starter is cheaper than its counterparts. The product is aimed primarily at increasing computer adoption with the introduction of more cut-priced PCs in emerging markets.
However, users can purchase 'upgrades' to unlock functionalities, Mr Hardman said.
The limit of running only three applications has also been removed in the new Starter OS.
'For the first time, we will be making Windows 7 Starter available worldwide on small notebook PCs. We are also going to enable Windows 7 Starter customers the ability to run as many applications simultaneously as they would like, instead of being constricted to the three application limit that the previous Starter editions included,' said Microsoft spokesman Brandon LeBlanc in his corporate blog.
'Removing the three application limit that was originally imposed on Windows 7 Starter will result in more people buying mini-notebooks for use as regular notebooks,' said Reuben Tan, senior manager for personal systems research at technology analyst firm IDC Asia-Pacific.
In emerging countries, this could spur the use of low-cost net books as the primary PC at home, Mr Tan added.
'I don't think (Windows 7) Starter will drive volumes of these devices up in matured markets like Singapore,' he added.
The lower-cost OS is based on the same concept as its predecessors - Windows Vista Starter and Windows XP Starter Edition.
The earlier products were introduced in a number of Asian countries, including India and Indonesia, but they never made it to Singapore.
The original Windows XP Starter Edition was developed to allow Microsoft to be part of a budget PC initiative started by Thailand's Ministry of Information and Communication Technology in 2004.
At that time, Thai authorities were offering other OS alternatives such as Linux to lower the price of notebooks and desktops in a bid to increase the country's computer penetration.
After its debut in Thailand, Microsoft Windows XP Starter Edition was subsequently localised and launched in Indonesia, Malaysia, Russia and India in the same year.
The product was eventually adapted in a total of 24 languages and was introduced in 139 countries.
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