Microsoft are clearing up the confusion that was ‘Vista’ versions.

• Windows 7 Starter is clearly aimed at ‘Netbooks’ and will be supplied only with new machines.
• Windows 7 Home Premium has a feature set much the same as Vista Home Premium, and will be marketed as the primary OS for home users.
• Windows 7 Professional essentially takes the place of Vista Business but unlike its predecessor, will include Media center.It is a superset of Home Premium.
• Windows 7 Ultimate is aimed at the user who wants all that the Professional and Enterprise (volume license) editions have. It is a superset of all editions (including Enterprise, but will lack volume licensing.
• Windows 7 Enterprise is the volume license edition, not available to the public, but that includes features specific to multiple user arenas.

There is, apparently, another ‘public’ edition which is earmarked for emerging markets ONLY. I am not really sure what this means. Emerging markets where? The last time that aliens encountered an Earth operating system, they gotten slapped silly. Windows 7 Home Basic is an odd one for sure.

OK, so we are all clear now about which edition to get? Maybe a quick summary is in order..

• If you have small hands and don’t mind surfing through the eye of a needle, a Netbook sporting Starter is for you.
• For the discerning home user who does not have a need to connect to a corporate domain or to lock themselves out of their holiday snaps by forgetting their ‘BitLocker’ access code, Home Premium is the baby.
• Business users can now enjoy Media Center function for the quiet times or if meetings are too boring, while still having the tools to secure their data.
• And finally, for the user who believes that the more you pay, the faster it has to be, Ultimate is your bag..