Whoa.. a huge difference on the price!

well, i'd buy a computer with a home premium or ultimate pre-installed so i wont notice the price difference much.

get the home premium!

I'd go with the Professional. I heard it has something called a "XP Mode" (XPM), which basically swaps the main OS to look like an XP OS. Of course, you'd need one of the XP SPs, but it's suppose to be used for when installing programs more compatible with XP than Vista, or even 7. It's likely to be more stable for those kinds of programs at least and it installs right into the 7 OS also. Personally I'd install everything on the XPM, then run it in normal conditions.

The XPM is only available to Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate though.

Linky: http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9132119&intsrc=news_ts_head

ChaosNataku

I'd go with the Professional. I heard it has something called a "XP Mode" (XPM), which basically swaps the main OS to look like an XP OS. Of course, you'd need one of the XP SPs, but it's suppose to be used for when installing programs more compatible with XP than Vista, or even 7. It's likely to be more stable for those kinds of programs at least and it installs right into the 7 OS also. Personally I'd install everything on the XPM, then run it in normal conditions.

The XPM is only available to Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate though.

Linky: http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9132119&intsrc=news_ts_head

Um...XP Mode doesn't "swap" anything. Windows 7 will still look like Windows 7. Also, XP Mode comes with XP Pro SP3, you don't need to get it separately (unless you're not using XP Mode, and just using Virtual PC).

It also doesn't "install right into the 7 OS". Win7 communicates with XP Mode via Terminal Services, using a virtual NIC. Performance will be appropriate considering this (graphics drawing is acceptable for word processing and simple web browsing. Watching videos in browsers running on XP mode is kind of hit or miss performance wise...it's kind of like using Remote Desktop).

Therefore, you could install everything in XP Mode, but your computer won't perform nearly as well as you'd expect. XP Mode isn't designed for that, it's designed for running any applications that don't run in 7 (which are few and far between...indeed, XP Mode wasn't designed with you in mind, it was designed with corporations in mind, since they have custom apps that may not behave properly on 7. You, on the other hand, use almost all, if not all, commercially available or free apps which have mostly long since been updated).

I've recently installed Windows 7 RC1 on my MacBook and actually it looks very nice. I didn't have a chance to put it on a longer spin, but for starters it's working smoothly, and frankly I think this one may really get decent press and replace XP. Plus changing it's look to "classic" is a matter of a single click. I made a couple of screenshots here http://f055.net/article/windows-7-on-macbook-first-look/

Using beta right now, gonna do a fresh install of RC1 probably in June.

Wow...I've learned to hate Microsoft even more. These OS prices are expensive...and some of them don't even have the GUI mods that they're talking SO much about. That's pretty darn stupid...

Thank God they are still going to do OEM versions, which are usually substantially lower in cost. I'm gonna have to buy Windows7 Pro just to the advanced networking functions I need? That's just lame right there.

Mac has their OS for sale at $130, which comes with everything. None of this version crap...

Well M$ has done the same mistake like in vista to seperate it into 6 products its like omfg why the fuck create 6 categories og windows 7 since no1 will use windows starter and only a few amount i think home basic.Its like wtf are you doing....But ok now iam runnning the RC version and it goes smoothly to my system specs intel core 2 duo 3ghz and an amount of 2 giga ram and nvidia geforce 8800 gtx

I've been trying out Windows 7 Ultimate Beta version, and I'm upgrading from Windows Vista. Overall 7 seems faster and more efficient with my computer. Also it has several features that I'm coming to love.

Daemonblade777

Wow...I've learned to hate Microsoft even more. These OS prices are expensive...

OS prices haven't been released yet, but I hope you realize that Vista costs the same as XP, and 7 will probably be similar.

and some of them don't even have the GUI mods that they're talking SO much about. That's pretty darn stupid...

GUI mods? Can you explain? All the versions have the new GUI features, except for Basic and Starter, which don't have Aero (same as with Vista). Basic won't even be available for sale in the U.S. Only developing countries.

I'm gonna have to buy Windows7 Pro just to the advanced networking functions I need?

What sort of "Advanced networking functions" are you looking for? Domain joining?

Mac has their OS for sale at $130, which comes with everything. None of this version crap...

Remember that retail Windows does more than retail OS X.

asteriosgr

Well M$ has done the same mistake like in vista to seperate it into 6 products its like omfg why the fuck create 6 categories og windows 7 since no1 will use windows starter and only a few amount i think home basic.Its like wtf are you doing....But ok now iam runnning the RC version and it goes smoothly to my system specs intel core 2 duo 3ghz and an amount of 2 giga ram and nvidia geforce 8800 gtx

There are four versions of 7 that are available for sale in the United States and other developed countries.

However, only two versions will be marketed, in retail, toward home users. Home Premium and Ultimate.

Starter is only available from OEM's, and is designed as a low cost alternative for netbooks, and only netbooks. Professional isn't meant for home users.

So your "6 categories" comment is slightly...misinformed.

I tried the Windows 7 RC (beta) and I had some problems with it but the problem lies with my PC - not the OS. My computer is about 6 years old and I use a Geforce 4 Ti4600 videocard. Amazingly, I was still able to try it out with what I have. The problem I had was that it wouldn't download my monitor driver. My monitor is new (it's a ViewSonic X Series VX2235wm Widescreen) yet windows 7 couldn't detect it and forced everything to a lower resolution instead of my native 1680x1050.

Using the RC1 7100 x64 right now and it's pretty sweet, most drivers for Vista can be used on 7. All the programs I've tried work too but then again I don't use too many anyway.

I have been running windows 7 for about 3 weeks now. I absolutely love the search bar in the start menu area. Graphics are awesome compared to XP (I know vista looks good as well) Only error I saw was when trying to play flyff. Windows 7 isn't compatible with gameguard. Other then that, it runs very fast. I just don't like the fact that I can't see the file extension like on xp. Is there a way to fix that?

Insane...6 versions...

I get the point, but jeez.

Saliss

* Limited to 3 simultaneous applications

Rofl is that what I think it means?

Dear Microsoft : I want a bare bones windows that runs with less crap then even XP had. If you fail to comply ever day Linux will get closer to taking over your strangle hold on the market. Good luck !

So for the people running 7, how is the overhead looking? Better then vista? (lol) Better then XP? (lol) Somewhere in between? (lol)

Microsoft needs to really get their shit together.