Microsoft quickly realized its Vista OS was a complete flop, and is actively developing its latest OS, Windows 7. As the popularity of netbooks continues to rise at an alarming rate, Microsoft is working on a netbook-friendly Windows 7, but the OS has several downsides that may anger some users.
Microsoft "Starter" will be able to run only three programs at a single time, will miss out on a number of Microsoft upgrades, and must pay for an upgrade if they want the normal user experience.
Microsoft officials defended Starter by saying it's still robust and it's more reliable on the netbook than current versions of XP.
Pricing details for Starter and its upgrade haven't been released by Microsoft.
If you had the displeasure of running Vista on a netbook, be aware Microsoft made critical changes to ensure Windows 7 will operate somewhat smoothly on the small devices.
Windows XP dominated the netbook OS market in 2008, but Microsoft had to offer extremely cheap prices for the software, as Asus and other netbook makers also dabbled with Linux versions.
Considering Microsoft is continually feeling the heat from open source programs and the Linux operating system, it seems rather silly they'd roll the dice on Windows 7. I understand Microsoft is facing pressure from Google, Linux, Mozilla, OpenOffice, and numerous other software providers, but forcing customers to pay for an upgrade -- especially in a market as hot as netbooks -- seems like a horrible mistake.
Microsoft better hope reviewers who get their hands on Starter are able to confirm the idea that it still runs better than XP, even with severe limitations.
