Microsoft Vista may have 20 different versions!

Omega65 (Omega65) Microsoft may release as many as 20 different versions of its upcoming OS targeted at home and businesses with varying level of Networking, CPU and Media functionality.

October 11, 2005 4:08 PM ET in News,

Microsoft may release as many as 20 different versions of its upcoming OS targeted at home and businesses with varying level of Networking, CPU and Media functionality according to Bink.nu. You can find more indepth info at WinSupersite.com

Raphael of Extended64 did some digging around in Vista: I came across an XML file filled with alpha-numeric gibberish, quickly identified as base64 encoded data. I slapped it into my favorite web-based decoder and found some interesting product key SKUs… If you look closely, very closely, you’ll see there’s 20 SKUs.

Source: The Inquirer

19 Comments

  1. 11 Oct '05, 9:03 pm airbornflght

    meh...

  2. 11 Oct '05, 11:19 pm RWB

    This is a new form of SPAM!

  3. 12 Oct '05, 12:27 am macdude425

    The 1,345,124th reason I'm not using Vista...

  4. 12 Oct '05, 1:49 am Thrax

    Judging by your sig and username, I think you really only would've considered Reason #1: It isn't Apple.

  5. 12 Oct '05, 1:17 pm GHoosdum
    Quoting Thrax

    Judging by your sig and username, I think you really only would've considered Reason #1: It isn't Apple.

    But there's always the lure of actually owning a modern computer drawing these Mac folks toward the PC light...

  6. 12 Oct '05, 1:30 pm deicist

    Hmmm.... according to the table on winsupersite the 'ultimate edition' isn't going to have the activation bit... guess which version will be on the download sites first?

  7. 12 Oct '05, 1:36 pm drasnor

    I'm seriously considering going fully over to Linux and taking my chances with Win-on-Lin emulators for my gaming needs.

    -drasnor

  8. 12 Oct '05, 4:57 pm GooD

    What the hell are they trying to do ?

    I can understand the need of a HOME, PRO and SERVER versions...

    But going on more version than that is running into problems and large confusion among 'normal people'. One thing is for sure, they won't be able to 'sell' that idea, because it's not marketing at all...

    *sigh*

    This is ridiculous... simply ridiculous...

  9. 12 Oct '05, 5:28 pm Cyclonite

    It could be even worse for those who may be doing IT support.

    Customer: Hello, it seems I can't get this application to work properly. It says I need [this item].
    IT Support: Which version of Windows are you running?
    Customer: Vista.
    IT: *Sigh* Which version of Vista?
    Customer: Umm... [Insert one of the 20 versions available that isn't Ultimate].
    IT: Please hold while I try to determine that version's limitations.
    *Hold Music*
    [20 Minutes Later]
    IT: Thank you for holding sir. It seems none of our staff have reached that section of training yet, nor have we developed proper manuals due to the overwhleming number of versions of Windows Vista. Please call us back in approximately 3 months when we reach that area of training.

  10. 12 Oct '05, 5:38 pm profdlp

    Good one, Cyclonite.

    Your 3 month estimate may be a little optimistic, though...

  11. 12 Oct '05, 5:44 pm GHoosdum

    Why is it so obvious to everyone else that this is a stupid idea, but not obvious to Microsoft?

  12. 12 Oct '05, 5:53 pm GooD

    They have time to change their mind between this and the official release.

    If they do, this will not be the first they do so... But that's the first time i hope they will

  13. 12 Oct '05, 6:17 pm profdlp
    Quoting GooD

    They have time to change their mind between this and the official release...

    Good point. During Beta testing they may just be trying all sorts of configurations. If there actually are twenty different releases I will be astonished.

  14. 12 Oct '05, 7:40 pm Cyclonite
    Quoting profdlp

    Good one, Cyclonite.

    Your 3 month estimate may be a little optimistic, though...

    Hehe. When I was talking to my boss, I mentioned something to the effect of "we don't have three years to learn all the version nuances." That may have even been a little optimistic.

  15. 12 Oct '05, 9:18 pm airbornflght

    yeh...i was thinking about it, billy at micrococks is really been on the peace pipe a little to much.

  16. 12 Oct '05, 9:45 pm gibbonsl
    Quoting airbornflght

    yeh...i was thinking about it, billy at micrococks is really been on the peace pipe a little to much.

    that was a good one

  17. 14 Oct '05, 8:32 pm edcentric

    After all, they were looking at a couple of dozen different names (both 2006 and 2007 included). I am sure that this was just in case thinking.
    They will probably only release 6 or 7 ........

  18. 14 Oct '05, 8:44 pm profdlp

    Hey, a truly customized installation could prove beneficial.

    WinVista for Left-Handed Lithuanian Transexuals anyone?

  19. 20 Oct '05, 2:55 pm TheGr81

    I doubt they'll release more than 3 or 4... (One for Home, Professional, Server, etc.) Doesn't seem worth it.

Troll-free since 2003 ®