DEFINITION WINDOWS

Windows 7 Home Basic

Windows 7 Home Basic is available in emerging markets such as Argentina, Brazil, the People's Republic of China,Colombia, India, Pakistan, Panama, Philippines, Mexico, Russia, Thailand, and Turkey. It is not available in first world countries including in Western and Central Europe, North America, Hong Kong, Australia and Saudi Arabia. Some Aero options are excluded along with several new features. Home Basic, along with other editions sold in emerging markets, include geographical activation restriction, which requires users to activate Windows within a certain region or country.

Windows 7 Home Premium

This edition contains features aimed at the home market segment, such as Windows Media Center, Windows Aeroand multi-touch support.

Windows 7 Professional

This edition is targeted towards enthusiasts and small-business users. It includes all the features of Windows 7 Home Premium, and adds the ability to participate in a Windows Server domain. Additional features include operating as a Remote Desktop server, location aware printing, Encrypting File System, Presentation Mode, Software Restriction Policies (but not the extra management features of AppLocker) and Windows XP Mode.Like Enterprise, Microsoft will support this edition until 2020.

Windows 7 Enterprise

This edition targets the enterprise segment of the market and is sold through volume licensing to companies which have a Software Assurance contract with Microsoft. Additional features include support for Multilingual User Interface (MUI) packages, BitLocker Drive Encryption, and UNIX application support. Not available through retail or OEM channels, this edition is distributed through Microsoft Software Assurance (SA).As a result it includes several SA-only benefits, including a license allowing the running of multiple virtual machines, and activation viaVLK.Like Professional, Microsoft will support this edition until 2020.

Windows 7 Ultimate

Windows 7 Ultimate contains all of the same features as Windows 7 Enterprise, but unlike the Enterprise edition, it is available to home users on an individual license basis. Windows 7 Home Premium and Windows 7 Professional users are able to upgrade to Windows 7 Ultimate for a fee using Windows Anytime Upgrade if they wish to do so. Unlike Windows Vista Ultimate, the Windows 7 Ultimate edition does not include the Windows Ultimate Extras feature or any exclusive features as Microsoft had stated. However, even though it is the consumer equivalent to Enterprise, Microsoft will only support Ultimate until 2015, as per Home Premium.