Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer (Steven Ballmer) has recently confirmed that a manufacturer would limit the Windows 7 Starter, a new version of the operating system that is designed to run on notebook and other systems with low processor and a small screen.

30 July, the annual financial analyst day of Microsoft ", Ballmer said a more specific restrictions, which must conform to the system, if a manufacturer is going to install it on Windows 7 Starter. Of all future versions of the Windows operating system version 7 Starter poorest in terms of functionality, in addition, it will be delivered to end users solely within the finished system. The company Microsoft will provide this version only OEM-manufacturers such as Acer, ASUS, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Toshiba, etc. "Our license tells you that the same is notebook ", ─ Ballmer said. ─ "Our license says that he has a super-small screen, which means that it also has a super small keyboard, and it must have a certain processor and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah."

While earlier this year, Microsoft representatives said that the company will impose restrictions on the types of processors and a screen that can be used under Windows OS 7 Starter, Ballmer is doing, so to speak, the responsible officer, announced this limitation. Already know that Microsoft will sell the new OS version of Starter for use in notebook with a diagonal screen no more than 10.2 ", with no more than 1GB of RAM, a mechanical hard drive no more than 250Gb or electronic storage of not more than 64Gb and uninuclear processor with a frequency of no more than 2GGts.

Ballmer told the analysts frankly why Microsoft has set for this version so restrictive. "We want people to get productivity benefits of light and can spend more money with us, with Intel, with HP, with Dell and many others", ─ "he said. ─ "With modern notebook I we sell you XP on a price. When we release Windows 7, OEM-manufacturers will be able to put XP on the computer at the same price, Windows 7 Starter for a higher price, Windows 7 Home Edition at a higher price, and Windows 7 Professional for a higher price. "


Microsoft did not disclose pricing on the version of Starter, as it will be sold only to bulk OEM-manufacturers and will not be available at retail. However, according to Ballmera these steps Microsoft should push consumers to buy a system with Windows 7 a higher version. "This is not just a pricing policy, although it has partly, too, it also depends on how well what we do, in every segment, people buy more expensive proposal", ─ analysts said.

"They are trying to make people buy the most functional version", ─ Crans said Allan (Allan Krans), an analyst with Technology Business Research. ─ "Sale of XP at a lower cost OEM-producers to hurt them financially points of view, and they are trying in any way to stop it."

According to Microsoft, earnings for the fourth fiscal quarter, which ended June 30, at 29% lower than during the same quarter a year earlier. Producer accuses of reducing profits and increasing sales notebooks global downturn in IT-market. Ballmer acknowledged that Microsoft had made an error in pricing licenses for Windows XP Home, which since April 2008, manufacturers sold only notebooks According to Ballmera, profits fell from Windows just because this year has been reduced prices in emerging markets, according to the theory that the lower price, the higher sales and higher overall profit. "The theory wrong. Not that it has not been tested, but as it turns out, the theory was wrong, and we use this experience in Windows 7. We are going to adjust prices to lower accessibility, so to speak, and I think we have a big chance sell versions of our line of Windows 7. "

The best that Microsoft can hope for is a more functional, but still low-cost notebooks, which operate under a "premium" versions of Windows 7, such as Home Premium or Professional. "We notebooks have their place, but low-level laptops are not very expensive", ─ Crans said. ─ "For laptops lower level will be much more comfortable keyboard and more convenient screen. They are better for the OEM-manufacturers and to Microsoft, so prices can be set more flexibly than notebooks."

Microsoft has pledged to continue selling Windows XP Home producers notebooks at least 12 months after the release of Windows 7, that is, in October 2010.