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What counts as a program in Windows 7 Starter Edition
A puzzle for the weekend. I’ve just been reading in the Personal Computer World newsletter about how Windows 7 Starter Edition will be limited to running 3 programs at a time.
I can see why they might want to do that from the point of view of getting people to move on to bigger and better versions of Windows but what counts as a program?
Word, Excel, each OpenOffice component, Firefox. Yes, that all makes sense.
What about instant messaging? Probably counts but that could be annoying given it’s something I leave on in the background.
But what about tools that blur the line between a program and a service. A service is a program that is always running from when Windows starts. That probably covers anti virus, but does it become a program when I start a scan?
Of course, there’s a way that this could backfire for Microsoft. Increasingly I spend more of my time in a browser. Using Zoho.com I can bring email, word processing, spreadsheet, presentation and project management into one program. And then I’ll add my task list courtesy of the Chandler Hub.
Now you could say that working like this gives me the freedom to leave my instant messenger on in the background. Then again, if I’m just working within a browser, why am I bothering with Windows at all. Oh dear…
Bonkers. Just bonkers. So much for GUIs and multi-tasking.
posted-by Dave Faulkner | April 24, 2009 9:52 PM
That's makes no sense. I'm always running more than one program. That's normal!
posted-by james | April 26, 2009 12:24 AM
Article on arid.net (http://digg.com/d1pTAK) that talked about windows 7 starter edition and had suggestions on a better way to implement the starter edition for netbooks.
posted-by articles | April 26, 2009 12:58 AM
I have always run more than more program. I think everyone does.
posted-by Ray Cheston | April 26, 2009 11:59 PM
Thanks for the link. Though it looks like the rules on what counts as program are as complicated as I'd feared!
posted-by Tim Smith | April 27, 2009 9:42 AM
Can i get a one small pic from your site?
posted-by Eremeeff | April 27, 2009 11:05 PM
I thought the operating system was supposed to let you open as many programs as the amount of memory you have could handle?
I've easily have had 5 or more programs running at the same time.
posted-by Vernon | April 29, 2009 12:04 AM
This is absurd; word, internet, msn and itunes. This combination proves that microsoft clearly needs to get REAL!
posted-by DiIeepa | April 29, 2009 1:27 AM
I thought the operating system was supposed to let you open as many programs as the amount of memory you have could handle?
thats what i thought as well.
posted-by Nathen Westfield | April 29, 2009 9:02 AM
Now Windows wants to put a limit on my multi-tasking. What's next?
posted-by Rich | May 1, 2009 12:38 AM
Most OS's only limit programs, as you say, to the amount of memory. But Microsoft wants to make Win7 Starter only suited to places where previously a computer was a abacus, and prevent us cheapskates from buying it as a cheaper alternative to whatever the next one is. So they have been talking about limiting the programs. This is absurd, usually I have several 'programs' open; for example late at night when I'm scanning my computer I have at least 4, and most other times I have usually more than 3 (especially as bits of Windows like volume mixer count as a program)
posted-by JH | May 2, 2009 9:12 PM
Hmm, I wonder as well what they will constitute as a "program". For example, when using Chrome, each time you open a tab it opens a new instance of the program. Also, programs that have multiple uses, such as Zoho which was listed in the article will probably be developed to compensate for users of this version of windows.
posted-by Vancouver Canuck | May 21, 2009 8:51 PM
Great article - I found it a very interesting read
posted-by Laura | August 15, 2009 10:15 PM