RSSGartner: Steer Clear of XP Starter Edition
By David Worthington | Published August 13, 2004, 6:28 PM
Gartner analysts Dion Wiggins and Martin Gilliland are advising users to steer clear of Microsoft's low-cost alternative to Windows XP, Windows XP Starter Edition, saying that the lack of features will likely frustrate users due to its inability to grow with users as they gain experience. Gartner concluded that the release of more likely to encourage piracy than it is to abate it.
Windows XP Starter Edition is a stripped down, no-thrills distribution of Windows that was originally intended for Thailand's Information, Communications and Technology (ICT) social welfare program. Microsoft has since shifted its tactics to ward off software piracy and the threat posed by open source alternatives.
Redmond has designed the software with a direct upgrade path to the full version of Windows XP, and has included rich tutorials so that users can learn more about operating their PCs. Each distribution is localized and provides many language options.
However, Gartner has speculated that users that users may look a gift horse in the mouth and perceive Microsoft as trying to push an upgrade.
For instance, the OS has severely limited multitasking to the point where Windows can only run three applications at a time; reverts back to a single default desktop and removes personalization features that allow multiple user accounts on a single PC; and fails to address security concerns by not bundling an antivirus solution, a reliable patching system or materials educating users about risks to their security.
The software also lacks the ability to grow with the users as they become more computer literate.
"XPSE would have better met user needs if it had focused on first-time owners, rather than first-time users," read the report. "Many families don't own a PC but include people who already know basic PC use from cybercafes and schools. XPSE will likely frustrate these users, because it will not deliver the same quality of experience with which they are familiar."
Microsoft has expanded its initiative from Thailand to distribute Starter Edition throughout Asia. The program will now be expanded to Indonesia and Malaysia. The software will be available in all three countries by October.
CNET News.com is reporting rumors that Brazil, Jordan and Russia also become participants.
Gartner's analysis concluded: "Enterprises shouldn't consider this offering. Consumers should steer away from XPSE until it is retooled to grow with the user. With this product, Microsoft could have made a big difference in computer literacy and encouraged wider adoption of PCs among underserved populations."
The conclusion continued, "Instead, because of the unnecessary limitations introduced in XPSE, Microsoft will likely be perceived as pushing an upgrade path and frustrating users."
Gartner's report is entitled, "Windows XP Starter Edition Shows Good Intent, Poor Execution" and is available as a free download from Gartner's Web site.
Jinxx was right - Starter Edition is ONLY for developing countries, not for developed nations like the United States. Microsoft is offering it for a discount (and getting these countries' governments to help distribute it) simply because these people cannot afford a $99 OS. They intentionally hobbled it so that it would NOT appeal to people who already had a different version of Windows despite the fact that it's cheaper. In other words, if you already use Windows, then this IS NOT for you.
If you live in a developing country and have never gotten to use a computer before, on the other hand, you will probably love it. Sure, you can pay to upgrade to XP Pro later, but I don't think MS was trying to force an upgrade.
EDIT: Yes, you can get Linux for free, but you usually have to pay quite a bit (more than the cost of XP SE) to get the kind of support, etc. that Microsoft provides.
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|>If you live in a developing country and have
>never gotten to use a computer before, on the
>other hand, you will probably love it.
They WILL NOT love it- c'mon, 3 apps running? 3 windows per app? A 6th grader couldn't even write a book report with those restrictions. They will be very frustrated by the restrictions, and, since they have little money, will soon either steal the real Windows, or will switch to Linux.
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|CyberInferno: Microsoft is aiming for a select group of people which I doubt you are not going to be apart of with an imagination like that on how a billion dollar company runs it's self...maybe they should hire you as a consultant since you know so much.
melkor: Quote "Home is a baseball bat to the knees of Pro. SE is the coma that resulted from Pro beating Home with said baseball bat." I have only one question for you...what in the hell does that interesting analogy have to do with really anything Microsoft or for that matter software related?
Just a small little piece of advice, next time you want to bash Microsoft make an effort to include facts and not make stuff up at random. At please, no analogies with baseball bats and coma's.
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|Microsoft is aiming for a select group of people which I doubt you are not going to be apart of with an imagination like that on how a billion dollar company runs it's self...maybe they should hire you as a consultant since you know so much.
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I'm slightly confused as to how you passed 5th grade English (or maybe I'm making an incorrect assumption). This sentence is so poorly written, I'm almost unable to understand it. I'll assume your double-negative ("doubt you are not") in the first sentence was intentional, so you are asserting that I AM part of Microsoft's intended audience. Do I really seem that inept to you? Also, did you think my statments were serious? I was clearly being facetious. I don't honestly think Microsoft has a mentally handicapped division. It was a joke intended to demonstrate the idiocy of this project. Do you think the Starter Edition was a good idea? By the way, I wasn't bashing Microsoft. I personally like Microsoft. I believe that Apple has a far worse monopoly than Microsoft has ever dreamed of. At least Microsoft isn't the sole provider of hardware and systems (ala Apple). I believe this project was ill-intended, and if they actually plan to ship this product and satisfy the users, they will reconsider their methods of handicapping the operating system.
Here's a free grammar lesson, since you clearly lack the ability to clearly express yourself. 1) Double-negatives are confusing. Try to avoid them. 2) "It's" is a contraction abbreviating "it is." "Its" is the possessive form. Also, "itself" is a word, and is the word you should have used. 3) "A part" and "apart" are not the same thing. "Apart" means "separate from," whereas you meant to say "a part."
Just a little piece of advice: next time you want to bash people, try to do it with some coherency and decent grammar.
By the way, melkor, nice analogy.
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|CyberInferno: So I make one simple spelling mistake and you find the needs to write an entire paragraph about it? 5th grade English? Where did you get 5th grade? This is what I am talking about...you cannot make fun of people by making stuff up (it makes you look stupid). That and who in the world uses a word like facetious? Smart people like you who use the Thesaurus alot? Since I "clearly lack the ability to clearly express yourself" read this next line very carefully:
**** you and your grammer lesson. Is that coherent enough for you? Have a good day sir.
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|Home is a baseball bat to the knees of Pro. SE is the coma that resulted from Pro beating Home with said baseball bat.
3 applications? what about services?
If i were faced with deciding between SE or Linux it wouldn't be much a decision.
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|Agreed. If I were forced to choose between a PC with XP SE and a Mac, I would choose the Mac. And I abhor Macs.
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|What market was Microsoft aiming for here? This is possibly the stupidest thing Microsoft has done yet. I think this beats out Windows ME. If they were trying to convince potential piraters, they've done as this article and others have stated, encouraged them. And if they were aiming at an idiot audience, they're just going to annoy and frustrate people. No more than three apps at once? That's a bad joke. My 80-year-old grandparents, who just bought their first Dell, wouldn't even be able to make it by with that. At least SP2 is pretty good. I think Microsoft should shut down its mentally handicapped division...I know it satisfies their equal opportunity requirement, but that's the group that must have thought up this product ;-)
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|The problem here is that it is not MS's intent to make this a wide-spread thing across the globe to users who know what they're doing. It sure as hell isn't meant for "Enterprises" lol!
XPSE is intended to serve a very small market of users quickly, and as their needs grow... encourage a legal upgrade to XP Home/Pro.
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|And everyone thought that Activation crap was going to be the end of Windows piracy? Dude, think realistic, people will find a way to make it pretty much a stripped XP Pro which is what I see coming. This Gartner is in tuned with users a little "less" in knowledge with computers.
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|If microsoft put too many restrictions it will not good.
What are the restrictions? You can apparently only run three
programs, and three windows per program at the same time, you only
get resolutions of 800 x 600, and there's no support for home
networking, sharing printers across a network, or multiple user accounts
It is too bad. Home networking is a must.
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|I do not think you are right there. From the looks of the restrictions that I see there, there will be so many restrictions that users will eather use WPSE to download E-Mule and get XP Pro, or they will forget the idea of a comptuer forever.
I can not see includeing a restriction where you can not run more then three tasks. It makes sence to me to add a restriction so that they can not have more then one user account, or the custiminization features of the current Windows XP, but the restrictions they are talking of would make me forget the idea of a computer forever.
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|I have been waiting for a version of Windows like this to come out for so long. This is not designed to grow with any user...this is the version of Windows for those of us among the population that don't like animated dogs searching for files. Your hard-core Windows users are going to appreciate this release, as well as the rest of the world with their outlandish claims of monopoly this and monopoly that...with this version of Windows there will be no more b****ing!
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|My understanding of this release was mainly for international countries who need or want the Windows XP OS but cant afford it. Doesn't seem like there would be much of a choice, though, over this or linux.
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