Filed under: OS Updates, Windows, Microsoft, Beta, Windows x64
Microsoft drops personalization from Windows 7 Starter, locks wallpaper
by Lee Mathews Mar 29th 2009 at 11:30AM
We already knew that Starter would be extremely feature-limited. How full an experience would you expect from an OS that can only run three programs at once?
Regardless, one feature has been crippled that has a lot of people confused. In Windows 7 Starter Edition, the personalization option on the context menu isn't available. Worse yet, users can't even change their wallpaper.
Granted, Starter is only available in emerging markets and will probably only be used on very low-cost PCs (like netbooks) on which OEMs still want to provide a taste of the "Windows 7 experience." Taking that into consideration, letting manufacturers lock users into an OEM-branded wallpaper almost makes sense. Almost.
A little bit of permanent advertising in exchange for dropping the one desktop customization nearly every user wants to use seems like a poor trade-off.
We should remember that all Windows 7 versions are still in beta testing and we don't know for sure what Microsoft's plans for the RTM will be. With all the ruckus the Starter wallpaper lockdown has created, Microsoft will have to either make it customizable or stick to their guns and tell us all that personalization was never part of the plan for the most limited feature-limited version of Windows 7.
Fear not, future Starter Edition users. Rafael Rivera has already figured out how to circumvent the lock.
The Illusionist's Dream is a simple platformer; you play as a magician who needs to get through each level by transforming into any number of animals that you encounter along the way.
Each animal can do different things; the butterfly can obviously fly, but if it encounters a frog, the frog eats it, and you have to start over again. There's also a fox that runs fast and leaps far, but it eats any rabbits that cross its path. That means that, if you may need to be a rabbit later on, you need to take that into account ...
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
gonintendo said 12:14PM on 3-29-2009
[insert angry geek rant here]
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r3loaded said 12:51PM on 3-29-2009
Didn't Paul mention that this was a quirk specific to this build?
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Lee Mathews said 1:05PM on 3-29-2009
Dropping an entire option from the context menu is a bit more than a "quirk," don't you think?
The desktop.ini issue with 7057 - THAT was a quirk.
Brian said 1:09PM on 3-29-2009
Microsoft: This isn't just "lacking" a feature. This is punishment for having the starter edition. This is bullshit that needs to be changed.
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babyfacedkayos said 1:16PM on 3-29-2009
It works for a YEAR?!?!
really?
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Zachary Waldowski said 1:29PM on 3-29-2009
It does, for now. All builds up to 7048 say they expire in August. Every build 7048 and newer says it expires in 2010. 7068 (the newest leak) has no expiration date.
Lee Mathews said 1:31PM on 3-29-2009
The Windows script host reports June 2, 2010.
http://www.intowindows.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/3.jpg
a|e§ said 9:38AM on 4-03-2009
Ridicolous.
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Dr. Mike Wendell said 1:53PM on 3-29-2009
I can see it if changing the wallpaper had previously led to issues with locked up computers and folks having to reinstall Windows. Locking out new users from doing something stupid that would harm their computer in understandable.
But we're talking about changing the bloody wallpaper. I don't recall ever having to do a reinstall because I wanted to change my desktop.
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NinjaOptimus said 2:04PM on 3-29-2009
Thats so lame. I mean M$ has been using lame tactics like other bigger corps to force user to pay more for a few 'luxurious services'. But this is just so ruthless. I can imagine different kind of free applications popping up all over th internet withtin the first month after they release win7. These apps will allow ppl to change their wallpaper to anything regardless of their windows7 version / type. This is what actually created all these cracking groups and underground scenes. Well played Micro$**t
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KeegdnaB said 2:23PM on 3-29-2009
I actually understand the reasoning behind this. They're really only making the starter edition out of [a very small] demand for an absolute retardedly cheap version. OEMs will more than likely offer upgrade incentives out the whazoo so 99.9% of people will opt for home premium, but for the 0.1% who are just THAT cheap....they get what they pay for.
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Jason said 2:30PM on 3-29-2009
Who cares? Whose going to be using starter edition anyway? Surely no one reading this web site. Starter edition is for the netbooks for 3rd world countries.
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Ridgecity said 4:40PM on 3-29-2009
Actually, Microsoft created Starter Editions after losing major lawsuits in Europe for their monopolistic editions that included everything as default.
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Schmullus said 6:57PM on 3-29-2009
I'm afraid you are incorrect. The European "stripped" versions that lacked stuff like Media Player were referred to as the "N' versions, as seen as an option on Pre-SP1 Vista install DVD's. The Starter Editions have always been for "emerging markets".
UzEE said 5:13PM on 3-29-2009
While Microsoft is trimming features Apple is turning Macbooks into stoves http://thetechnopath.com/apple-macbooks-cook-eggs-literally/
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jeffagain said 5:48PM on 3-29-2009
wouldn't all these headaches be avoided by simply sticking with XP? Is there some problem with surfing the web and checking email and running dream weaver and photoshop etc etc. I udnerstand microsoft's motivations since they ould go out of business, but why are users so anxious to move from an OS that works to anything else??
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n1ce_hat said 7:25PM on 3-29-2009
Microsoft going out of business?
Revenge of the abacus!
Matt said 8:44PM on 3-29-2009
Does anyone really care if low-end laptops in third world countries can change their desktop wallpaper or not?
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phez said 8:54PM on 3-29-2009
Started edition is a godsend to IT specialists. Everything restricted from the getgo without having to rely on a 3rd party app? Or being significantly cheaper to license than the full versions - ie, great for businesses?
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Lee Mathews said 10:58PM on 3-29-2009
Too bad they won't be able to use it. It's not for enterprise use, or even for institutions (schools, libraries, etc). It's for emerging markets only.
Also, all regular versions of 7 are slated to have guest mode, which already makes system lockdown pretty dang simple.