Exclusive: Windows XP Starter Edition Revealed

Exclusive: Windows XP Starter Edition Revealed

Tom Warren on 23 June 2004 - 18:07 · 57 comments & 15456 views

Advertisement (Why?)

Thanks to Olcay for the heads up

Microsoft is currently planning a new edition to the Windows XP family of operating systems, namely "Starter Edition". Starter Edition is the name of a previously announced effort to deliver a tailored and localized Windows product to Thailand and Malaysia, as part of Microsofts efforts to enable access to technology.

Previous rumours suggested that Windows XP Starter Edition would include a set of applications on top of the standard Windows XP installation (including Office 2003). We cannot confirm these reports but are awaiting a statement from Microsoft Press.

Screenshot: >> Click here <<

News source: In-House

Limitations:

Basic user Interface only
Disabled Advanced Scheduling of Tests
Disabled Creating of Your Own Tests
NO TECHNICAL SUPPORT

About the Author

Full name: Tom Warren
User name: creamhackered
Contact: via forum PM
Submissions: View All
More: View Bio New!

Post a comment · Send to friend Comments · There are 57 additional comments

(4 replies) #1 divertom15 on 23 Jun 2004 - 18:48

starter edition? could they come up with a better name? and whats with the light blue background wasnt it darker blue?

#1.1 falconnian on 23 Jun 2004 - 18:52

Agreed. It just sounds really........ weird. they might as well call it Windows XP Noob Edition

#1.2 Greenstein on 23 Jun 2004 - 18:56

I don't like the use of the word "Edition"

#1.3 Sawyer12 on 23 Jun 2004 - 19:05

QUOTE (#1.1)

Agreed. It just sounds really........ weird. they might as well call it Windows XP Noob Edition

Yeah I couldnt agree more. Then all they need to do is disable features such as the internet and access to any drives what so ever. Problem Sorted.

#1.4 NeoSoft on 23 Jun 2004 - 20:33

"Starter Edition" does sound weird! I agree that they could have come up with a better name than that.

#2 Master MX on 23 Jun 2004 - 18:56

Well, it don't sound too good at the moment. But i guess we will have to see how this developed, perhaps a tweak UI among other things. I guess we will have to see when its leaks or new screenshots coming out.

(2 replies) #3 Dee on 23 Jun 2004 - 18:56

It's funny that "Starter Edition" is aimed at the Thai and Malaysia market, but the "screenshot" is in english...

#3.1 EmuZombie on 23 Jun 2004 - 19:10

It's funny how many english words you can find in Asian Cultures. Just look at the logo of numerous products.

#3.2 kaffra on 23 Jun 2004 - 21:45

So? both malay and english are widely used in Malaysia.

(2 replies) #4 rocks1985 on 23 Jun 2004 - 19:02

this OS would be a good excuse to add animation effects like smooth window minimizations a la mac os x which experienced users hate

you know...it lets the user know where the window is going.

it annoyed me so much whenever my dad used to be like "what , what did you do? where did the window go, why'd you close it?" and i was like, "no i just minimized it"

#4.1 camsoft on 23 Jun 2004 - 19:51

I dont think that is going to happen some how. They are not creating a new operating system here, they are rebranding an existing one (XP) and disabling and pre installing software into it. I terms of the window animation, the windows do animate in XP. The minimise animations in Windows are OK as a visual key to where the windows gone.

#4.2 leojei on 27 Jun 2004 - 03:42

I guess he got his animation of minimizing/maximizing off (along with many other users cuz it makes min/max'ing windows much faster).

My parents often say that too, when they look at my screen~

#5 nuka_t on 23 Jun 2004 - 19:03

it always will be in english. even the localized versions have an english logo. at least they did in windows 98, havent used one recently.

#6 gosh on 23 Jun 2004 - 19:08

Big deal, startoc.inf has been a part of sp2 since build 2126 or so, it's been in there for awhile. Secondly, the screenshot is just of a picture problem taken from a file using a resource editor. The reason i know this is because startoc.cab is not included in sp2 which has all the needed files.

btw: i posted exactly the same thing on msfn on June 7th

-gosh

Last edited by 98 on 23 Jun 2004 - 19:27

#7 y_notm on 23 Jun 2004 - 19:12

ha just read a post on the beta newsgroups about this and was totally confused as to what it was. This clears a little bit up at least

(1 reply) #8 rhyno on 23 Jun 2004 - 19:28

Yeah, but is it even as Really Good as Windows RG?!

http://www.deanliou.com/WinRG/WinRG.htm

#8.1 outofcoffee on 23 Jun 2004 - 19:59

nothing is as good as Windows RG!

#9 hardgiant on 23 Jun 2004 - 19:48

This is going to be very popular

#10 Toxicfume on 23 Jun 2004 - 19:50

There have been talks about a cheap+affordable version of Windows XP and Office here in Thailand for a while, I guess this is what they have finally come to..that is calling it 'Starters Edition'. So my guess would also be that they might package the Office suit along with it, since they were in the talks of having a cheap version of it, but never had any confirmation.

However, I believe that the entire deal here is not about 'enabling access to technology,' but rather 'increasing awareness/encouraging access to legal software.' Since illegal software is available openly in Malaysia and Thailand, and legal software is literally non-existant to a lot of people here.

(7 replies) #11 XxDesmus_MODxX on 23 Jun 2004 - 20:24

who f-ing cares. why can't we get cheap software in the US?

#11.1 imachip on 23 Jun 2004 - 20:43

Typical responce from a US idiot who thinks they own the planet. Maybe neowin could make a US edition to keep these ppl away.

#11.2 diamonds on 23 Jun 2004 - 21:11

QUOTE (#1.1)

Typical responce from a US idiot who thinks they own the planet. Maybe neowin could make a US edition to keep these ppl away.

one more comment like that, and it looks as though we may be forced to invade/take over your country also.

#11.3 123_kid on 23 Jun 2004 - 22:21

What does the cost of software being high in the US have to do with the US owning the world?

#11.4 XxDesmus_MODxX on 23 Jun 2004 - 23:27

exactly my thoughts...i just don't understand how it's fair to offer the same or similar software at a discounted price in different countries....i don't care where else, i could be from UK, Germany, etc....it's not fair regardless of where i am from.

oh, and imachip, nice try, but you failed at being a d-ck

#11.5 Grope for Luna on 24 Jun 2004 - 05:44

QUOTE (#11.4)

Uh, if you had actually travelled to other countries, or even read a book or turned on a television once in a while, you would know that many other countries have a significantly lower per capita income and can't afford software priced to sell in the much more affluent US . Plus, a lower cost there serves to make pirated software less attractive.

#11.6 shao on 24 Jun 2004 - 08:53

hey wow.. i hope you're not american, and complaining that other countries get things cheaper than you do! Try living in somewhere like the UK, where practically anything you can buy in the US for $x translates directly to £x, despite the currency conversion rate, which at one point was almost x/2. fact is, practically everything in the US is cheaper than most other countries, and that includes things which aren't even manufactured in the US.

#11.7 BugMeNot on 24 Jun 2004 - 09:07

people in britain have a lower per capita income and yet pay more for all software, music, videos, etc., than americans

(1 reply) #12 WebGeek on 23 Jun 2004 - 20:30

Is this a joke?

#12.1 creamhackered on 23 Jun 2004 - 20:57

Erm, of course not.

(2 replies) #13 JohnO on 23 Jun 2004 - 20:39

the last time microsoft made a joke it was windows ME

#13.1 Mister Lamar on 25 Jun 2004 - 00:56

QUOTE (#13.0)

ME flashbacks

#13.2 leojei on 27 Jun 2004 - 03:44

ME was (and is) just a mistake, and a joke!

and my laptop ships with that OS! SIGH!~ Luckily I know how to format and install XP on it. wahaha!~

#14 sumeet on 23 Jun 2004 - 21:27

lol what a crappy screenie

(3 replies) #15 scaredmogwai on 23 Jun 2004 - 21:35

ha ha Windows XP SE

#15.1 incubusdaemon on 23 Jun 2004 - 22:25

it would be funnier if it were Windows SEXP

okay, i know... lame.

#15.2 Post-It Note on 23 Jun 2004 - 22:59

SEXP = Starcraft: Brood Wars (Starcraft Expansion)

#15.3 shao on 24 Jun 2004 - 08:49

reminds me of "sex wee", to quote "bo' selecta" (for anyone in the UK)

#16 McGazza on 23 Jun 2004 - 23:44

Windows XP Starter Edition Scrapped

(2 replies) #17 l77Il7H on 24 Jun 2004 - 00:39

windows starter edition sounds incomplete to me. yet it has more features than regular windows, how ironic.

#17.1 Dr.Jones on 24 Jun 2004 - 01:37

the just added n00b stuff, hence the "Starter"

#17.2 Coolme on 24 Jun 2004 - 01:45

I think you mean the up comming 500 MB+ of help files, wizard, and demonstrations...

(2 replies) #18 Gary_Player on 24 Jun 2004 - 02:12

Anyone here seen pirated software hawkers in Malaysia or Thailand? Why would they buy a pricey copy of windows *insert whatever goof-ass name they finally decide on* when they could get a pirated copy for next to nothing?

#18.1 shao on 24 Jun 2004 - 08:46

because it's illegal, and generally not everyone is a warezing little **** like yourself.

#18.2 Rudy on 24 Jun 2004 - 14:12

have u ever been to thailand?? believe me they dont care if its legit or not

#19 j.reed on 24 Jun 2004 - 05:04

The fourth color in the XP flag I assume?

(1 reply) #20 Randall_Lind on 24 Jun 2004 - 05:11

Windows with Office Intergrated I knew one day MS would get around to putting it in Windows.

#20.1 shao on 24 Jun 2004 - 08:47

kind of makes sense for people that always install office along with windows, like a lot of companies. Of course, you can't really complain, as long as there's always the option to not include office with other versions of windows.

(1 reply) #21 sentio on 24 Jun 2004 - 08:39

I believe it's aimed at reducing piracy.

#21.1 urlmodif on 28 Jun 2004 - 13:46

This is clearly true. The piracy is certainly a strong motivation for Microsoft(tm). Maybe they think that by discounting, the user will get the habit to pay for software.
Maybe Microsoft(tm) also fears the Linux(tm) dragons and would like that the users of tomorrow begin to develop their addiction to the correct and wining software.
The developed countries already have a foot in the grave. We cannot easily get rid of this monopolistic situation. The situation we have here can be easily exported to the developing countries and, as it is it's goal and the goal of any enterprise, this will make more money for Microsoft(tm). This is like a bet. Are the developing countries going to raise their revenues and be able to buy very expensive software that are not yet affordable and necessarily the best choice compared to the Open Source Software alternatives? Microsoft(tm) has to anticipate a possible market and thus has to help people learn and addict to their softwares before those people find or develop the alternatives.
Anyway, this is good news for Thailand and Malaysia because Microsoft(tm) clearly believes their economic situation can improve. Do they plan to do the same for Africa? I known they give software away but do they discount and adapt?

There is another aspect that is not clearly mentioned here I think. This discount and adaptation gives Microsoft(tm) a better image from the point of view of the developed countries users. We can think that buying Microsoft(tm)'s products is a good thing as they do some kind of redistribution.

Do you think possible that 95% of the computers in the world are running a Windows(tm)? I do.

#22 Wiseman on 24 Jun 2004 - 09:44

one word......bull****

#23 The Gauge on 24 Jun 2004 - 10:24

damn. and there was me thinking that it might have been a version of windows xp with a load of unnecessary poop cut out of it. wishful thinking, i guess.

(1 reply) #24 deadmonkey on 24 Jun 2004 - 11:41

This story isn't true according to BetaNews

#24.1 anog on 24 Jun 2004 - 14:39

But it is.
A Microsoft guy replied in the newsgroups.
Also, see the following links

Business Digest

CNN

(1 reply) #25 GuardianAtomos on 24 Jun 2004 - 16:56

Now, now...we all know that they call it Starter Edition because it gently introduces computer crashes and blue screens to new people who thought that computers were meant to actually run well...this way, when they finally get up to the next version of Windows, they'll be used to hearing "Error.wav" and seeing red circles with white "X"s in their dialog boxes.

#25.1 Mister Lamar on 25 Jun 2004 - 00:58

ding

#26 VzXzV on 28 Jun 2004 - 00:47

there is more @ http://www.microsoft-watch.com/article2/0,1995,1616626,00.asp

QUOTE

KillGrinder
this country pirates like 90% of there software, so MS lowers the price to $38, but in the US - rather than lower the price, they just sue you. awsome.

#27 jack_canada on 13 Aug 2004 - 01:49

WIN SE SUX! The screen resolution is limited to 800*600, doesn't support printer sharing and internet connection sharing, and you can only run 3 programs at a time.

Commenting has either been disabled on this article or you are not logged in. Click here to login or register, its free!

Note: Anonymous commenting is disabled in order to keep the quality of responses to a high standard.

Advertisement (Why?)

Neowin.net

Exclusive: Windows XP Starter Edition Revealed

Share this Article

About the Author

Related news