Summary

A significant portion of Windows 7 Starter edition will be the release on netbooks. The removal of this limitation will improve the user experience and increase satisfaction among the user. The XP emulation mode should also be available if the starter mode is planned as an upgrade for current users on netbooks. Windows 7 upgrades to existing netbook users should be a target for the release.

Analysis

Part of the netboook phenomenon is related to the power hungry vista OS requirements and the availability of XP on that platform. For Microsoft to get this user base to move forward to their new OS they need to accommodate existing XP users with the new OS. I see an increasing demand for truly portable Netbooks in the market place as adjunct devices. If Microsoft embraces this they can leverage Windows 7 for multiple devices in the same home. This should be their target.

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