Windows 7 Starter Edition Limited to Three Open Apps. Seriously

Sometimes Microsoft will do something so mind-boggling stupid, you just can't help but wonder what is going. (Apple does this at times too, to be fair, but this one is a doozy.) Kudos to Ed Bott over at ZDNet for unearthing this gem: Windows 7 Starter Edition will only allow for three apps to be open simultaneously. Starter Edition is intended for developing countries in Asia, Africa, and elsewhere. I guess the thought is that these "primitive" tech users can't possibly be expected to handle having three programs open at once. I mean checking mail, researching online, writing a paper, AND doing something else? Let's just let them get used to three apps first.

As Bott points out, there doesn't seem to be any limit within a program. For example, you can have 12 browser windows open if you like. This would tend to indicate that this wasn't done to protect under-powered systems from crashing. It was done to protect over-priced versions of the software from not selling. This is hockeypuck mouse-level stupidity.

As advocated elsewhere, I agree, and say these markets should instead consider free alternatives like linux. This offering from Microsoft does nothing but to help them ensure their current marketshare numbers.

Comments

[TheJ]

First, a correction:
Yes the Starter Edition is intended for developing countries but it is ALSO intended for NETBOOKS in ALL countries !!!
That's right !! Windows 7 Cripple Edition will be the OS of choice on all netbooks rather than Win XP. MS wants to get OEMS to move away from XP and this is their "solution".
I guess that's the Windows 7 WOW factor !!

Second, a question:
Since it is restricted to only 3 apps at once, I was wondering how many viruses/malware are allowed to run at once??

Thanks
ta

[Capon]

So MS doesn't want me to buy their apps? They would prefer me to do it all with web apps? Sheer lunacy.
Anyway...Linux will murder them.
Anti-marketing at it's stupid best

[Al]

Wow, even if the Starter Edition's price is really low like five bucks - the very fact that MS cripples its software will kill its marketing and make it one big fat target for those anti-MS people. Why can't they just make one or two version that covers everything like the Mac OS?

MS starter edition for "developing countries?" Way to rub it in guys. How about just calling it "Third World Windows 7 for filthy plebs" instead?

[Partners in Grime]

Three open programs at once? That might be pushing it. :)