As is widely known, Windows Vista will be coming in a number of different versions. Microsoft likes to eloquently state this as “Editions.” Splitting products up into different Editions isn’t new for Microsoft. In the past, such as for Windows XP, Microsoft created two versions of the product. Windows XP Home Edition was meant for the average home user while Professional was meant for users with more requirements for their operating system

The main cause of confusion regarding Vista decidedly comes from the many versions of the product. Microsoft officially states that there are 5 versions of the product, all of which are tailored for specific types of users. If you look a little closer and pay attention to Microsoft’s Version website, you’ll notice that there are, in fact, six versions.  

• Windows Vista Starter: Similar to Windows XP Starter, the Vista Starter version will only be available for emerging market. This move is meant to provide a legal alternative to using illegal copies of Vista. The version will be very limited in its functionality and will only allow users to run three applications with a user interface at once. It will also limit physical memory to 256 MB and run only in 32-bit mode.
  
  
• Window Vista Home Basic: Windows Vista Home Basic is designed for budget users. The edition will be available in 64-bit allowing for up to 8 GB of physical memory. There will be no support for the Windows Aero theme and there will be little media functionalities included. 
  
  
• Windows Vista Home Premium: This version offers a great amount of functionality for home users. The Aeroglass graphical interface will be supported and the version will also support much more media options compared to Home Basic. This version will also support Table PCs.
  
  
• Windows Vista Business: The primary target of this version, as the name implies, is business customers. It offers the Aero theme, however, it does not come with much of the media functionalities that Home Premium has. It does, however, come with numerous features tailored specifically for businesses such as the IIS web server, fax support, Rights Management Services, and Remote Desktop.
  
  
• Windows Vista Enterprise: This edition is aimed mainly for large businesses and the enterprise sector of the market. Vista Enterprise will include additional business features, however, it will not be available for retail or through OEM channels, and instead, it will only be obtainable through Microsoft Software Assurance.
  
  
• Windows Vista Ultimate: This edition is, as the name suggests, the ultimate edition of Vista. It combines all of the features of the Business and Home segment into one product. This version is aimed at gamers, multimedia professionals, and enthusiasts. A main feature of the OS is that it includes a game performance optimizer known as WinSAT.