Rafael Rivera at Extended64.com poked around in some Windows Vista XML files and found this list of 20 version names. Before the ‘sphere starts shrieking that this is even worse than the seven versions we heard about before, let’s take a closer look. I’ve reordered the list slightly to make it easier to see the product mix.
Retail versions for the home market:
- Windows Vista Starter
- Windows Vista Home Basic
- Windows Vista Home Premium
- Windows Vista Ultimate
Retail and VL versions for the business market:
- Windows Vista Pro Standard/SB
- Windows Vista Pro Std/SB/Ent – VL Binding Service
- Windows Vista Pro Std/SB/Ent – VLGeneric
- Windows Vista Pro Std/SB/Ent – DMAK
OEM editions for sale with new consumer PCs
- Windows Vista Starter Digital Boost – OEM
- Windows Vista Home Basic – OEM
- Windows Vista Home Premium – OEM
- Windows Vista Ultimate – OEM
OEM editions for sale with new business PCs
- Windows Vista Pro Standard/SB – OEM
- Longhorn Enterprise Server – OEM
Longhorn Server versions (due in 2007):
- Longhorn Enterprise Server (ADS)
- Longhorn Enterprise Server – IA64
- Longhorn Standard Server
- Longhorn Datacenter Server
The ones that no one will ever buy:
- Windows Vista Home Basic N
- Windows Vista Pro Standard N
Speculate away. DMAK and Digital Boost are the ones that have me puzzled at first glance.
(Via bink.nu)
Ed Bott 
Thats kinda ridiculous, since OEM versions aren’t considered as Editions but are distributed with new PC’s according to edition of the version OEM the customer chooses when purchasing the PC.
Actually, there IS precedent for OEM versions being separate SKUs distinct from retail versions. In Office 2003, there’s an Office Basic Edition that is available only as an OEM version. So yes, the customer chooses, but there may be differences between retail and OEM editions, even if the names are similar.
Ed, is there any word on pricing yet? I’d like to buy the Ultimate edition, but I’ve got this sneaking suspicion it’ll be $400.
No word on pricing, but I would bet Ultimate Edition will be less than $200…
they took my name and they do not want to pay me for it