Since Microsoft introduced four different SKUs of Windows Vista into the marketplace, would be Windows buyers have been... confused. Home Basic, Home Premium, Business, and Ultimate offered different features at each level, taking away some and putting some back depending on which edition you bought.

There are actually six different flavors of Vista (excluding the 32-bit vs. 64-bit variants of all but Starter) all together. The fifth was Windows Vista Starter, an edition limited in functionality for emerging markets with basic needs. The sixth, and less known version is Vista Enterprise, a business specific edition only available through Microsoft's Software Assurance program.

With the beta of Windows 7 going extremely well for Microsoft, soon-to-be buyers have been holding out hope there would be fewer flavors of Windows 7 to choose from. 

Today Microsoft confirmed that they're pushing forward with six editions of Windows 7. Users around the net are screaming. However, it only looks bad on the surface. Once you dive down a bit, you'll see Microsoft has done a lot to improve the SKU madness.

Windows 7 SKUs

Windows 7 will ship in the following SKUs:

• Windows 7 Starter
• Windows 7 Home Basic
• Windows 7 Home Premium
• Windows 7 Professional
• Windows 7 Enterprise
• Windows 7 Ultimate 

In reality though, these are the Windows 7 SKUs you'll actually care about:

• Windows 7 Home Premium
• Windows 7 Professional

Looks a lot like XP doesn't it? I'm sure that was intentional. Most importantly, the different editions are additive this time around. So unlike the Vista Business not having some features as Vista Home Premium, Windows 7 editions higher up the chain will have all features as the versions underneath.

So what's with all the other editions? Paul Thurrott's Windows Super-Site has a great breakdown, but here's the basic gist:

• Windows 7 Starter is a stripped, limited functionality edition for emerging markets. You won't see it sold at retail.
• Windows 7 Home Basic is an advanced, more functional edition for emerging markets. You won't see it at retail.
• Windows 7 Home Premium will be the one of the three Windows flavors sold at retail, and will likely be the one most home users gravitate towards. It has the Aero UI, Media Center, etc. Like XP Home, it lacks the ability to join a domain, act as a Remote Desktop host, location aware printing, etc.
• Windows 7 Professional will be the other version of Windows that matters. It keeps all the Windows 7 Home Premium features, and adds on the stuff mentioned above. Like XP Pro, this will be the OS of choice for technically advanced home users that may use things like Remote Desktop.
• Windows 7 Enterprise isn't sold at retail. It's basically Windows 7 Pro plus a few corporate features, and is only available through Microsoft's Software Assurance Program/volume licensing.
• Windows 7 Ultimate is Windows 7 Enterprise, but without volume licensing. Unlike Windows Vista, the added features here aren't anything most consumers will be interested in (Branch Cache for example), with the exception of bitLocker drive encryption. 

So there you have it. That pretty much leaves two versions of Windows that will satisfy the vast majority of the consumer market.

Sure, it could be a little cleaner. For example, most would rather pirate Windows than use a version that is limited to running only 3 apps at a time, so it would make sense to condense Starter and Home Basic into just one functional "Basic" version.

My only other gripe is why Microsoft continues to push Remote Desktop as a "business only feature." Many home users want the ability to remote into a home PC, and their "Windows Home Sever" product even facilitates the use of Remote Desktop in the home.

Despite the many flavors of Windows 7, Microsoft is making huge strides forward (or backward to the XP days) by offering two editions that really matter. Provided Microsoft keeps the Home Premium and Professional versions priced reasonably, Windows 7 is headed toward a very bright future.