Microsoft's Multitasking Tax

Ever here the M.T.T. Aka the “multitasking tax”. I know what many of you are about to say. There is no such thing, right? Wrong. The multitasking tax is very real. Real stupid if you ask me. Microsoft will launch a Windows 7 Starter Edition as a low-cost option designed specifically for mini-systems, like they did with the XP stater way back when. With Windows 7 Starter Edition computer users could run up to three programs concurrently, thanks to the three-app rule. The three-app rule includes applications running in the background, meaning that if I ran MS word and Firefox for example, I could only run one further application on my system. Microsoft’s defense behind the restriction was that it ensures that users can get the best possible performance from power limited hardware. Now I did some checking. A cross the web read that Windows 7 is working great with as little as 512 MB RAM and Atom low end processors. Blogs say usability has been improved better and now it is lean like XP. Windows 7 has been designed to run well on low-end systems is what everyone is saying, right?

The sad truth is that if 7 stater was the only Edition able to run effectively on mini-systems then there would be no plans to install Windows 7 Basic & Home Premium on such under powered hardware as they can not run more than 3 apps at once. Didn't that group learn a lesson the last time they tried to put one over everyone. You know, the class-action suit from people who bought machines labeled as "Vista Capable" in the months prior to Vista's release accused Microsoft of selling a bill of goods, because many of the computers were able powerful enough to run only Vista Home Basic, the lowest-priced edition. To be fair Microsoft has denied the charges, and you can’t blame a cow for not barking like a dog. Microsoft earned more than a billion dollars on the sales of PCs marked "Vista Capable." Don’t be mad because that snake you saved from the house fire bit you. Since last year M.S. has promoted the fact that Windows 7 is able to run on hardware not able to handle Vista. Can’t afford real WIN 7 you poor souls, then the WIN 7 Starter Edition is for you guys, “wink-wink”. A lot of poor people could be disappointed with Starter if they weren't aware of its limitations, you know like getting shocked when the fourth app won't run.

Microsoft is ready to fight its war against GNU/Linux and they don't care who gets hurt. With the cost of the Windows operating system remaining relatively unvarying, even as PC hardware components costs have dropped over the last 10 years. It stands to reason that if hardware price is down then why not is cost of Windows operating system still so high and getting higher each time. Things like SLED Linux, Ubuntu Linux and Xandros Linux seem to run systems for less. The thing is Microsoft wants users to buy cheaper systems pre-installed with Windows 7 Starter. The the single mother of 4 will get the shock of her life when the fourth app she clicked on won't open. She reads the fine print to see whats wrong, only to find that she needs to upgrade to Home Premium paying the “multitasking tax” (MTT) because Starter is so crippled.