People who have been using the Windows 7 beta and RC and expect to update to the new version when it becomes available are one of the most common questions I get these days. “Which Windows 7 version do I require?”

Surprisingly, this issue often arises in other situations. When Apple fans show up any forum, they often say that the Home Premium version is "crippled" and "stripped-down." They insist that any self-respecting Windows user would have to update eventually. They argue that in order to equate the costs of a Windows PC to those of a Mac, which has only one version, you must choose the most costly Ultimate edition. This is not right; All features accessible only with Windows 7 Professional or Windows 7 Home Premium are amazing. In certain instances, add-ons or third-party applications may have similar or equivalent features. However, if the function is part of the operating system, I have only given it a Yes and the corresponding green shading.

Network Projector/Presentation Mode

With fast access to server projectors and a one-button method to disable items like pop-up alerts and screen savers, the Professional and Ultimate versions of Windows 7 have a set of tools intended to make people's lives easier who give presentations on a regular basis. Good, but no one is likely to pay extra for this.

File Encryption System

EFS, which enables you to encrypt a document so it could only be opened when you sign on with your client credentials is not supported by Home Premium. (This is not to be confused with BitLocker, which encrypts an entire drive.) FileVault is a feature in OS X that enables you to encrypt your entire home directory. You cannot encrypt anything beyond your home folder, and you cannot encrypt specific places. There are a number of third-party add-ons available for Mac and Windows PCs that allow this functionality.

Mode For Windows Xp

The main advantage of this function is that it contains a licensed version of Windows XP for the Professional as well as Ultimate versions at no extra cost. You should provide your own XP licenses (at an additional cost) and virtual servers that might or might not involve a paid license if you are using Windows 7 Home Premium or OS X.

Return To The Network As A Backup

The Windows 7 Professional software also enables the development of file system backup and planned backups on any version, which is a significant improvement from Windows Vista. In the Home Premium version, you can use the Previous Editions functionality to recover modified or deleted files using automated System Restore points. The option to select a network position for a backup is the only additional backup function included with an upgrade. The Time Machine function in OS X is designed to be used with an external hard drive. As per Apple's documents, the only network place that can be used is a $299 Apple Time Capsule.

Subscribe To A Windows Domain

Windows 7 Professional and Windows 7 Home Premium versions can join a Windows domain, allowing them to take advantage of security, security policies, and implementation features that are particularly useful in large organizations. The Home Premium version will control domain-based network resources but not Active Directory or software suite. Clients on OS X can bind to a domain's Active Directory, but Group Policy as well as other domain resources is not supported.