
Windows 7 is scheduled for release in 2010, and Microsoft has released some details about the next version of Windows. Similar to Vista, the new version will extend Vista's various editions to make individual Windows components like BitLocker (encryption), Internet Explorer, Windows Mail, etc. optional. Without saying too much, Microsoft has hinted that some modules will be subscription based. How much of the OS will rely on subscriptions (vs. ownership) is still subject to change.
Partially this move is motivated by the battering Microsoft has been taking in the EU, with various governments already moving to Linux as a result of anti-trust actions and the EU's skepticism about running foreign closed-source software on government computers. Microsoft is also attempting to deepen the profitability of Windows, as the software becomes more mature and fewer people feel the need to upgrade. By offering subscriptions and "modules", Microsoft will potentially be able to sell people a boutique of software instead of their current gestalt model.
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