No Wallpaper Swapping in Win 7 SE
Users, OEMs and Microsoft partners will not be able to change the wallpaper within Windows 7 Starter Edition.
While many consumers anxiously await the arrival of Microsoft’s new Windows 7 operating system, recently controversy has surrounded the Starter Edition version. Originally, SE would only allow three programs to run in the background at one time, however Microsoft eventually relented and lifted the restriction. Albeit not quite as drastic, now another restriction has surfaced: the inability to change the desktop wallpaper.
According to Within Windows, consumers cannot swap out the original windows wallpaper, change the colors or sound schemes. Apparently the same now holds true for OEMs and partners, a feature said companies normally modify in-house before shipping to retail outlets. Although Windows 7 Starter Edition isn’t available on the market, Microsoft recently confirmed the SE’s upcoming limitation in a short but firm statement.
“In Windows Starter Edition, OEMs must not modify or replace the Windows-provided background for Windows Welcome, the logon screen, or the desktop,” the company confirmed.
As of this writing, Microsoft has not yet revealed the official desktop background for SE. Consumers wanting to switch out the wallpaper for images of Fluffy or the in-laws will need to upgrade to Windows 7 Home Premium. However, it’s highly likely that a wallpaper workaround will be available online long before the OS makes its debut this October.
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I simply don't understand why they need to make such negative limitations, it's simply to force users to buy a larger version of windows. Stupid strategy.
It's not really stupid. You pay for what you get.
The fact Microsoft knows there is a absolute need for a cheaper OS is more than enough compared to Apple who just sell at ridiculous prices that only the "elite" can afford.
It's a silly restriction, but I'm sure Microsoft realises they can't make their restrictions too much. I myself, am going to save for Ultimate.
Ehm, aren't you misreading this...
It says the OEM's must not change it; it makes no mention of users.
Of course users will be able to change the wallpaper. Good grief...
Who knows, MS must think they have a valid reason for this... maybe their pact with the devil means that Win7 SE machines will open portals straight to hell if people fiddle with these things.....
Ehm, aren't you misreading this...It says the OEM's must not change it; it makes no mention of users.Of course users will be able to change the wallpaper. Good grief...
Yeah, I wonder about TH's interpretation of this. They say only that OEMs may not change it. And actually they say "must not" which doesn't sound like "cannot"--it sounds like the option is there but that they are not allowed due to some terms of agreement conditions.
"While many consumers anxiously await the arrival of ..."
Doesn't "anxious" mean to be afraid of sth.?
See the3mute
I've got the perfect wallpaper for them, "M$ flipping the bird at users."
it's just silly... Why oh why do they do that to themselves? I can see a whole bunch of apple fanboys marching in trumph saying - we CAN change wallpapers, we HAVE the browser in the EU, we CAN run more than 3 apps at the same time... FFS MS - THINK! What's the point of having a Windows 7 SillyEdition for £10 if you won't be able to do much on it? It seems crazy to me...
Who cares, I start my PC and I load an application so I don't see the wallpaper for that long. If I realy wanted to look at my wallpaper then I would buy a picture of it and hang it on my wall.
Does anyone use their OS for anything other than loading a browser or a game or office app?
Who cares about the wallpaper i only see it until i click something i want to do.
I think SE is a good attempt to get people who usually cant afford windows for whatever reason to purchase a legitimate copy. and I think that is a very good thing.
Honestly look at us: Haters of our own Saviour! try and imagine life without M$? BASIC or AMIGADOS anyone? ick!
If you can't get rid of the wallpaper and just have a plain colour background then that would be bad... I don't know about anyone else, but I'm sick to death of looking at Bill's lawn on XP. I like a nice plain black background...
...but then I'll never use Win7 SE so I suppose I don't really give a hoot.
I for one find it hard to believe MS is so stupid.
Not so much the wallpaper but if UI colours are fixed then people that are visual impaired may have problems using the system. Often people that are partly blind may have better viewing quality with what the rest of us sees as odd/ugly color combinations.
Already Windows is not the most friendly system for visually impaired and this will not win MS any bonus points.
It's nice to know that so many developer months would have been spent on building in the limitations. Then so many more months spent in management meeting. Then more months spent on testing.
Wasteful company, the time could have been spent doing other / better things.