The main argument I've heard against maintaining one single version of Windows 7 is that Microsoft has a ton of customers, nearly 1 billion, and they all have different needs.  That much makes perfect sense to me.  Unlike Apple all of these people are running various hardware, they're using their machines for various reasons, I got it.  So why can't there be just one box copy of Windows 7?

One of the cool things about Vista is that you've got every version on one disc.  In order to upgrade you didn't have to buy a whole different version, you just had to buy the license and you could upgrade from your current disc.  All of the install files for each version of Vista are contained on every disc.  The license is what makes your version different, not the disc.  So...since we can put all of the files for Windows 7 Super Mega Edition on every disc and just compartmentalize the installation....why not just have one version?  Let the user decide if they want Windows 7 Basic, Home or Professional while they're installing.  Better yet let OEMs figure that out ahead of time.

Unfortunately it seems as though there will be many versions of Windows 7.  An Ultimate version is confirmed.  There's a starter version (read Basic), Home (read Home Premium), and Business (Professional).  Hopefully that's it.  I really, really, really want to believe that Microsoft has learned a lot from Vista.  This is one of the areas in which they have the opportunity to get things right with 7.

Oh well, I guess I still have great pricing to hope for.