Contrary to rumors, Microsoft’s highly anticipated Windows 7 Starter edition will not have a three application limit. This means that users can have more than three applications running at the same time. This is good news for netbook owners and potential users who would want Windows 7 for their new operatin system. Microsoft Windows 7 is being positioned as the next Windows operating system for netbooks following a re-surgence of Windows XP.

Here an announcement taken from the Windows 7 Team Blog:

“There of course will also be Windows 7 Starter edition, but based on the feedback we’ve received from partners and customers asking us to enable a richer small notebook PC experience with Windows 7 Starter, we’ve decided to make some changes compared to previous Starter editions. For the first time, we will be making Windows 7 Starter available worldwide on small notebook PCs. We are also going to enable Windows 7 Starter customers the ability to run as many applications simultaneously as they would like, instead of being constricted to the 3 application limit that the previous Starter editions included.”

But don’t expect the Microsoft Windows 7 to be too eye candy and ultra-powerful compared to its Windows Vista counterparts. Windows 7 Starter will not have the Vista Aero graphical user interface but will have the Microsoft Windows Basic theme similar to Microsoft Windows XP. Also missing are features such as DVD playback, multi-monitor support and personalization tools such as changing the desktop wallpaper, colors and sound themes.

According to Michael Cherry (analyst with Directions on Microsoft), “They’re really doing everything they can to remove any barrier to the OS, and by removing these barriers, they really are working to make as smooth a transition as possible into Windows 7.”

The new Microsoft Windows 7 is expected to be released in time for the 2009 holiday season.

SOURCES: ELECTRONISTA, ARSTECHNICA, COMPUTERWORLD