Win7 MSDN Edition, OEM version, RTM version, vol edition difference

A MSDN (Microsoft Developer Network) edition

The MSDN software is a software developer-oriented version of Microsoft. MSDN covers all the platforms and applications that can be developed and expanded, such as the Microsoft Encyclopedia Encarta, or a variety of games that are not included in MSDN, because these products are directed toward end users and are not necessary for program development.

MSDN's operating System level is attached to Microsoft's software license, and under MSDN's User License contract (EULA), the software is licensed only to the developer who uses MSDN, for development and testing purposes only, and other people are not allowed to use MSDN attached software. Contains SQL Server Enterprise Edition that the enterprise cannot use MSDN to do as a database server in a production environment; The Secretary cannot use Office 2007, which is attached to MSDN, and so on.

(ii) OEM (Original equipment Manufacturer) edition

OEM software can only be shipped with the machine, not retail, so also known as the random version. OEM software can only be installed completely and cannot be upgraded from an old operating system.

If you buy a notebook computer or a branded computer, you will have a random version of the software. The packaging is not as exquisite as the retail version, usually with only a piece of CD and instructions (authorization). This system is usually less driven, and the current OEM software is rarely placed on the CD for you to install, either the recovery disk or the hard disk image.

(iii) RTM (release to manufacturing)

Before the software is officially put on the shelves in retail stores, need a period of time to press, packaging, distribution, so the program code must be in the official release a period of time to complete, the completion of the program code is called Final.code, the program code development completed, to send the mother to the factory a large number of presses, this version is called the RTM version.

The RTM version of the program code is the same as the official version. But the official version also has a different place: for example, the official version of the OEM can not upgrade the installation, upgrade to a new installation will check the old version of the operating system CD-ROM and so on, these are RTM and the official version of the difference, but their main program code are the same. Strictly speaking, this version still belongs to the FPP Retail edition and needs to be activated.

Four RC (Release Candidate)

From Microsoft's practice, the introduction of the RC version of the operating system on behalf of the official version of the OS is not far away from us, because the development of the Microsoft operating system is such: internal testing->alpha->beta public Test->RC version-> official version of the listing; Typically, Microsoft's RC version filter will go through 2-3 processes, meaning that Microsoft will launch the RC1, RC2 or RC3 operating system, and then the official version of the operating system, so the RC1 version of the operating system is usually the same as the final retail version of the operating system.

(v) vol. (Volume Licensing for organizations) edition

In Chinese, a group Volume license, under which a business or government is required to purchase a large amount of software to obtain a discount. This product's CD-ROM with the word "VOL", Take "Volume" the first 3 letters to indicate that the volume. This version is subdivided into "Open License" (Open License), "Selective license (select License)", "Enterprise Agreement (Enterprise Agreement)" and "Academic Education license" (academic Volume Licensing) "And so on 5 versions, the Shanghai Government vol. XP is this kind of bulk purchase version. According to the Vol Program, the Vol product is not required to be activated (whether upgraded to SP1 or SP2).

(vi) FPP (full packaged Product) Retail edition

FPP is the retail version (boxed software), the CD-ROM label for this product with the word "FPP", such as the English WXP Pro FPP version of the CD volume label is Wxpfpp_en, where wx means that Windows Xp,p is professional (H is home), FPP indicates a retail version, EN is indicated to be English. In addition to the purchase in the store, (H is Home), FPP indicates a retail version, EN is indicated to be English. Access is available to some MSDN users in addition to the store purchase.