Windows 7, the upcoming version of Windows Operating system from Microsoft is not going to include Windows Calendar, Windows Mail, Windows Movie Maker and Windows Photo Gallery, the built-in applications that were included in the previous version of Windows OS (Windows Vista).

The alternative proposed by Microsoft will be free downloads of newer and advanced versions of the excluded applications, packaged under Windows Live Essentials Suite.

As Microsoft was already having the advanced online counterparts of the mail, photo and movie editing tools (Windows Live Mail, Windows Live Photo Gallery and Windows Live Movie Maker), their decision of averting the bundling of older applications with Windows 7 will actually serve as a strong reason for end users to start using the Online applications suite, provided by Microsoft.

One must note that Windows Live Movie Maker, the newer movie editing tool is not supported on Windows XP.

One of the reasons why Microsoft took such a decision was also to refrain itself from any Anti-trust issues that may arise. Such a move will also avoid the confusion of offering and supporting two different programs that perform essentially similar functions.