So you're getting ready to build or buy a new computer but one key decision remains what operating system are you going to pick and unless you're using a Linux distribution or buying a Mac chances are you're going to end up with some version of Windows or another now at first this might seem like a non-decision just pick the 64-bit version of whatever the latest Windows is and you're all set right well maybe not because ever since Windows XP there have been home and professional editions of every Windows and some additional ones from time to time and it isn't always obvious what the extra money some times as much as another hundred US dollars will get you with a enhanced professional license so when does it actually makes sense well the answer depends not only on your needs but also on which version of Windows you need to run as many folks still need a copy of Windows 7 to run legacy applications so we'll be covering 7 8 and 10 in this episode now it's one thing if you're thinking about getting a professional Edition just for the extra bells and whistles but it's quite another if you need one to take advantage of your hardware specifically memory if you're running Windows 7 is a big factor here the home premium version only supports up to 16 gigabytes of RAM and with many higher-end computers these days having sometimes significantly more than that that would be a reason to go pro windows 8 and 10 support a much more generous 128 gigabytes on their home editions although pro could be a good option if you need more RAM than that for something like virtualization especially as hyper-v windows is built-in virtualization support is only available in pro and higher but other than supporting more memory than an elephant what else do professional editions offer well ever since Windows 7 BitLocker Microsoft's version of full disk encryption which you can learn more about here as well as in crypting file system has required buying an addition beyond just the home version windows 8 and 10 professional include BitLocker while for Windows 7 you'll have to step up to the even more expensive Ultimate Edition so if you're storing sensitive data on your drive that you can't afford to have stolen shelling out more money for a fancier version of Windows might be something to look into and if you're watching this the chances are you might be the de facto IT person for your friends or family or even work and you might find the remote desktop connection feature in Pro useful as only computers with Pro Editions can be remotely controlled if you need to fix a problem or grab a file from another PC though it should be noted there are lots of remote control options other than the built-in one in Windows we've actually talked about them before but wait.