Microsoft has rapidly pulled a prematurely published Windows Vista help page that detailed the various flavours of the operating system due to be launched later this year.

The web page, now removed, indicated that there would be eight versions of the new operating system. Two of these are designed with Media Player removed for the European market, following the European Union's ruling on Microsoft's anti-competitive practices.

"Microsoft recently posted a web page designed to test the Windows Vista help system that included incomplete information about the Windows Vista product line up," said a Microsoft spokesman.

"This page has since been removed as it was posted prematurely and was for testing purposes only. We will share more information about the Windows Vista line up in the coming weeks."

The eight Vista versions listed on the web page include a basic cut down version, named Windows Starter 2007, designed for developing countries. In addition there were two versions for home users and three for businesses.

Windows Vista Home Basic and Windows Vista Home Premium look set to offer the usual range of features, but the Premium edition may include Microsoft's Media Centre platform for multi-computer homes.

Windows Vista Business and Windows Vista Enterprise are clearly aimed at the small and medium business sector and large enterprises respectively. The final version, Windows Vista Ultimate, may include the feature sets from both home and business versions.

Windows Vista Home Basic N and Windows Vista Business N are the two EU specific operating systems.