Windows 7 install size

When I installed Windows 7 in a VM, I was surprised at the size of the install.  The QCOW2 image file was 7.7GB.  This was a base install with no apps installed.  This isn't the largest I have seen, but larger operation systems usually come with more pre-loaded.  For instance, I just installed Ubuntu 12.10 in a VM and it took 9.7GB for the install.  Ubuntu comes with many of the programs you use on a day-to-day basis.  Windows does not.  You learn a little more about operating systems when you have to size them to share disks.