FYI- Microsoft cuts price for boxed Vista

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23406638/

Executive: Company 'botched' marketing of computers as 'Vista Capable'
SEATTLE - Microsoft Corp. will cut the price of some versions of Windows
Vista, the software maker said late Thursday.

The move came a day after court filings revealed internal dissent over which
Windows XP computers would be considered capable of running the new
operating system - and a feeling on at least one executive's part that the
company had "botched" the marketing of computers as "Vista Capable."

Only copies of the year-old operating system that are sold in boxes directly
to consumers are affected by the price cuts _ not the versions pre-loaded on
personal computers. The cuts will range from 20 percent to 48 percent.

The reductions are to coincide with the late March release of Vista Service
Pack 1, a collection of security fixes and other improvements.

Microsoft said the new prices will apply to the Home Premium and Ultimate
versions of Vista, in both their full editions and the editions that upgrade
an older or more basic operating system.

Both versions serve the tiny percentage of users who install an operating
system on their own; most people get the latest version of Windows only when
they buy a new PC.

Windows Vista's January 2007 launch was plagued by delays. To keep consumers
buying PCs in the holiday season of 2006, Microsoft and PC makers promised
free Vista upgrades later to shoppers who bought Windows XP computers.

At the launch, Microsoft was widely criticized for offering too many
versions of the operating system _ including Home Basic, which didn't have
the snazzy new signature look called "Aero" _ and for setting the price too
high for the high-end versions.

Brad Brooks, a corporate vice president for Windows marketing at Microsoft,
said in an interview that the company has since tested lower prices and
found "product was moving much, much faster."

Brooks said he expects so many customers to buy Vista at the new prices that
the price cuts will increase Microsoft's revenue, not subtract from it.

A federal judge recently said consumers could pursue a class action suit
against Microsoft for labeling PCs as "Vista Capable," even though many were
not powerful enough to run all of Vista's features, including the Aero
interface.

Company e-mails produced in court chronicle Microsoft settling on a plan to
market a wide range of XP-based PCs as "Vista Capable" after company
officials realized in early 2006 that 30 percent or fewer of computers on
the market could run the full-fledged version of Vista with Aero.

That realization apparently caused computer makers like Dell Inc. to worry
that people would stop buying PCs for almost a year - until Vista launched.

The e-mails also showed Microsoft lowering the bar for "Vista Capable" to
protect Intel Corp.'s sales of some widely used chips that weren't powerful
enough for the full Vista experience.

Microsoft employee Anantha Kancherla was particularly blunt in his March
2006 response to a question about whether a certain PC configuration would
be considered "Vista Capable."


"Based on objective criteria that exist today for "capable," even a piece of
junk will qualify," he wrote. "For the sake of Vista customers, it will be a
complete tragedy if we allowed it."

According to the e-mails, Jim Allchin, the executive in charge of Windows at
the time, wasn't involved in the decision to brand a wide swath of XP
computers as "Vista Capable."

Upon learning the details, Allchin wrote, "We really botched this."

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may
not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

MS is getting desperate!
They don't lower prices out of kindness to consumers!

And in my country, Australia, the corporate uptake of vista is DISMAL, to
say the least,

The major Banks here have only within the last 2-3 years upgraded their
workstations from Win 2000 Pro to XP; NO Vista customers there!

And now that businesses here know that windows 7 is developing, they are
waiting, and hoping, that vista's bugs wil be eliminated it the next
Operating System.

And the majority of personal shoppers here just DON'T want Vista.
They buy it if they can't get XP; which the chain stores are telling them to
push vista.

It is one BIG con from start to finish.


--
Mick Murphy - Qld - Australia


"Just.some.guy" wrote:

> http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23406638/
>
> Executive: Company 'botched' marketing of computers as 'Vista Capable'
> SEATTLE - Microsoft Corp. will cut the price of some versions of Windows
> Vista, the software maker said late Thursday.
>
> The move came a day after court filings revealed internal dissent over which
> Windows XP computers would be considered capable of running the new
> operating system - and a feeling on at least one executive's part that the
> company had "botched" the marketing of computers as "Vista Capable."
>
> Only copies of the year-old operating system that are sold in boxes directly
> to consumers are affected by the price cuts _ not the versions pre-loaded on
> personal computers. The cuts will range from 20 percent to 48 percent.
>
> The reductions are to coincide with the late March release of Vista Service
> Pack 1, a collection of security fixes and other improvements.
>
> Microsoft said the new prices will apply to the Home Premium and Ultimate
> versions of Vista, in both their full editions and the editions that upgrade
> an older or more basic operating system.
>
> Both versions serve the tiny percentage of users who install an operating
> system on their own; most people get the latest version of Windows only when
> they buy a new PC.
>
> Windows Vista's January 2007 launch was plagued by delays. To keep consumers
> buying PCs in the holiday season of 2006, Microsoft and PC makers promised
> free Vista upgrades later to shoppers who bought Windows XP computers.
>
> At the launch, Microsoft was widely criticized for offering too many
> versions of the operating system _ including Home Basic, which didn't have
> the snazzy new signature look called "Aero" _ and for setting the price too
> high for the high-end versions.
>
> Brad Brooks, a corporate vice president for Windows marketing at Microsoft,
> said in an interview that the company has since tested lower prices and
> found "product was moving much, much faster."
>
> Brooks said he expects so many customers to buy Vista at the new prices that
> the price cuts will increase Microsoft's revenue, not subtract from it.
>
> A federal judge recently said consumers could pursue a class action suit
> against Microsoft for labeling PCs as "Vista Capable," even though many were
> not powerful enough to run all of Vista's features, including the Aero
> interface.
>
> Company e-mails produced in court chronicle Microsoft settling on a plan to
> market a wide range of XP-based PCs as "Vista Capable" after company
> officials realized in early 2006 that 30 percent or fewer of computers on
> the market could run the full-fledged version of Vista with Aero.
>
> That realization apparently caused computer makers like Dell Inc. to worry
> that people would stop buying PCs for almost a year - until Vista launched.
>
> The e-mails also showed Microsoft lowering the bar for "Vista Capable" to
> protect Intel Corp.'s sales of some widely used chips that weren't powerful
> enough for the full Vista experience.
>
> Microsoft employee Anantha Kancherla was particularly blunt in his March
> 2006 response to a question about whether a certain PC configuration would
> be considered "Vista Capable."
>
>
> "Based on objective criteria that exist today for "capable," even a piece of
> junk will qualify," he wrote. "For the sake of Vista customers, it will be a
> complete tragedy if we allowed it."
>
> According to the e-mails, Jim Allchin, the executive in charge of Windows at
> the time, wasn't involved in the decision to brand a wide swath of XP
> computers as "Vista Capable."
>
> Upon learning the details, Allchin wrote, "We really botched this."
>
> Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may
> not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
>
>
>

I always wonder why people don't just buy a Mac and stop complaining.

"Mick Murphy" <> wrote in message
news:26E98C2E-6120-46C1-ADC6-...
> MS is getting desperate!
> They don't lower prices out of kindness to consumers!
>
> And in my country, Australia, the corporate uptake of vista is DISMAL, to
> say the least,
>
> The major Banks here have only within the last 2-3 years upgraded their
> workstations from Win 2000 Pro to XP; NO Vista customers there!
>
> And now that businesses here know that windows 7 is developing, they are
> waiting, and hoping, that vista's bugs wil be eliminated it the next
> Operating System.
>
> And the majority of personal shoppers here just DON'T want Vista.
> They buy it if they can't get XP; which the chain stores are telling them
> to
> push vista.
>
> It is one BIG con from start to finish.
>
>
> --
> Mick Murphy - Qld - Australia
>
>
> "Just.some.guy" wrote:
>
>> http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23406638/
>>
>> Executive: Company 'botched' marketing of computers as 'Vista Capable'
>> SEATTLE - Microsoft Corp. will cut the price of some versions of Windows
>> Vista, the software maker said late Thursday.
>>
>> The move came a day after court filings revealed internal dissent over
>> which
>> Windows XP computers would be considered capable of running the new
>> operating system - and a feeling on at least one executive's part that
>> the
>> company had "botched" the marketing of computers as "Vista Capable."
>>
>> Only copies of the year-old operating system that are sold in boxes
>> directly
>> to consumers are affected by the price cuts _ not the versions pre-loaded
>> on
>> personal computers. The cuts will range from 20 percent to 48 percent.
>>
>> The reductions are to coincide with the late March release of Vista
>> Service
>> Pack 1, a collection of security fixes and other improvements.
>>
>> Microsoft said the new prices will apply to the Home Premium and Ultimate
>> versions of Vista, in both their full editions and the editions that
>> upgrade
>> an older or more basic operating system.
>>
>> Both versions serve the tiny percentage of users who install an operating
>> system on their own; most people get the latest version of Windows only
>> when
>> they buy a new PC.
>>
>> Windows Vista's January 2007 launch was plagued by delays. To keep
>> consumers
>> buying PCs in the holiday season of 2006, Microsoft and PC makers
>> promised
>> free Vista upgrades later to shoppers who bought Windows XP computers.
>>
>> At the launch, Microsoft was widely criticized for offering too many
>> versions of the operating system _ including Home Basic, which didn't
>> have
>> the snazzy new signature look called "Aero" _ and for setting the price
>> too
>> high for the high-end versions.
>>
>> Brad Brooks, a corporate vice president for Windows marketing at
>> Microsoft,
>> said in an interview that the company has since tested lower prices and
>> found "product was moving much, much faster."
>>
>> Brooks said he expects so many customers to buy Vista at the new prices
>> that
>> the price cuts will increase Microsoft's revenue, not subtract from it.
>>
>> A federal judge recently said consumers could pursue a class action suit
>> against Microsoft for labeling PCs as "Vista Capable," even though many
>> were
>> not powerful enough to run all of Vista's features, including the Aero
>> interface.
>>
>> Company e-mails produced in court chronicle Microsoft settling on a plan
>> to
>> market a wide range of XP-based PCs as "Vista Capable" after company
>> officials realized in early 2006 that 30 percent or fewer of computers on
>> the market could run the full-fledged version of Vista with Aero.
>>
>> That realization apparently caused computer makers like Dell Inc. to
>> worry
>> that people would stop buying PCs for almost a year - until Vista
>> launched.
>>
>> The e-mails also showed Microsoft lowering the bar for "Vista Capable" to
>> protect Intel Corp.'s sales of some widely used chips that weren't
>> powerful
>> enough for the full Vista experience.
>>
>> Microsoft employee Anantha Kancherla was particularly blunt in his March
>> 2006 response to a question about whether a certain PC configuration
>> would
>> be considered "Vista Capable."
>>
>>
>> "Based on objective criteria that exist today for "capable," even a piece
>> of
>> junk will qualify," he wrote. "For the sake of Vista customers, it will
>> be a
>> complete tragedy if we allowed it."
>>
>> According to the e-mails, Jim Allchin, the executive in charge of Windows
>> at
>> the time, wasn't involved in the decision to brand a wide swath of XP
>> computers as "Vista Capable."
>>
>> Upon learning the details, Allchin wrote, "We really botched this."
>>
>> Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material
>> may
>> not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
>>
>>
>>

Mick Murphy wrote:
> MS is getting desperate!
> They don't lower prices out of kindness to consumers!

It's called business stupid.
>
> And in my country, Australia, the corporate uptake of vista is DISMAL, to
> say the least,

No one cares about your country, as a matter of fact, they should drop a
bomb on that rat hole island and be done with it.
>
> The major Banks here have only within the last 2-3 years upgraded their
> workstations from Win 2000 Pro to XP; NO Vista customers there!

Who cares about what banks are doing on the rat hole island?

>
> And now that businesses here know that windows 7 is developing, they are
> waiting, and hoping, that vista's bugs wil be eliminated it the next
> Operating System.

And somehow you are an expert on what businesses are doing? Some some
kind of proof here that you have some kind of credentials and some kind
of proof.

>
> And the majority of personal shoppers here just DON'T want Vista.
> They buy it if they can't get XP; which the chain stores are telling them to
> push vista.
>

And again you got your finger on the pulse of this? Where are your
credentials and your proof?

> It is one BIG con from start to finish.

You are an idiot.

"Mick Murphy" wrote:

> MS is getting desperate!

If you say so

> They don't lower prices out of kindness to consumers!

Who said they did? The story states they ran a test on lower prices and it
sold much better and in fact will cause an income growth even with the lower
price.

>
> And in my country, Australia, the corporate uptake of vista is DISMAL, to
> say the least,
>
> The major Banks here have only within the last 2-3 years upgraded their
> workstations from Win 2000 Pro to XP; NO Vista customers there!

Pssssttt I'll let you in on a little secret...... There isn't one single
large corp that runs out and buys the latest OS to replace their hundreds,
even thousands of PC's just because.
For one it is a major expense. Two why move to a unknown when what you have
does what you need ? They will move to Vista sooner or later and in most
companies it's later. So no surprise your major banks don't have Vista I'm
betting the non major banks don't have it either. I've never worked for a
single company that bought a new OS for their users in under two years and
even then they only move that way as they buy now PC's


>
> And now that businesses here know that windows 7 is developing, they are
> waiting, and hoping, that vista's bugs wil be eliminated it the next
> Operating System.

Really then why didn't they pass on XP since Vista was also in development
at the time.
Me thinks you like to make up crap based on your imagination.

>
> And the majority of personal shoppers here just DON'T want Vista.

And you've spoken to them all? Can you provide one single study that shows
that?


> They buy it if they can't get XP; which the chain stores are telling them to
> push vista.

OEM manufacturers put it on the PC not the store and in every store that
sell Vista around here I can also still buy XP off the shelf .
Can you spell FUD? Because that is what you are spreading.

>
> It is one BIG con from start to finish.

Your post certainly was.

>
>
> --
> Mick Murphy - Qld - Australia
>
>
> "Just.some.guy" wrote:
>
> > http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23406638/
> >
> > Executive: Company 'botched' marketing of computers as 'Vista Capable'
> > SEATTLE - Microsoft Corp. will cut the price of some versions of Windows
> > Vista, the software maker said late Thursday.
> >
> > The move came a day after court filings revealed internal dissent over which
> > Windows XP computers would be considered capable of running the new
> > operating system - and a feeling on at least one executive's part that the
> > company had "botched" the marketing of computers as "Vista Capable."
> >
> > Only copies of the year-old operating system that are sold in boxes directly
> > to consumers are affected by the price cuts _ not the versions pre-loaded on
> > personal computers. The cuts will range from 20 percent to 48 percent.
> >
> > The reductions are to coincide with the late March release of Vista Service
> > Pack 1, a collection of security fixes and other improvements.
> >
> > Microsoft said the new prices will apply to the Home Premium and Ultimate
> > versions of Vista, in both their full editions and the editions that upgrade
> > an older or more basic operating system.
> >
> > Both versions serve the tiny percentage of users who install an operating
> > system on their own; most people get the latest version of Windows only when
> > they buy a new PC.
> >
> > Windows Vista's January 2007 launch was plagued by delays. To keep consumers
> > buying PCs in the holiday season of 2006, Microsoft and PC makers promised
> > free Vista upgrades later to shoppers who bought Windows XP computers.
> >
> > At the launch, Microsoft was widely criticized for offering too many
> > versions of the operating system _ including Home Basic, which didn't have
> > the snazzy new signature look called "Aero" _ and for setting the price too
> > high for the high-end versions.
> >
> > Brad Brooks, a corporate vice president for Windows marketing at Microsoft,
> > said in an interview that the company has since tested lower prices and
> > found "product was moving much, much faster."
> >
> > Brooks said he expects so many customers to buy Vista at the new prices that
> > the price cuts will increase Microsoft's revenue, not subtract from it.
> >
> > A federal judge recently said consumers could pursue a class action suit
> > against Microsoft for labeling PCs as "Vista Capable," even though many were
> > not powerful enough to run all of Vista's features, including the Aero
> > interface.
> >
> > Company e-mails produced in court chronicle Microsoft settling on a plan to
> > market a wide range of XP-based PCs as "Vista Capable" after company
> > officials realized in early 2006 that 30 percent or fewer of computers on
> > the market could run the full-fledged version of Vista with Aero.
> >
> > That realization apparently caused computer makers like Dell Inc. to worry
> > that people would stop buying PCs for almost a year - until Vista launched.
> >
> > The e-mails also showed Microsoft lowering the bar for "Vista Capable" to
> > protect Intel Corp.'s sales of some widely used chips that weren't powerful
> > enough for the full Vista experience.
> >
> > Microsoft employee Anantha Kancherla was particularly blunt in his March
> > 2006 response to a question about whether a certain PC configuration would
> > be considered "Vista Capable."
> >
> >
> > "Based on objective criteria that exist today for "capable," even a piece of
> > junk will qualify," he wrote. "For the sake of Vista customers, it will be a
> > complete tragedy if we allowed it."
> >
> > According to the e-mails, Jim Allchin, the executive in charge of Windows at
> > the time, wasn't involved in the decision to brand a wide swath of XP
> > computers as "Vista Capable."
> >
> > Upon learning the details, Allchin wrote, "We really botched this."
> >
> > Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may
> > not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
> >
> >
> >

"Man-wai Chang ToDie" wrote:

> Mick Murphy wrote:
> > MS is getting desperate!
>
> Well, I think M$' focus is Window$ 7, not Vi$ta....
> Some people compare Vi$ta with WinMe ...
> \

And some people compare you to a retard ....doesn't mean it's true now does
it?

> --
> @~@ Might, Courage, Vision, SINCERITY.
> / v \ Simplicity is Beauty! May the Force and Farce be with you!
> /( _ )\ (Xubuntu 7.04) Linux 2.6.24.3
> ^ ^ 20:42:01 up 3 days 6:30 0 users load average: 0.00 0.00 0.00
> ? ? (CSSA):
> http://www.swd.gov.hk/tc/index/site_...ub_addressesa/
>

"Man-wai Chang ToDie" wrote:

> Just.some.guy wrote:
> > http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23406638/
>
> I want a refund cheque...

Now that would be nice but I'm not holding my breath.
>
> --
> @~@ Might, Courage, Vision, SINCERITY.
> / v \ Simplicity is Beauty! May the Force and Farce be with you!
> /( _ )\ (Xubuntu 7.04) Linux 2.6.24.3
> ^ ^ 20:42:01 up 3 days 6:30 0 users load average: 0.00 0.00 0.00
> ? ? (CSSA):
> http://www.swd.gov.hk/tc/index/site_...ub_addressesa/
>

Man-wai; I agree with you!
--
Mick Murphy - Qld - Australia


"Man-wai Chang ToDie" wrote:

> Mick Murphy wrote:
> > MS is getting desperate!
>
> Well, I think M$' focus is Window$ 7, not Vi$ta....
> Some people compare Vi$ta with WinMe ...
>
> --
> @~@ Might, Courage, Vision, SINCERITY.
> / v \ Simplicity is Beauty! May the Force and Farce be with you!
> /( _ )\ (Xubuntu 7.04) Linux 2.6.24.3
> ^ ^ 20:42:01 up 3 days 6:30 0 users load average: 0.00 0.00 0.00
> ? ? (CSSA):
> http://www.swd.gov.hk/tc/index/site_...ub_addressesa/
>

You must live in america; DREAMLAND of utter fools and idiots!
--
Mick Murphy - Qld - Australia


"What?" wrote:

> Mick Murphy wrote:
> > MS is getting desperate!
> > They don't lower prices out of kindness to consumers!
>
> It's called business stupid.
> >
> > And in my country, Australia, the corporate uptake of vista is DISMAL, to
> > say the least,
>
> No one cares about your country, as a matter of fact, they should drop a
> bomb on that rat hole island and be done with it.
> >
> > The major Banks here have only within the last 2-3 years upgraded their
> > workstations from Win 2000 Pro to XP; NO Vista customers there!
>
> Who cares about what banks are doing on the rat hole island?
>
> >
> > And now that businesses here know that windows 7 is developing, they are
> > waiting, and hoping, that vista's bugs wil be eliminated it the next
> > Operating System.
>
> And somehow you are an expert on what businesses are doing? Some some
> kind of proof here that you have some kind of credentials and some kind
> of proof.
>
> >
> > And the majority of personal shoppers here just DON'T want Vista.
> > They buy it if they can't get XP; which the chain stores are telling them to
> > push vista.
> >
>
> And again you got your finger on the pulse of this? Where are your
> credentials and your proof?
>
> > It is one BIG con from start to finish.
>
> You are an idiot.
>

You are so far up MS's backside, only your Size 12 boots are hanging out!
--
Mick Murphy - Qld - Australia


"bp" wrote:

>
>
> "Mick Murphy" wrote:
>
> > MS is getting desperate!
>
> If you say so
>
> > They don't lower prices out of kindness to consumers!
>
> Who said they did? The story states they ran a test on lower prices and it
> sold much better and in fact will cause an income growth even with the lower
> price.
>
> >
> > And in my country, Australia, the corporate uptake of vista is DISMAL, to
> > say the least,
> >
> > The major Banks here have only within the last 2-3 years upgraded their
> > workstations from Win 2000 Pro to XP; NO Vista customers there!
>
> Pssssttt I'll let you in on a little secret...... There isn't one single
> large corp that runs out and buys the latest OS to replace their hundreds,
> even thousands of PC's just because.
> For one it is a major expense. Two why move to a unknown when what you have
> does what you need ? They will move to Vista sooner or later and in most
> companies it's later. So no surprise your major banks don't have Vista I'm
> betting the non major banks don't have it either. I've never worked for a
> single company that bought a new OS for their users in under two years and
> even then they only move that way as they buy now PC's
>
>
> >
> > And now that businesses here know that windows 7 is developing, they are
> > waiting, and hoping, that vista's bugs wil be eliminated it the next
> > Operating System.
>
> Really then why didn't they pass on XP since Vista was also in development
> at the time.
> Me thinks you like to make up crap based on your imagination.
>
> >
> > And the majority of personal shoppers here just DON'T want Vista.
>
> And you've spoken to them all? Can you provide one single study that shows
> that?
>
>
> > They buy it if they can't get XP; which the chain stores are telling them to
> > push vista.
>
> OEM manufacturers put it on the PC not the store and in every store that
> sell Vista around here I can also still buy XP off the shelf .
> Can you spell FUD? Because that is what you are spreading.
>
> >
> > It is one BIG con from start to finish.
>
> Your post certainly was.
>
> >
> >
> > --
> > Mick Murphy - Qld - Australia
> >
> >
> > "Just.some.guy" wrote:
> >
> > > http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23406638/
> > >
> > > Executive: Company 'botched' marketing of computers as 'Vista Capable'
> > > SEATTLE - Microsoft Corp. will cut the price of some versions of Windows
> > > Vista, the software maker said late Thursday.
> > >
> > > The move came a day after court filings revealed internal dissent over which
> > > Windows XP computers would be considered capable of running the new
> > > operating system - and a feeling on at least one executive's part that the
> > > company had "botched" the marketing of computers as "Vista Capable."
> > >
> > > Only copies of the year-old operating system that are sold in boxes directly
> > > to consumers are affected by the price cuts _ not the versions pre-loaded on
> > > personal computers. The cuts will range from 20 percent to 48 percent.
> > >
> > > The reductions are to coincide with the late March release of Vista Service
> > > Pack 1, a collection of security fixes and other improvements.
> > >
> > > Microsoft said the new prices will apply to the Home Premium and Ultimate
> > > versions of Vista, in both their full editions and the editions that upgrade
> > > an older or more basic operating system.
> > >
> > > Both versions serve the tiny percentage of users who install an operating
> > > system on their own; most people get the latest version of Windows only when
> > > they buy a new PC.
> > >
> > > Windows Vista's January 2007 launch was plagued by delays. To keep consumers
> > > buying PCs in the holiday season of 2006, Microsoft and PC makers promised
> > > free Vista upgrades later to shoppers who bought Windows XP computers.
> > >
> > > At the launch, Microsoft was widely criticized for offering too many
> > > versions of the operating system _ including Home Basic, which didn't have
> > > the snazzy new signature look called "Aero" _ and for setting the price too
> > > high for the high-end versions.
> > >
> > > Brad Brooks, a corporate vice president for Windows marketing at Microsoft,
> > > said in an interview that the company has since tested lower prices and
> > > found "product was moving much, much faster."
> > >
> > > Brooks said he expects so many customers to buy Vista at the new prices that
> > > the price cuts will increase Microsoft's revenue, not subtract from it.
> > >
> > > A federal judge recently said consumers could pursue a class action suit
> > > against Microsoft for labeling PCs as "Vista Capable," even though many were
> > > not powerful enough to run all of Vista's features, including the Aero
> > > interface.
> > >
> > > Company e-mails produced in court chronicle Microsoft settling on a plan to
> > > market a wide range of XP-based PCs as "Vista Capable" after company
> > > officials realized in early 2006 that 30 percent or fewer of computers on
> > > the market could run the full-fledged version of Vista with Aero.
> > >
> > > That realization apparently caused computer makers like Dell Inc. to worry
> > > that people would stop buying PCs for almost a year - until Vista launched.
> > >
> > > The e-mails also showed Microsoft lowering the bar for "Vista Capable" to
> > > protect Intel Corp.'s sales of some widely used chips that weren't powerful
> > > enough for the full Vista experience.
> > >
> > > Microsoft employee Anantha Kancherla was particularly blunt in his March
> > > 2006 response to a question about whether a certain PC configuration would
> > > be considered "Vista Capable."
> > >
> > >
> > > "Based on objective criteria that exist today for "capable," even a piece of
> > > junk will qualify," he wrote. "For the sake of Vista customers, it will be a
> > > complete tragedy if we allowed it."
> > >
> > > According to the e-mails, Jim Allchin, the executive in charge of Windows at
> > > the time, wasn't involved in the decision to brand a wide swath of XP
> > > computers as "Vista Capable."
> > >
> > > Upon learning the details, Allchin wrote, "We really botched this."
> > >
> > > Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may
> > > not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
> > >
> > >
> > >