Vista Branding Confusing Even To Microsoft

Trotti Laganna writes "Lawyers are now arguing a case brought against Microsoft over Vista's marketing. The software giant is being dinged for allegedly not telling the truth when it put the 'Vista capable' logo on PCs that would only be capable of running Vista Home Basic. Case in point - even the software giant's marketing director Mark Croft was confused by the pre-launch campaign in the United States. Croft's explanation was that "'capable'...has an interpretation for many that, in the context of this program, a PC would be able to run any version of the Windows operating system". After a 10-minute break to talk to Microsoft's lawyers, Croft admitted he had made 'an error', and retracted his previous statement, saying that, by 'capable', Microsoft meant 'able to run a version of Vista'."

Comments

Yawn.

[Anonymous Coward]

Funny, I'm not confused by this.

Still waiting..

[Anonymous Coward]

Posting from my linux machine, because my new vista capable computer still hasn't completed booting since I bought it back in Aug.

"Capable" is a good word

[Rik Sweeney]

When I was at University, someone I knew had a computer that was capable of running Windows 95.

She was using a 486.

Re:"Capable" is a good word

[Rik Sweeney]

A 486 with 32 megs of RAM could run Windows 95 just fine. A 486 with 8 megs of RAM, however... would take literally three minutes to boot basic stuff like IE2.

Jo, is that you?

Re:"Capable" is a good word

[gazbo]

You are banned from ever talking about operating systems. It's for your own good.

Re:"Capable" is a good word

[muszek]

He bought a server that's "MS SQL 2005 Capable". Unfortunately, queries that would return more than 1 row of data on truly capable hardware (min. 4GB of RAM) get access denied error instead. If you turn the profanity lang switch in conf file, it says "we don't like cheap bastards like you. come back when you have craploads of cash".

Odd way of coming out of the closet

[SmallFurryCreature]

Look, as your nick suggests on slashdot we use real men's anologies namely cars. Guy stuff. Not clothing and most certainly not womens clothing and MOST DEFINITLY NOT TRYING THEM ON.

Yes I know the temptation can be great when you feel that soft lace... Eh, how about them Yankees eh.

Re:Odd way of coming out of the closet

[PopeRatzo]

Look, as your nick suggests on slashdot we use real men's anologies namely cars. Guy stuff. Not clothing and most certainly not womens clothing and MOST DEFINITLY NOT TRYING THEM ON.

I don't know, I was kind of getting in to his analogy. Who among us hasn't secretly wanted to go into a Lane Bryant and try on a nice sheath dress? I mean, NOT ME, but I'm thinking there might be some of you guys who would like that sort of thing. In a strictly ironic way, of course. As a joke.

Re:Odd way of coming out of the closet

[rvw]

Clearly, this being Slashdot, he should have invented a girlfriend to attribute the women's pants experience to. -Esme Clearly he hás invented an imaginary girlfriend. And because she cannot be naked all the time he had to go and try these cloths, understand?

You know you've failed when...

[idiotwithastick]

... your own marketing director has no clue about the product he is actually trying to market. Who comes up with those stickers, anyways?

Come the day

[PinkyDead]

We are getting closer and closer to the day where I actually feel sorry for Microsoft.

Re:Women's clothes sizes and Vista branding

[value_added]

For kicks, go to the women's section of your favorite department store and pick up a few jeans that are the same size (pick something that would fit you. Lane Bryant might be a good store choice). Take the jeans into a changing room and try them on. What you'll find is that even though the same size is printed on the label, the actual size varies from item to item.

Dear Sir,

I wish to complain in the strongest possible terms about the aforementioned post, namely, that Slashdot readers might consider trying on women's clothes. Many of my best friends are Slashdot readers, and only a few of them are transvestites.

Moreover, while it is true that certain manufacturers of women's apparel mark down the size of a garment to a lower size to placate the buyer's desire for petiteness, there should be no shame for anyone relegated to shopping in the plus-sized aisles, or otherwise interested in purchasing a copy of Vista.

Yours faithfully,
Brigadier Sir Charles Arthur Strong (Mrs.)

PS I have never kissed Cmdr Taco.

Re:Uh...

[Andrewkov]

Your office toilet is Vista Certified? Brings new meaning to the term "system dump".

HD Ready

[KlaymenDK]

Just like my shiny new "HD Ready" tv, for which I will nonetheless need a separate set-top-box when HDTV is eventually rolled out in my country...

Re:Certain?

[NickFortune]

And I have to say that I'd side with Microsoft here. I mean, when it comes down to it, if the PC can run any version of Windows Vista then it's CAPABLE of running Vista.

Introducing VISTA NULL! All it does is wipe your hard drive and put up a big sign saying "your crappy old computer is too old to run our fine software - go buy a new one right now" But it is guaranteed to will run on anything from an 8086 onwards.

There. Now they can use that sticker for anything they like. Send your suggestions to "Steve Ballmer, One Microsoft Way..."

Thank you, Captain Literal

[Anonymous Coward]

Enjoy your trip down the rabbit hole.

Just one problem

[Weaselmancer]

It comes on 4 DVDs.

depends on what you mean by capable

[CyberdogOSX]

i did not have sex with that operating system