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Vista Sticker Shock: What Do The Logos Mean?
Microsoft has tried -- with varying degrees of success -- to create programs that guide computer users toward the right version of Vista that they may want to upgrade to. These programs are also supposed to alert PC, software, and peripherals buyers as to which devices and packages will work with the version of Vista that offers the features they want to use.
The heart of the effort is a set of Vista logo stickers that are appearing on everything from PCs to keyboards to USB memory keys. However, the stickers themselves aren't very informative -- and in fact, they may make you even more confused than you were before. In order to decipher Microsoft's logo code, you've got to know what they mean and how relevant they are to what you're looking for. Here are some explanations of the stickers and their meanings:  | This sticker identifies PCs that are sold with Windows XP installed, but can be upgraded to Vista by the buyer, usually through the "Express Upgrade" program intended by Microsoft to boost PC sales during the 2006 holiday season. The upgrade program covers PCs bought between October 26, 2006 and March 15, 2007. The availability of an upgrade depends on the PC maker, and the sticker is not specific to any version of Vista. The fine print on the sticker program Web site says, in effect, that PCs wearing this logo will definitely support the Vista Basic features (see next sticker below), and may or may not support some or all of the Vista Premium features. |  | This sticker identifies PCs capable of supporting what Microsoft calls "the core experiences of Windows Vista, such as innovations in organizing and finding information, security, and reliability" -- the features of the Windows Vista Home Basic version. |  | Products with this sticker, according to Microsoft, are able to "take advantage of features in Windows Vista to deliver excellent performance, ease of use, and the best experience possible, whether you are enjoying music, photos, and videos, or communicating with friends." Translation: this PC will run Windows Vista Home Basic, Windows Vista Business, or Windows Vista Ultimate -- but some features may require additional hardware like TV tuners. |  | The "Certified for Windows Vista" logo is not intended for use on PCs. Rather, it is for hardware and software products that have been tested and approved by Microsoft, and is intended to build customer confidence in the product's compatibility with Vista. Criteria are different for different types of products. Software, for example, must use the MSI installer. Products that require software drivers may benefit most of all from the testing process, as approval makes the drivers eligible for distribution through Microsoft's distribution mechanisms such as Software Update. |  | The "Works With Windows Vista" logo gives peripheral device makers a way to hitch their wagon to the Vista star. No certification is required: Inclusion in the program is basically on the honor system until a product is demonstrated not to work with Vista, at which point Microsoft can lift the sticker. This sticker is likely to appear on keyboards and mice and headsets and USB devices that don't require drivers. | |
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