Microsoft downgraded Vista Capable specs to help Intel

[Lead Head]

NUMEROUS EMAILS exchanged by Microsoft and Intel executives have revealed that the Vole knowingly cut its 'Vista Capable' PC specifications to help Intel flog rafts of cheap kit.

The email evidence surfaced in a plaintiffs' court filing (PDF) that was unsealed Thursday in the continuing 'Vista Capable' consumer class action lawsuit.

Computers built using Intel's 915 series chipsets didn't qualify for the 'Vista Capable' label under the Vole's initial set of PC specifications for the promotional programme set forth in December 2005, because the 915 chipsets couldn't handle Vista's coolest graphics interface.

After Microsoft pushed up its projected kickoff date for the 'Vista Capable' programme by three months, Intel's executives objected because Chipzilla couldn't ramp up production of its newer, high-end graphics chipsets fast enough to meet anticipated demand."

http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/11/14/microsoft-cut-vista-capable

I'm betting that is where quite a few Vista performance "complaints" came from.

[WMD]

This has actually been known for a while; the new developments seem to be about Steve Ballmer and Paul Otellini and their personally approving it.

[worker201]

The way corporate names get thrown around all the time, it seems like the 89,000 people at Microsoft and the 86,000 at Intel got together and took a vote or something.  Nope, it was 2 guys acting alone, probably settled the whole thing over email.  Corporate shenanigans are so anti-dramatic.

[SiMuLaCrUm]

because the 915 chipsets couldn't handle Vista's coolest graphics interface.

Big deal, that GUI isn't so great anyway.
And besides, can't most of the graphically intense features be turned off?

[davidnix71]

Even recent corporate Dells don't do well with Vista. Our IT guys will be hanging onto XP for as long as they can. Our new Dells came with Vista, but the performance sucked so bad, they backed down to XP.

[SiMuLaCrUm]

Yeah, a lot of companies stick with XP

[Lead Head]

because the 915 chipsets couldn't handle Vista's coolest graphics interface.

Big deal, that GUI isn't so great anyway.
And besides, can't most of the graphically intense features be turned off?

They can, but the thing is the laptops were rated to handle vista with full graphical effects.

[SiMuLaCrUm]

Ah, ok, that makes sense now.

[_ZeroBeta]

Yeah, a lot of companies stick with XP

In fact, many businesses that use Windows are considering skipping Vista entirely.