Now that a court has decided that a suit against Microsoft revolving around its Vista Capable logo has gone to class action status, it seems that Microsoft is now clarifying some of the logo’s that you may see. There are logo’s for both hardware and software plus a logo for Vista Basic. Hopefully this clarification will make it easier for consumers to determine exactly what they are buying and how well it will work. On their site Microsoft states:

Have confidence that Certified for Windows Vista products will provide superior experiences with your software, photos, music, videos and online communications on PC’s running the Windows Vista operating system. That’s because only Certified for Windows Vista software and devices have undergone Microsoft compatibility tests for ease-of-use, better performance and enhanced security. Certified for Windows Vista products make activities like enjoying photos and music, setting up wireless networks, connecting with friends and completing business tasks faster, easier and more secure.

Certified for Windows Vista software:

• Is independently tested for compatibility, functionality and reliability on Windows Vista-based PCs.
• Provides enhanced security by implementing Microsoft security guidelines.
• Meets privacy standards set forth by the Anti-Spyware Coalition.
• Installs reliably and if necessary, uninstalls cleanly.
• Eliminates unnecessary reboots.
• Ensures compatibility with 32-bit and 64-bit editions of Windows Vista.

Certified for Windows Vista hardware:

• Is designed and tested for ease of use, better performance and enhanced security on PC’s running Windows Vista.
• Meets technical requirements for superior experiences with photos, music, videos, games and online communications.
• Installs easily and can automatically download device driver updates from Windows Update.
• Helps ensure compatibility with other Certified for Windows Vista products.

More details can be found here.
Comments welcome.

[tags]microsoft, vista, certified, hardware, software, explanation, [/tags]