Microsoft works out ‘Vista Ready' PC labels

DESPITE the fact that its operating system keeps getting pushed back into the never-never, Microsoft has started labelling PCs as ‘Vista Ready'.

Vole's new program will involve slapping stickers on PCs that have enough RAM and other gear to handle the Windows Vista Home Basic.

However, there is a slight problem with sticking the labels on every PC with current-generation processors, at least 512 megabytes of memory and a DirectX 9-class graphics processor.

The Home Basic Vista can't run the graphics section of the OS, which is probably one of the few highlight's on the operating system that Microsoft has not dropped. This means that a lot of machines which come out with Vole's Vista sticker will not be able to run the Operating System in any meaningful way.

A SpokesVole admitted to the Seattle Times that the sticker specifications were a "baseline" and that if anyone wanted the extra graphics they would have to upgrade to a version of Vista that could cope.

The fact that Vole has not officially announced what hardware you will need to have a working version of Vista should be an indication that you should not believe what you read on the front of the PC after January.

More at the Seattle Times. µ