"Windows Vista Capable" gets Microsoft sued....

[honvetops]

I'm neither a lawyer nor a lover of lawsuits, but I gotta admit I'm neither totally startled nor immediately distressed by today's news of a class-action lawsuit against Microsoft, charging that its marketing practices for PCs sold in the months before Windows Vista's release were deceptive.

The crux of the matter seems to be the "Windows Vista Capable" sticker that was slapped on relatively low-end machines (including one I bought in February of this year). All the sticker signified is that the machines could run Windows Vista Basic--the stripped-down edition that lacks much of what makes Vista Vista, including the slick "Aero" user interace.

As I blogged a few weeks back, the Vista Capable seal is so meaningless that Dell's site says that PCs that carry it are "great for" booting up Vista--but that they might not let you perform advanced tasks such as, er, running any software at all. Great, huh?

http://blogs.pcworld.com/techlog/archives/004000.html

[Calum]

Annoying, eh?
Before this was finalised, my laptop rolled off the assembly line with a Vista Capable sticker.
However, I know it's more than that, it could easily run any version of Vista.
It causes confusion for all involved when this sort of thing happens, especially to the less tech-savvy.

[patio]

The problem with class action lawsuits is by the time they finish paying off all the attorneys and split up the money even those that got burned all get 87 cents...

[Raptor]

That'll teach you not to look up the requirements of Vista before going out to buy a machine. Or asking an 'expert'. 

[Calum]

By expert . . . you mean the salesmen in computer stores?
They make me laugh.
And . . . was that addressed to me personally, or anyone in general?

[Raptor]

By expert . . . you mean the salesmen in computer stores?
They make me laugh.
And . . . was that addressed to me personally, or anyone in general?

I hate salesmen. So far every sales person I spoke to has sold me crap. Apart from the optician, but he has a degree in.. uhm.. opticianism... So he could be considered an expert.

Just addressed in general.

[Calum]

Ever participated in the sport known as idiot computer salesmen baiting?
It's fun, you should try it sometime.
Ask them for their best gaming rig, and proceed to pick it apart.
As you should, when they offer you a P4 3GHz, 512Mb of RAM and a Radeon X600 - to play BF2142 and Oblivion at the highst settings.
Ridiculously overpriced to boot.
But it was Vista Capable, and that's the ONLY thing that matters.
LOL.

[Raptor]

Actually, I was forced to become the sales man at one point. I didn't sell a lot of computers..

[Calum]

COL
I can see it now.

Customer: "Is this a good computer?"
Raptor: "No.  It sucks.  Go away before I hit you with it."
Customer: ". . . *runs*"

I was considering trying for a Saturday job as one for a while but then I figured that there'd always be someone who would be really awkward and then I'd get fired and/or arrested for assault.

[Carbon Dudeoxide]

Customer walks into store
Customer: Hi, this computer looks nice, is it Vista?
Sales man: Yes it is windows vista
Customer: Do you think it's a good computer?
Sales man:  Yes, i think it is a great computer
Sales man leans closer to customer
Sales Man:  These aren't my words, pretent to consider this offer and then walk away, it isn't worth it

[Raptor]

I wasn't very good, I got fired actually. Partially because I was never there, and I refused to show up in jeans.

[Calum]

Refused to show up in . . . they made you wear jeans?
Why is that a bad thing?
(Stop thinking everyone wears the same as you, Calum)
So they fired you because you wore, what, a suit or something?
Or just didn't wear jeans, not necessarily wore something else?  If you get what I mean.

[Raptor]

Apparently, jeans are the new standard for reputable business men.. I only wear baggy clothes. Or nothing at all. Ha-ha.

[Calum]

Fair enough, I never knew that.
And as for the part about wearing nothing . . . let's just not go there.

[unlovedwarrior]

thats what microsoft gets for trying to cheap ppl out