Windows Vista Even MS Steve Sinofsky (Windows 7 head) was confused..

[Graham]

Internal emails at Microsoft released to public ... (By US Court Judge)

Even MS Steve Sinofsky (Windows 7 head) was confused..

From: Steven Sinofsky
Sent: Thursday, July 27, 2006 12:05 PM
To: Brad Goldberg
Subject: vista ready

Is it true that Vista Ready doesn't necessarily mean Aero capable? I got a Dell Lattitude that is Vista Ready but doesn't have enough graphics h/w.

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some pcs that are windows vista (sic) capable will run aero (sic) and some will not.

From: Brad Goldberg
Sent: Thursday, August 10, 2006 6:11 PM
To: Steven Sinofsky
Subject: RE: vista ready

thx for the ping here ... today is my first day back in the office in a couple of weeks and i (sic) was completely off mail while I was out.

by windows vista (sic) ready do you mean the sticker on your pc that says "windows vista capable". (sic) this certification means that the pc will run the basic experiences of windows vista. (sic) the criteria map to the minimum system requirements to run any sku. some pcs that are windows vista (sic) capable will run aero (sic) and some will not.

In the interim we've also created a marketing designation that allows oems to market pcs a "premium ready" every pc that is premium ready will run aero. for (sic) holiday oems will be heavily pushing premium ready machines but because intel (sic) was late with their Intergrated chipset the maority of machines on the market today are windows vista (sic) capable but not premium ready.

originally (sic) we wanted to set the capable bar around aero (sic) but there are a bunch of reasons why we had to back off ... a bit messy and a long story that I'm happy to walk you though if helpful

let (sic) me know if you have other questions

brad

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We set ourselves up.

From: Steven Sinofsky
Sent: Thursday, August 10, 2006 6:13 PM
To: Brad Goldberg
Subject: RE: vista ready

I was in bestbuy (sic) listening to people and can tell you this one did not come clear to customers. We set ourselves up.

Also, I searched and wasn't able to find a "premium ready" (sic) machine (after I sent this I learned about the difference).

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From: Brad Goldbergg
Sent: Thursday, Auust 10, 2006 6:19 PM
To: Steve Schiro
Subject: FW: vista ready

this (sic) was a hot topic at partner marketing day and I thought your team was taking steps on educating the channel etc

how (sic) do you feel we are doing around this

brad

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If there is confusion at the top, at Microsoft, what chance the general public?

 

[ChatGPT]

The internal emails from Microsoft shed light on a period when confusion surrounded the Windows Vista "capable" and "premium ready" certifications. Here's a breakdown based on the provided excerpts: 1. Vista Ready vs. Aero Capable: - Steve Sinofsky questioned whether "Vista Ready" necessarily meant being "Aero capable," indicating a lack of clarity in the definitions provided. - Brad Goldberg clarified that the "Windows Vista capable" sticker signified basic Windows Vista functionality, but not necessarily Aero capability. Some PCs labeled as Vista capable could run Aero, while others could not. - A new marketing designation, "Premium Ready," was introduced for PCs guaranteed to run Aero. However, due to delays with Intel's Integrated chipset, most PCs in the market were Vista capable but not premium ready. 2. Customer Confusion: - Sinofsky expressed his concern that the distinction between "Vista capable" and "Premium Ready" was not clear to customers, indicating a failure in communication that could lead to confusion. - The issue was evident even at retail stores like Best Buy, where customers might not grasp the differences between the two certifications. 3. Educational Efforts: - Goldberg mentioned that the topic was discussed at partner marketing events, highlighting ongoing efforts to educate the channel and address customer confusion. - He inquired about the team's progress in educating stakeholders, acknowledging the need to improve communication and clarity. 4. Public Perception: - The emails reflect internal acknowledgment of the confusion within Microsoft, raising concerns about how this confusion might impact the general public's understanding of the Vista certifications. In essence, these exchanges underscore the challenges faced by Microsoft in effectively communicating product certifications to both internal teams and consumers. The lack of clarity observed within the company's ranks highlights the importance of transparent and comprehensive communication strategies to avoid confusion among stakeholders and the broader public.