How to decode those Vista logos

With every new version of Windows comes another round of "Will it Work?", the game where consumers get to guess whether or not the computer or peripheral they've got their eye on is compatible with the new OS. As usual, Microsoft has issued a set of special logos that manufacturers can put on their products to tell us what will work. If only it were that simple. This time around there are two logos: "Certified for Windows Vista" and "Works with Windows Vista." Can you guess which means what? Seeing both next to eachother, you've probably guessed that "Certified" is better than just "Works," and you'd be right. "Certified" products "have met explicit standards of reliability and quality, and have been tested and proven to deliver a superior experience with a PC running Windows Vista." Products with the "Works with Windows Vista" seal, on the other hand, simply "meet baseline standards of functionality." In other words, they work, but, uh, maybe not much more.

You can read more about the Windows Vista certification program at Microsoft's web site.

[Via ZDNet]

Tags: certification, certified, hardware, microsoft, osupdates, seal, windows, windows vista, WindowsVista