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Some cheap PCs aren't eligible for free Win 7 upgrade
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| Many potential buyers of laptops priced under $300 in the U.S. had an
| unpleasant surprise over the weekend: The machines would not be eligible for
| a free upgrade to Microsoft's upcoming Windows 7 operating system.
|
| Wal-Mart and Best Buy attracted plenty of buyers during a promotional
| offering of laptops priced under $300. Some of those laptops sold out just
| one day after the offers began. The prices were respectable considering the
| generous features, including large screens, better graphics and DVD drives,
| which are not typically found in most low-cost netbooks.
|
| However, the laptops came preloaded with the Windows Vista Home Basic
| operating system, which does not include a free upgrade to Windows 7 in the
| U.S. Instead, consumers will have to shell out about $120 to upgrade the
| operating system.
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http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9136122/Some_cheap_PCs_aren_t_eligible_for_free_Win_7_upgrade
Related:
Tech Titans, Big Retail Served In Microsoft Suit
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| Top hardware and PC makers, several leading computer retailers and one key
| Microsoft executive have been subpoenaed in the Vista Capable class-action
| suit taking place in U.S. District Court in Seattle. Â
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http://www.crn.com/it-channel/207000282
Vista Capable plaintiffs subpoena PC titans
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| Other notable names on the list include Intel and former Windows chief Jim
| Allchin.
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http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/microsoft/archives/135018.asp
Microsoft tries to stop more âVista-capableâ e-mails from going public
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| Microsoft is trying to put the kibosh on more of its internal (and
| embarassing) e-mail messages around its Vista marketing plans going public.
|
| [...]
|
| With every version of Windows, Microsoft has worked with hardware partners to
| find new ways to try to convince users they need more and more powerful
| machines to take advantage of more feature-rich software. If Microsoft and
| its partners were/are successful, it means more money in the PC makersâ and
| Microsoftâs coffers. With Vista, this pact really back-fired, as the already
| published e-mails around Vista-capable â and more, as-yet-unpublicized
| messages â will make evident. Â Â Â
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http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=1254
Microsoft challenges 'Vista Capable' class action
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| If granted, the motion would also postpone any new disclosures of potentially
| embarrassing company e-mails.
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http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9067400
They Criticized Vista. And They Should Know.
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| Act 1: In 2005, Microsoft plans to say that only PCs that are properly
| equipped to handle the heavy graphics demands of Vista are âVista Ready.â
|
| Act 2: In early 2006, Microsoft decides to drop the graphics-related hardware
| requirement in order to avoid hurting Windows XP sales on low-end machines
| while Vista is readied. (A customer could reasonably conclude that Microsoft
| is saying, Buy Now, Upgrade Later.) A semantic adjustment is made: Instead of
| saying that a PC is âVista Ready,â which might convey the idea that, well, it
| is ready to run Vista, a PC will be described as âVista Capable,â which
| supposedly signals that no promises are made about which version of Vista
| will actually work. Â Â Â
|
| The decision to drop the original hardware requirements is accompanied by
| considerable internal protest. The minimum hardware configuration was set so
| low that âeven a piece of junk will qualify,â Anantha Kancherla, a Microsoft
| program manager, said in an internal e-mail message among those recently
| unsealed, adding, âIt will be a complete tragedy if we allowed it.â Â Â
|
| Act 3: In 2007, Vista is released in multiple versions, including âHome
| Basic,â which lacks Vistaâs distinctive graphics. This placed Microsoftâs
| partners in an embarrassing position. Dell, which gave Microsoft a postmortem
| report that was also included among court documents, dryly
| remarked: âCustomers did not understand what âCapableâ meant and expected
| more than could/would be delivered.â Â Â
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http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/09/business/09digi.html?_r=2&pagewanted=2&oref=slogin
Microsoft knew of Vista shortcoming prior to release
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/microsoft-knew-vista-shortcoming-prior/story.aspx?guid=%7B75BE59C7%2DEFA1%2D48B5%2DB4A4%2D90F5E01A52A0%7D&siteid=yhoof
Microsoft dropped Vista hardware spec to raise Intel profits
http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2008/03/01/microsoft_intel_vista_capable_emails/
Microsoft 'Caves' To Intel
http://www.forbes.com/2008/02/28/microsoft-vista-intel-tech-ebiz-cx_wt_0228vista.html?partner=yahootix
Has Vista lost all credibility?
http://apcmag.com/8344/has_vista_lost_all_credibility
E-mail: Microsoft 'botched' dealings with Intel, HP
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| Internal Microsoft e-mails revealed through a federal class-action lawsuit
| arising from the troubled launch last year of the Windows Vista operating
| system have provided a provocative inside look at the software giant's
| machinations with Intel, HP and Dell. Â
|
| The e-mails include an exchange in which one senior Microsoft executive
| described dealings with computer makers as "really botched." Another manager
| complained Microsoft was "caving to Intel" and "really burning HP." Â
|
| The e-mails are included in 145 pages of documents unsealed by U.S. District
| Judge Marsha Pechman in Seattle late Wednesday. They include internal
| reports and some handwritten notes that offer a rare look inside at the
| famed "Wintel" partnership, and touch upon the alliance's dealings with
| Hewlett-Packard, Dell and other computer makers. Â Â
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http://origin.mercurynews.com/businessheadlines/ci_8417811?nclick_check=1
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