Microsoft Helped Intel With Lower "Vista Capable" Specs

It seems that Microsoft had dropped the requirements of its controversial Microsoft Windows Vista capable program, in order to help Intel to sell older versions of chipsets that were unable to meet the OEM requirements, according to recently released court documents. 

The software giant is facing a lawsuit from the customers who complained that the computers with ‘Vista capable’ labels were only able to support the ‘Windows Vista Basic’ version of the operating system. 

The unsealed court documents purported that Microsoft has lowered the requirements from Vista capable scheme, so that PCs with older Intel 915 chipsets which were unable to support Windows Device Driver Model (WDDM) could still qualify as Windows capable machines.  

The documents seemed to suggest that the company was planning to bar PCs with Intel’s erstwhile 915 chipsets from the plan, as they weren’t competent enough to support Vista’s Aero Glass graphics; however it buckled under pressure from Intel. 

In addition Intel urged Microsoft to postpone the launch of its Windows Vista sticker program from April to the originally scheduled date of June, so that it could get some more time to develop high-end chips to meet the market requirements. 

It is interesting to note that Intel’s top exec James Renee sent an email to Microsoft’s Will Poole, expressing his concerns over the unfavourable impact of Microsoft’s “Vista-capable” program on the chip maker.   

Court fillings also mention that Paul Otellini, the CEO of Intel, had in fact appealed directly to Microsoft’s chief Steve Ballmer, saying the program could result in billions of dollars revenue loss for the company.